Jesus Heals on the Sabbath: An ESL Bible Study on Luke 14:1-6

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.

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Luke 14:1-6 Printable Discussion Questions

Luke 14:1-6 Printable ERV Passage

Lesson Icebreaker Question

When is a time someone helped you when you really needed it?

Lesson Highlight

In this lesson, we will see how Jesus cared for a sick man and showed kindness, even when others were watching him. We will learn about the Sabbath and how Jesus taught people to show love every day.

Vocabulary Lists for the ERV Bible Translation

Key Vocabulary Words (10 words)

against: (preposition) In opposition to or in conflict with.
disease: (noun) A sickness or illness.
expert: (noun) A person who knows a lot about a subject.
heal: (verb) To make a sick or hurt person well again.
immediately: (adverb) Happening right away without waiting.
law: (noun) A set of rules that people must obey.
Pharisee: (noun) A religious leader who was very strict about rules.
Sabbath day: (phrase) The seventh day of the week that is a special day of rest for Jewish people to worship God.
teacher of the law: (phrase) A person who is an expert in the religious rules given to the Jewish people by God.
well: (noun) A deep hole in the ground where people get water.

Important Words to Know (20 words)

against: (preposition) In opposition to or in conflict with.
answer: (verb) To speak or write back to a question.
closely: (adverb) In a way that is very near or careful.
disease: (noun) A sickness or illness.
expert: (noun) A person who knows a lot about a subject.
fall: (verb) To drop down to the ground.
heal: (verb) To make a sick or hurt person well again.
immediately: (adverb) Happening right away without waiting.
in front of: (phrase) To be ahead of something or someone so you can see them.
law: (noun) A set of rules that people must obey.
Pharisee: (noun) A religious leader who was very strict about rules.
pull out: (phrase) To use your hands to take something out of a hole or a container.
question: (noun) A sentence used to ask for information.
right: (adjective) Something that is correct or good.
Sabbath day: (phrase) The seventh day of the week that is a special day of rest for Jewish people to worship God.
teacher of the law: (phrase) A person who is an expert in the religious rules given to the Jewish people by God.
watch: (verb) To look at something carefully for a time.
well: (noun) A deep hole in the ground where people get water.
work animal: (phrase) An animal like an ox or a donkey that helps people with hard jobs.
wrong: (adjective) Not right or not true.

Complete Lesson Word Bank

against: (preposition) In opposition to or in conflict with.
all: (adjective) Every part of a group or thing.
answer: (verb) To speak or write back to a question.
away: (adverb) At a distance from a place.
bad: (adjective) Not good or doing wrong things.
closely: (adverb) In a way that is very near or careful.
could: (verb) To have been able to do something.
disease: (noun) A sickness or illness.
eat: (verb) To put food in your mouth and swallow it.
expert: (noun) A person who knows a lot about a subject.
fall: (verb) To drop down to the ground.
heal: (verb) To make a sick or hurt person well again.
home: (noun) The place where a person lives.
immediately: (adverb) Happening right away without waiting.
in front of: (phrase) To be ahead of something or someone so you can see them.
Jesus: (noun) The Son of God and the Savior of the world!
know: (verb) To have information about something in your mind.
law: (noun) A set of rules that people must obey.
lead: (verb) To show the way by going in front.
man: (noun) An adult male person.
nothing: (pronoun) Not anything.
people: (noun) More than one person.
Pharisee: (noun) A religious leader who was very strict about rules.
pull out: (phrase) To use your hands to take something out of a hole or a container.
question: (noun) A sentence used to ask for information.
right: (adjective) Something that is correct or good.
Sabbath day: (phrase) The seventh day of the week that is a special day of rest for Jewish people to worship God.
said: (verb) To have spoken words.
say: (verb) To speak words.
sent: (verb) To have caused someone to go to a place.
son: (noun) A male child.
teacher of the law: (phrase) A person who is an expert in the religious rules given to the Jewish people by God.
then: (adverb) Next in order.
took: (verb) To have carried or moved something from one place to another.
very: (adverb) In a high degree.
watch: (verb) To look at something carefully for a time.
well: (noun) A deep hole in the ground where people get water.
went: (verb) To have moved to another place.
work animal: (phrase) An animal like an ox or a donkey that helps people with hard jobs.
would: (verb) A word used to talk about something that might happen or something someone wanted to do.
wrong: (adjective) Not right or not true.

Summary of the Passage

This passage tells us about a day when Jesus went to eat at a leading Pharisee’s house. Pharisees were religious leaders who followed many strict rules. It was the Sabbath day, a special day when Jewish people rested and worshiped God. The people there were watching Jesus closely. They wanted to see if he would break any religious rules.

A man was there who had a bad disease. His body was swollen and he was very sick. Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law a question. Experts in the law are people who know every religious rule perfectly. Jesus asked if it was right or wrong to heal someone on the Sabbath day. The leaders did not answer him. They stayed quiet because they wanted to see what Jesus would do.

Jesus loved the sick man. He took the man, healed him immediately, and sent him home. Then Jesus asked the leaders another question. He asked them about their own families and animals. He said if a son or a work animal falls into a well on the Sabbath day, they would pull him out right away. A well is a deep hole in the ground used for water. The Pharisees and teachers of the law could say nothing against Jesus. They knew he was right.

This passage shows us that Jesus cares about people more than following rules the wrong way. He teaches that it is always good to show kindness and help people, no matter what day it is.

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.

Is It Right to Heal on the Sabbath Day?
1 On a Sabbath day, Jesus went to the home of a leading Pharisee to eat with him.
The people there were all watching him very closely.
2 A man with a bad disease was there in front of him.
3 Jesus said to the Pharisees and experts in the law,
“Is it right or wrong to heal on the Sabbath day?”
4 But they would not answer his question.
So he took the man and healed him.
Then he sent the man away.
5 Jesus said to the Pharisees and teachers of the law,
“If your son or work animal falls into a well on the Sabbath day, you know you would pull him out immediately.”
6 The Pharisees and teachers of the law could say nothing against what he said.
Luke 14:1-6 (ERV)

Very Easy: Easy-to-Read Version: Luke 14:1-6 (ERV)
Very Easy: New International Reader’s Version: Luke 14:1-6 (NIRV)
Easy: Good News Translation: Luke 14:1-6 (GNT)
Medium: New Living Translation: Luke 14:1-6 (NLT)
Hard: New International Version: Luke 14:1-6 (NIV)
Very Hard: English Standard Version: Luke 14:1-6 (ESV)

Luke 14:1-6 Printable ERV Passage

Comprehension Questions

Where did Jesus go to eat a meal?
Who was watching Jesus closely?
What was wrong with the man who came to Jesus?
What question did Jesus ask the Pharisees?
Did the Pharisees answer Jesus’ question?
What did Jesus do for the sick man?
What example did Jesus give about a child or an ox?
Why did Jesus tell them that story about the well?
Could the Pharisees answer Jesus after that?
What does this story show about Jesus’ heart for people?

Application Questions

Have you ever helped someone when it was hard or not easy?
Why do you think Jesus healed the man even though people were watching?
What does this story teach us about showing kindness to others?
How can you show love to someone today, like Jesus did?
What can we learn from the way Jesus spoke to the Pharisees?

Theological Insights

Jesus loves to help people, even when others are against it.
God cares about people more than rules.
The Sabbath is a good day to rest and worship God, but it is also a good day to help others.
Jesus teaches that love and kindness are always important.
Even when people are quiet or against him, Jesus does what is right.