Faith, Forgiveness, and Our Duty: An ESL Bible Study on Luke 17:1-10

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 17:1-10 Printable Discussion Questions

Luke 17:1-10 Printable ERV Passage

Lesson Icebreaker Question

Has anyone ever said sorry to you many times in one day? How did you feel?

Lesson Highlight

In this lesson, we will learn what Jesus teaches about forgiving others, having faith, and doing our duty to God. We will talk about how small faith can do big things and how we are called to forgive again and again.

Vocabulary Lists for the ERV Bible Translation

Key Vocabulary Words (10 words)

apostle: (noun) One of the special followers Jesus chose to send out with a message.
faith: (noun) Believing and trusting in God.
forgive: (verb) To stop being angry at someone for a wrong they did.
forgiveness: (noun) When God or a person stops being angry at someone for doing something wrong.
millstone: (noun) A large, heavy stone used to grind grain.
mulberry tree: (phrase) A type of tree that has small berries.
mustard seed: (phrase) A very tiny seed that grows into a large bush or tree.
obey: (verb) To do what a rule or a person tells you to do.
servant: (noun) A person who works for another person.
worthy: (adjective) Deserving of respect or a reward.

Important Words to Know (20 words)

apostle: (noun) One of the special followers Jesus chose to send out with a message.
careful: (adjective) Paying close attention to what you are doing.
caring for: (phrase) To look after a person, an animal, or a thing and keep it safe.
drown: (verb) To die under water.
faith: (noun) Believing and trusting in God.
forgive: (verb) To stop being angry at someone for a wrong they did.
forgiveness: (noun) When God or a person stops being angry at someone for doing something wrong.
God’s family: (phrase) All the people who believe in Jesus and follow God.
happen: (verb) To take place.
master: (noun) A person or thing who has power over others or a great teacher.
millstone: (noun) A large, heavy stone used to grind grain.
mulberry tree: (phrase) A type of tree that has small berries.
mustard seed: (phrase) A very tiny seed that grows into a large bush or tree.
obey: (verb) To do what a rule or a person tells you to do.
plow: (verb) To use a large tool to turn the dirt on a farm so that seeds can be planted.
servant: (noun) A person who works for another person.
serve: (verb) To help or work for someone.
sin: (verb) To do something wrong that God does not like.
warn: (verb) To tell someone about a danger that is coming.
worthy: (adjective) Deserving of respect or a reward.

Complete Lesson Word Bank

apostle: (noun) One of the special followers Jesus chose to send out with a message.
around: (preposition) In a circle or on all sides of something.
better: (adjective) More good than something else.
brother: 1. (noun) A man or boy who has the same parents as another person. 2. (noun) A person in God’s family who is a fellow believer.
careful: (adjective) Paying close attention to what you are doing.
caring for: (phrase) To look after a person, an animal, or a thing and keep it safe.
come: (verb) To move toward a person or a place.
dig up: (phrase) To take something out of the ground after it was buried.
drink: (verb) To swallow a liquid.
drown: (verb) To die under water.
each: (adjective) Every person or thing in a group.
eat: (verb) To put food in your mouth and swallow it.
even: (adverb) Used to show that something is surprising.
faith: (noun) Believing and trusting in God.
field: (noun) An open area of land.
finish: (verb) To reach the end of a task.
follower: (noun) A person who learns from and obeys a teacher.
forgive: (verb) To stop being angry at someone for a wrong they did.
forgiveness: (noun) When God or a person stops being angry at someone for doing something wrong.
get ready: (phrase) To prepare yourself to do something or to go somewhere.
give: (verb) To hand something over to another person.
God: (noun) The creator and ruler of everything.
God’s family: (phrase) All the people who believe in Jesus and follow God.
happen: (verb) To take place.
Jesus: (noun) The Son of God and the Savior of the world!
job: (noun) The work that a person does to earn money.
Lord: (noun) A name that shows someone has power or authority.
make: (verb) To cause a feeling or a change.
master: (noun) A person or thing who has power over others or a great teacher.
millstone: (noun) A large, heavy stone used to grind grain.
more: (adjective) A larger amount of something.
mulberry tree: (phrase) A type of tree that has small berries.
mustard seed: (phrase) A very tiny seed that grows into a large bush or tree.
neck: (noun) The part of the body between the head and the shoulders.
obey: (verb) To do what a rule or a person tells you to do.
ocean: (noun) A very large area of salt water.
of course: (phrase) A phrase used to say that something is obviously true.
only: (adverb) A word used to show that no other person or thing is included.
plant: (verb) To put a seed in the ground so it will grow.
plow: (verb) To use a large tool to turn the dirt on a farm so that seeds can be planted.
prepare: (verb) To get something ready.
same: (adjective) Not different.
sea: (noun) A very large area of salt water.
servant: (noun) A person who works for another person.
serve: (verb) To help or work for someone.
sheep: (noun) An animal with thick wool that often lives in a flock.
should: (verb) A word used to say what is the right thing to do.
sin: (verb) To do something wrong that God does not like.
sister: 1. (noun) A girl or woman who has the same parents as another person. 2. (noun) A person in God’s family who is a fellow believer.
sit down: (phrase) To move your body from a standing position to a seat or the floor.
something: (pronoun) A thing, but it is not said what.
sorry: (adjective) Feeling sad about something that happened.
special: (adjective) Different and often better than what is normal.
suppose: (verb) To think that something is true.
surely: (adverb) Without any doubt.
times: (noun) The number of times something happens or is repeated.
told: (verb) To have given information to someone.
tree: (noun) A tall plant with a trunk made of wood.
warn: (verb) To tell someone about a danger that is coming.
work: (noun) A job or the things a person must do.
worthy: (adjective) Deserving of respect or a reward.
wrong: (adjective) Not right or not true.

Summary of the Passage

This passage shares three important lessons Jesus gave to his followers. These lessons help us understand forgiveness, faith, and our duty to God.

First, Jesus warned his friends about sin. He said it is very bad to make someone else sin. He said it would be better for a person to have a millstone tied around their neck and be thrown into the sea. A millstone is a very large, heavy stone used to crush grain. Because it is so heavy, a person could not swim with it!

Jesus also told us to be careful. If a person does something wrong, we should warn them. If they say they are sorry, we must forgive them. Jesus said to forgive them even if they do the wrong thing seven times in one day. In the Bible, the number seven often means “completely.” We should always be ready to show forgiveness.

Next, the apostles asked Jesus to give them more faith. Faith means believing and trusting in God. Jesus told them that they do not need a lot of faith to see God work. He said even a tiny mustard seed of faith can move a big mulberry tree into the ocean! It is not about how strong we are, but about how strong God is.

Last, Jesus spoke about a servant’s duty. A duty is something you must do because it is your job or because it is right. A servant works hard plowing the fields or caring for sheep. When the servant finishes his work, he does not expect a special thank you. He is just doing his duty. Jesus said we are like these servants. We should obey God and do what is right because it is our duty, not because we are trying to get a prize. We are not worthy of special thanks because we are simply doing what our master asked us to do.

This passage teaches us to be very careful not to lead others into sin. It also teaches us to forgive often, trust God’s power, and serve him with a humble heart.

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.

Sin and Forgiveness
1 Jesus said to his followers,
“Things will surely happen that will make people sin.
But it will be very bad for anyone who makes this happen.
2 It will be very bad for anyone who makes one of these little children sin.
It would be better for them to have a millstone tied around their neck and be drowned in the sea.
3 So be careful!
“If your brother or sister in God’s family does something wrong, warn them.
If they are sorry for what they did, forgive them.
4 Even if they do something wrong to you seven times in one day, but they say they are sorry each time, you should forgive them.”
How Big Is Your Faith?
5 The apostles said to the Lord,
“Give us more faith!”
6 The Lord said,
“If your faith is as big as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree,
‘Dig yourself up and plant yourself in the ocean!’
And the tree will obey you.
Be Good Servants
7 “Suppose one of you has a servant who has been working in the field, plowing or caring for the sheep.
When he comes in from work, what would you say to him?
Would you say, ‘Come in, sit down and eat’?
8 Of course not!
You would say to your servant,
‘Prepare something for me to eat.
Then get ready and serve me.
When I finish eating and drinking, then you can eat.’
9 The servant should not get any special thanks for doing his job.
He is only doing what his master told him to do.
10 It is the same with you.
When you finish doing all that you are told to do, you should say,
‘We are not worthy of any special thanks.
We have only done the work we should do.’”
Luke 17:1-10 (ERV)