Be Ready for the Master: An ESL Bible Study on Luke 12:35-48

This Bible study series is for people who are learning English. It is designed for advanced beginner and intermediate learners, but children or adults who prefer simple English may also enjoy it.

Copyright Notice: All lessons and printables on this website are protected by copyright. You are welcome to download and print them for free for personal use, small groups, or Bible classes. You may share a link to this page, but please do not sell these materials or copy this content to other websites.

Luke 12:35-48 Printable Discussion Questions

Luke 12:35-48 Printable ERV Passage

Lesson Icebreaker Question

Can you think of a time when you waited a long time for someone to come home? What did you do while you waited?

Lesson Highlight

In this lesson, we will learn how Jesus teaches people to be ready for his return. He reminds us to be faithful and do what is right, even when no one is watching. We will talk about what it means to be a good and wise servant.

Vocabulary Lists for the ERV Bible Translation

Key Vocabulary Words (10 words)

blessing: (noun) A good thing that God gives to his people.
expect: (verb) To think that something will happen.
master: (noun) A person who has power over others or a great teacher.
obey: (verb) To do what a rule or a person tells you to do.
punish: (verb) To make someone suffer for doing something wrong.
ready: (adjective) Prepared to do something.
responsible: (adjective) Being the person who must take care of something.
servant: (noun) A person who works for another person.
Son of Man: (phrase) A special name Jesus used for himself to show he is the savior sent by God.
wise: (adjective) Having wisdom and making good choices.

Important Words to Know (20 words)

beat: (verb) To hit someone many times.
blessing: (noun) A good thing that God gives to his people.
break in: (phrase) To enter a house or building by force, often to steal something.
choose: (verb) To pick someone or something from a group.
expect: (verb) To think that something will happen.
immediately: (adverb) Happening right away without waiting.
Lord: (noun) A name that shows someone has power or authority.
master: (noun) A person who has power over others or a great teacher.
midnight: (noun) Twelve o’clock at night.
obey: (verb) To do what a rule or a person tells you to do.
punish: (verb) To make someone suffer for doing something wrong.
punishment: (noun) A penalty for doing something wrong.
ready: (adjective) Prepared to do something.
responsible: (adjective) Being the person who must take care of something.
servant: (noun) A person who works for another person.
serve: (verb) To help or work for someone.
shine: (verb) To give off light.
Son of Man: (phrase) A special name Jesus used for himself to show he is the savior sent by God.
thief: (noun) A person who steals.
wise: (adjective) Having wisdom and making good choices.

Complete Lesson Word Bank

always: (adverb) Every time or at all times.
away: (adverb) At a distance from a place.
beat: (verb) To hit someone many times.
begin: (verb) To start something.
blessing: (noun) A good thing that God gives to his people.
break in: (phrase) To enter a house or building by force, often to steal something.
choose: (verb) To pick someone or something from a group.
come back: (phrase) To return to a place after being away.
deserve: (verb) To have a right to something because of what you did.
door: (noun) The part of a building that you open to go inside.
dress: (verb) To put clothes on.
evil: (adjective) Very bad and against God.
expect: (verb) To think that something will happen.
find: (verb) To see or get something you were looking for.
fully: (adverb) In a complete way.
get ready: (phrase) To prepare yourself to do something or to go somewhere.
given: (verb) To have handed something over to another person.
glad: (adjective) Feeling happy.
great: (adjective) Very large or very good.
happen: (verb) To take place.
homeowner: (noun) A person who owns the house where they live.
immediately: (adverb) Happening right away without waiting.
knock: (verb) To hit a door with your hand so someone opens it.
later: (adverb) At a time in the future.
less: (adjective) A smaller amount of something.
let: (verb) To allow something to happen.
light: (noun) The brightness that lets us see.
Lord: (noun) A name that shows someone has power or authority.
make: (verb) To cause a feeling or a change.
master: (noun) A person who has power over others or a great teacher.
meal: (noun) The food eaten at one time.
midnight: (noun) Twelve o’clock at night.
might: (verb) A word used to show that something is possible.
more: (adjective) A larger amount of something.
much: (adjective) A large amount of something.
must: (verb) To need to do something.
obey: (verb) To do what a rule or a person tells you to do.
open: (verb) To move something so that people can go through.
own: (verb) To have something that belongs to you.
Peter: (noun) One of the main followers of Jesus.
punish: (verb) To make someone suffer for doing something wrong.
punishment: (noun) A penalty for doing something wrong.
ready: (adjective) Prepared to do something.
responsible: (adjective) Being the person who must take care of something.
right: (adjective) Something that is correct or good.
send: (verb) To cause someone or something to go to a place.
servant: (noun) A person who works for another person.
serve: (verb) To help or work for someone.
shine: (verb) To give off light.
should: (verb) A word used to say what is the right thing to do.
sit down: (phrase) To move your body from a standing position to a seat or the floor.
Son of Man: (phrase) A special name Jesus used for himself to show he is the savior sent by God.
soon: (adverb) In a short time from now.
still: (adverb) Continuing until now.
take care of: (phrase) To watch over and keep someone or something safe.
than: (conjunction) A word used to compare two things.
thief: (noun) A person who steals.
think: (verb) To have a specific opinion or a thought in the mind.
trust: (verb) To believe that someone is good and honest.
try: (verb) To make an effort to do something.
until: (preposition) Up to a certain time.
wait: (verb) To stay in a place until something happens.
wedding party: (phrase) A special dinner or celebration after two people get married.
whoever: (pronoun) Any person who does something.
wise: (adjective) Having wisdom and making good choices.
without a doubt: (phrase) A phrase used to say that something is definitely true.
work: (noun) A job or the things a person must do.
would: (verb) A word used to talk about something that might happen or something someone wanted to do.

Summary of the Passage

This passage comes from a time when Jesus was teaching his followers how to live while they wait for him to return. He told them to be ready. He said they should be fully dressed and have their lights shining. He said to be like servants who wait for their master to come home from a wedding party. These servants stay awake and immediately open the door when the master knocks.

Jesus said the master would be happy if he finds his servants ready. Then, something surprising happens: the master will get ready to serve a meal to the servants! Jesus gave another example: if a homeowner knew when a thief was coming to break in, he would stay awake. In the same way, Jesus said we must always be ready. This is because the Son of Man will return at a time we do not expect.

Peter then asked if this story was for everyone. Jesus told another story about a wise and trusted servant who was responsible for feeding the other workers. If the master finds that servant doing his work, he will give the servant a blessing. He will choose that servant to take care of everything he owns.

But Jesus also warned about an evil servant. If that servant thinks the master will not come back soon, he might start to beat the other workers. He might eat and drink too much. Jesus said the master will return when that servant is not ready. The master will punish him. This passage teaches us that Jesus wants us to live faithfully every day. He wants us to care for others and be ready for his return.

This passage teaches us that Jesus wants us to live faithfully every day. He wants us to care for others and be ready for his return. It shows us that God sees what we do and that he rewards faithfulness.

Read The Passage

Most English learners should use the Easy-to-Read Version (ERV), the New International Reader’s Version (NIRV), or the Good News Translation (GNT). If you want to try something harder, you can read one of the other Bible versions.

Always Be Ready
35 “Be ready!
Be fully dressed and have your lights shining.
36 Be like servants who are waiting for their master to come home from a wedding party.
The master comes and knocks, and the servants immediately open the door for him.
37 When their master sees that they are ready and waiting for him, it will be a great day for those servants.
I can tell you without a doubt, the master will get himself ready to serve a meal and tell the servants to sit down.
Then he will serve them.
38 Those servants might have to wait until midnight or later for their master.
But they will be glad they did when he comes in and finds them still waiting.
39 “What would a homeowner do if he knew when a thief was coming?
You know he would not let the thief break in.
40 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at a time when you don’t expect him!”
Who Is the Trusted Servant?
41 Peter said,
“Lord, did you tell this story for us or for all people?”
42 The Lord said,
“Who is the wise and trusted servant?
The master trusts one servant to give the other servants their food at the right time.
Who is the servant that the master trusts to do that work?
43 When the master comes and finds him doing the work he gave him, it will be a day of blessing for that servant!
44 I can tell you without a doubt, the master will choose that servant to take care of everything he owns.
45 “But what will happen if that servant is evil and thinks his master will not come back soon?
He will begin to beat the other servants, men and women.
He will eat and drink until he has had too much.
46 Then the master will come when the servant is not ready, at a time when the servant is not expecting him.
Then the master will punish that servant and send him away to be with the other people who don’t obey.
47 “That servant knew what his master wanted him to do.
But he did not make himself ready or try to do what his master wanted.
So that servant will be punished very much!
48 But what about the servant who does not know what his master wants?
He also does things that deserve punishment.
But he will get less punishment than the servant who knew what he should do.
Whoever has been given much will be responsible for much.
Much more will be expected from the one who has been given more.”
Luke 12:35-48 (ERV)

Very Easy: Easy-to-Read Version: Luke 12:35-48 (ERV)
Very Easy: New International Reader’s Version: Luke 12:35-48 (NIRV)
Easy: Good News Translation: Luke 12:35-48 (GNT)
Medium: New Living Translation: Luke 12:35-48 (NLT)
Hard: New International Version: Luke 12:35-48 (NIV)
Very Hard: English Standard Version: Luke 12:35-48 (ESV)

Luke 12:35-48 Printable ERV Passage

Comprehension Questions

What does Jesus tell the servants to do while they wait?
How does the master feel when he finds the servants ready?
What does Jesus say about the thief and the house?
Why must the people be ready at all times?
What question does Peter ask Jesus?
What kind of servant does Jesus say will be rewarded?
What does the bad servant do while the master is away?
What happens when the master returns and finds the bad servant?
What does Jesus say about people who know what they should do but do not do it?
What does Jesus say about people who are given much responsibility?

Application Questions

What does it mean to be ready for Jesus?
What are some things you can do to be a faithful servant?
Is it sometimes hard to do what is right when no one is watching? Why or why not?
How can you help care for others like the good servant did?
What are some ways God has given you responsibility?

Theological Insights

Jesus will return one day, and no one knows when.
Jesus wants his followers to live ready and faithful lives.
God sees our hearts and our actions, even when no one else does.
Faithfulness is shown through daily obedience and service.
God is kind but also just. He rewards those who are faithful and punishes those who do wrong.