Jesus Talks About His Death: An ESL Bible Study on Luke 18:31-34

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 18:31-34 Printable Discussion Questions

Luke 18:31-34 Printable ERV Passage

Lesson Icebreaker Question

Have you ever had to tell someone hard news? How did you feel when you told them?

Lesson Highlight

In this lesson, we will learn how Jesus told his friends about something very sad and very good that would happen to him. Jesus was going to die, but he would come back to life. We will learn how God’s plan saves people.

Vocabulary List 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.
death: (noun) The end of a life.
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.
insult: (verb) To say something mean to someone to hurt them.
meaning: (noun) The idea that a word or sign represents.
prophet: (noun) A person who speaks messages from God.
rise to life: (phrase) To come back to life after being dead.
Son of Man: (phrase) A special name Jesus used for himself to show he is the savior sent by God.
understand: (verb) To know what something means.

Important Words to Know (20 words)

alone: (adjective) Being without any other people.
apostle: (noun) One of the special followers Jesus chose to send out with a message.
beat with whips: (phrase) To hit someone many times with long pieces of leather to hurt them.
death: (noun) The end of a life.
foreigner: (noun) A person from a different country.
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.
hidden: (adjective) Something that is not easy to see or find.
insult: (verb) To say something mean to someone to hurt them.
Jerusalem: (noun) The most important city in Israel where the Temple was.
kill: (verb) To end the life of a person or an animal.
laugh at: (phrase) To make fun of someone in a way that is not kind.
listen: (verb) To pay attention to a sound with your ears.
meaning: (noun) The idea that a word or sign represents.
prophet: (noun) A person who speaks messages from God.
rise to life: (phrase) To come back to life after being dead.
Son of Man: (phrase) A special name Jesus used for himself to show he is the savior sent by God.
spit on: (phrase) To throw liquid from the mouth onto a person to show you hate them or have no respect.
try: (verb) To make an effort to do something.
understand: (verb) To know what something means.

Complete Lesson Word Bank

about: (preposition) Used to show the person or thing that someone is thinking or talking about.
after: (preposition) Later than another time or event.
again: (adverb) One more time.
alone: (adjective) Being without any other people.
apostle: (noun) One of the special followers Jesus chose to send out with a message.
beat with whips: (phrase) To hit someone many times with long pieces of leather to hurt them.
could: (verb) To have been able to do something.
day: (noun) A period of 24 hours.
death: (noun) The end of a life.
everything: (pronoun) All things that exist.
foreigner: (noun) A person from a different country.
God: (noun) The creator and ruler of everything.
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.
hidden: (adjective) Something that is not easy to see or find.
insult: (verb) To say something mean to someone to hurt them.
Jerusalem: (noun) The most important city in Israel where the Temple was.
Jesus: (noun) The Son of God and the Savior of the world!
kill: (verb) To end the life of a person or an animal.
laugh at: (phrase) To make fun of someone in a way that is not kind.
listen: (verb) To pay attention to a sound with your ears.
meaning: (noun) The idea that a word or sign represents.
prophet: (noun) A person who speaks messages from God.
rise to life: (phrase) To come back to life after being dead.
Son of Man: (phrase) A special name Jesus used for himself to show he is the savior sent by God.
spit on: (phrase) To throw liquid from the mouth onto a person to show you hate them or have no respect.
talk: (verb) To speak to someone.
told: (verb) To have given information to someone.
try: (verb) To make an effort to do something.
understand: (verb) To know what something means.
will: (verb) A word used to talk about the future.
write: (verb) To make letters or words on paper with a pen.

Summary of the Passage

This passage tells about a time when Jesus spoke to his twelve closest friends. These men were called apostles. They were traveling together to a big city called Jerusalem. Jesus wanted to talk to them alone. He had something very important to tell them. He said that everything the prophets wrote about the Son of Man would happen soon.

Jesus said they were going to Jerusalem. There, something very sad would happen to him. He would be handed over to foreigners. These foreigners were people from a different country who ruled the land, the Romans. Jesus said these men would laugh at him and insult him. They would even spit on him to show they had no respect. Then, they would beat him with whips and kill him.

Jesus also told his friends some wonderful news. He said that three days after his death, he would rise to life again! This was the most important part of God’s plan to save people from sin.

The apostles tried to understand what Jesus was saying. They could not understand because the meaning of his words was hidden from them. They did not know how their leader could die and then live again.

This passage teaches us that God had a plan for Jesus. It reminds us that even when life is hard or confusing, God’s good plan is still at work.

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.

Jesus Talks Again About His Death
31 Then Jesus talked to the twelve apostles alone.
He said to them,
“Listen, we are going to Jerusalem.
Everything that God told the prophets to write about the Son of Man will happen.
32 He will be handed over to the foreigners, who will laugh at him, insult him, and spit on him.
33 They will beat him with whips and then kill him.
But on the third day after his death, he will rise to life again.”
34 The apostles tried to understand this, but they could not; the meaning was hidden from them.
Luke 18:31-34 (ERV)

Very Easy: Easy-to-Read Version: Luke 18:31-34 (ERV)
Very Easy: New International Reader’s Version: Luke 18:31-34 (NIRV)
Easy: Good News Translation: Luke 18:31-34 (GNT)
Medium: New Living Translation: Luke 18:31-34 (NLT)
Hard: New International Version: Luke 18:31-34 (NIV)
Very Hard: English Standard Version: Luke 18:31-34 (ESV)

Luke 18:31-34 Printable ERV Passage

Comprehension Questions

Where were Jesus and his apostles going?
What did Jesus say would happen to him in Jerusalem?
Who did Jesus say would hurt him?
What did Jesus say would happen after three days?
Did the apostles understand what Jesus was saying?

Application Questions

Has there been a time when you did not understand something until later?
Why do you think Jesus told his friends about his death ahead of time?
How does it feel to know that God has a good plan, even when life is hard?

Theological Insights

Jesus knew about his death and chose to obey God’s plan.
Jesus’ death was part of God’s plan to save people from sin.
Even when hard things happen, God is still in control.
Sometimes we do not understand God’s plans right away, but he is always working for good.

Closing Prayer

Dear Father, Thank you for your good plan to save people. Help us trust you, even when we do not understand everything. Thank you for Jesus and his great love for us. Amen.