Jesus Brings Division: An ESL Bible Study on Luke 12:49-59

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Luke 12:49-59 Printable Discussion Questions

Luke 12:49-59 Printable ERV Passage

Lesson Icebreaker Question

Have you ever had a time when you and a family member or friend disagreed about something important? What happened?

Lesson Highlight

In this lesson, we will learn how Jesus said following him can sometimes cause hard choices in families and communities. We will also talk about why it is wise to settle problems quickly.

Vocabulary Lists for the ERV Bible Translation

Key Vocabulary Words (10 words)

court: (noun) A place where people decide if someone broke the law.
divide: (verb) To separate something into parts.
hypocrite: (noun) A person who pretends to be good but is not.
jail: (noun) A place where people are kept as punishment.
judge: (noun) A person who decides if someone broke the law.
peace: (noun) A time of quiet and no fighting.
settle: (verb) To end an argument or reach an agreement.
suffer: (verb) To feel great physical or mental pain.
troubled: (adjective) Feeling worried, unhappy, or having a lot of problems.
understand: (verb) To know what something means.

Important Words to Know (20 words)

against: (preposition) To be an enemy of someone or to try to hurt them.
baptism: (noun) A ceremony using water to show a person wants to follow God.
court: (noun) A place where people decide if someone broke the law.
divide: (verb) To separate something into parts.
hand over: (phrase) To give control of a person or a thing to someone in power, like a judge or an officer.
hypocrite: (noun) A person who pretends to be good but is not.
jail: (noun) A place where people are kept as punishment.
judge: (noun) A person who decides if someone broke the law.
officer: (noun) A person who has power in the government or the army.
owe: (verb) To need to pay money to someone.
peace: (noun) A time of quiet and no fighting.
settle: (verb) To end an argument or reach an agreement.
sue: (verb) To take someone to court to get money.
suffer: (verb) To feel great physical or mental pain.
times: (noun) A specific period in history or the things that are happening now.
troubled: (adjective) Feeling worried, unhappy, or having a lot of problems.
turn against: (phrase) To stop being a friend and start being an enemy.
understand: (verb) To know what something means.
weather: (noun) The state of the air outside, like rain or sun.
world: (noun) The earth and all the people on it.

Complete Lesson Word Bank

against: (preposition) To be an enemy of someone or to try to hurt them.
already: (adverb) Before now or before a certain time.
baptism: (noun) A ceremony using water to show a person wants to follow God.
before: (preposition) In front of someone or something.
begin: (verb) To start something.
bigger: (adjective) More large than something else.
blow: (verb) To move air.
both: (adjective) Two people or things together.
bring: (verb) To take someone or something to a place.
burning: (adjective) Being on fire right now.
cent: (noun) A small amount of money.
cloud: (noun) A white or gray shape in the sky made of tiny drops of water.
continue: (verb) To keep doing something.
court: (noun) A place where people decide if someone broke the law.
daughter: (noun) A female child.
daughter-in-law: (noun) The woman who is married to a person’s son.
decide: (verb) To make a choice.
divide: (verb) To separate something into parts.
every: (adjective) All the people or things in a group.
family: (noun) A group of people who are related to each other.
feel: (verb) To have a sensation in your body or an emotion in your heart.
finish: (verb) To reach the end of a task.
fire: (noun) The heat and light from something burning.
follow: (verb) To obey or listen to the teaching of someone.
from now on: (phrase) Starting at this time and continuing into the future.
get out: (phrase) To leave the inside of a place like a room, a house, or a jail.
grow: (verb) To become bigger or older.
hand over: (phrase) To give control of a person or a thing to someone in power, like a judge or an officer.
happen: (verb) To take place.
hard: (adjective) Very difficult to do.
have: (verb) To own or hold something.
hot: (adjective) Having a high temperature.
hypocrite: (noun) A person who pretends to be good but is not.
jail: (noun) A place where people are kept as punishment.
Jesus: (noun) The Son of God and the Savior of the world!
judge: (noun) A person who decides if someone broke the law.
kind: (noun) A type of thing.
may: (verb) Used to show that something is possible.
mother-in-law: (noun) The mother of the person that someone is married to.
must: (verb) To need to do something.
officer: (noun) A person who has power in the government or the army.
owe: (verb) To need to pay money to someone.
paid: (verb) To have given money for something.
peace: (noun) A time of quiet and no fighting.
problem: (noun) Something that is hard to deal with.
rain: (noun) Water that falls from the clouds.
rainstorm: (noun) A lot of rain with strong wind.
right: (adjective) Something that is correct or good.
settle: (verb) To end an argument or reach an agreement.
someone: (pronoun) A person, but it is not said who.
soon: (adverb) In a short time from now.
south: (noun) The direction that is to the right when you face the rising sun.
sue: (verb) To take someone to court to get money.
suffer: (verb) To feel great physical or mental pain.
suppose: (verb) To think that something is true.
think: (verb) To have a specific opinion or a thought in the mind.
through: (preposition) Moving from one side to the other.
throw: (verb) To use your arm to send something through the air.
times: (noun) A specific period in history or the things that are happening now.
trouble: (noun) A problem or a difficult situation.
troubled: (adjective) Feeling worried, unhappy, or having a lot of problems.
try: (verb) To make an effort to do something.
turn against: (phrase) To stop being a friend and start being an enemy.
understand: (verb) To know what something means.
understanding: (noun) The ability to know what something means.
until: (preposition) Up to a certain time.
way: (noun) A path or a method of doing something.
weather: (noun) The state of the air outside, like rain or sun.
west: (noun) The direction where the sun goes down in the evening.
wind: (noun) Moving air.
wish: (verb) To want something to be true.
world: (noun) The earth and all the people on it.

Summary of the Passage

This passage is about Jesus teaching people some hard but important lessons. Jesus explained that following him would not always be easy. Jesus said he came to bring “fire” to the world. He also talked about a “baptism” he must suffer. These words mean that his work would bring big changes and that he would have to suffer pain.

Jesus said that families and groups would sometimes disagree because of him. Even people very close to each other, like parents and children, might not agree about following Jesus. Following him can divide a family. This happens because not everyone wants to follow the same way. When some follow Jesus and others do not, it can cause people to turn against each other.

Next, Jesus talked about how people are good at seeing signs in the sky. They can look at a cloud in the west and know a rainstorm is coming. They can feel the wind from the south and know it will be hot. Jesus called them hypocrites. He said they are good at understanding the weather, but they are not good at understanding what is happening in their own times. Jesus wanted people to think about what was right and pay attention to what God was doing.

At the end of this passage, Jesus gave advice about how to handle problems. He said if someone is suing you and taking you to court, it is better to settle, or solve, the problem quickly. Try to make peace before you get to the judge. If you don’t, the judge might hand you over to an officer. Then you could be thrown into jail. Jesus taught that it is wise to fix arguments in a good and fair way before the problem gets bigger.

This passage teaches us that following Jesus is sometimes difficult, but it is very important. It also reminds us to watch what is happening around us and in our hearts. Lastly, it shows us that it is wise to fix problems kindly and quickly.

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.

Following Jesus May Bring You Trouble
49 Jesus continued speaking:
“I came to bring fire to the world.
I wish it were already burning!
50 There is a kind of baptism that I must suffer through.
I feel very troubled until it is finished.
51 Do you think I came to give peace to the world?
No, I came to divide the world!
52 From now on, a family of five will be divided, three against two, and two against three.
53 A father and son will be divided:
The son will turn against his father.
The father will turn against his son.
A mother and her daughter will be divided:
The daughter will turn against her mother.
The mother will turn against her daughter.
A mother-in-law and her daughter-in-law will be divided:
The daughter-in-law will turn against her mother-in-law.
The mother-in-law will turn against her daughter-in-law.”
Understanding the Times
54 Then Jesus said to the people,
“When you see clouds growing bigger in the west, you say,
‘A rainstorm is coming.’
And soon it begins to rain.
55 When you feel the wind begin to blow from the south, you say,
‘It will be a hot day.’
And you are right.
56 You hypocrites!
You can understand the weather.
Why don’t you understand what is happening now?
Settle Your Problems
57 “Why can’t you decide for yourselves what is right?
58 Suppose someone is suing you, and you are both going to court.
Try hard to settle it on the way.
If you don’t settle it, you may have to go before the judge.
And the judge will hand you over to the officer, who will throw you into jail.
59 I tell you, you will not get out of there until you have paid every cent you owe.”
Luke 12:49-59 (ERV)

Very Easy: Easy-to-Read Version: Luke 12:49-59 (ERV)
Very Easy: New International Reader’s Version: Luke 12:49-59 (NIRV)
Easy: Good News Translation: Luke 12:49-59 (GNT)
Medium: New Living Translation: Luke 12:49-59 (NLT)
Hard: New International Version: Luke 12:49-59 (NIV)
Very Hard: English Standard Version: Luke 12:49-59 (ESV)

Luke 12:49-59 Printable ERV Passage

Comprehension Questions

What did Jesus say he came to bring to the earth?
What happens to families when people disagree about Jesus?
What signs in the sky can people understand?
What did Jesus call people who could predict the weather but not understand the present time?
What advice did Jesus give about settling problems before going to court?
What happens if someone does not settle a dispute before going to court?

Application Questions

Why do you think people sometimes disagree about following Jesus?
Can it be hard to stay kind when people disagree with you? Why?
Why is it a good idea to settle problems before they get bigger?
How can we learn to understand what is happening in our hearts and the world?
What is one way you can make peace with someone this week?

Theological Insights

Following Jesus can cause hard choices in life, even with family and friends.
The good news of Jesus is the most important thing, even when others do not agree.
God wants people to be wise about what is happening around them and in their hearts.
It is wise and kind to settle problems quickly and not let anger grow.
Jesus came to save people, but not everyone will choose to follow him.

Closing Prayer

Dear Father, Thank you for teaching us what is right and good. Help us to be kind, to love others, and to make peace when we can. Give us wisdom to follow you. Amen.