Trouble and Trust: An ESL Bible Study on Luke 21:5-19

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 21:5-19 Printable Discussion Questions

Luke 22:5-19 Printable ERV Passage

Lesson Icebreaker Question

What is something beautiful you have seen in your city or country? Why did it make you feel happy or amazed?

Lesson Highlight

In this lesson, we will hear Jesus talk about some hard things that will happen in the world. He also teaches his followers how to stay brave and trust him when life is difficult.

Vocabulary Lists for the ERV Bible Translation

Key Vocabulary Words (10 words)

arrest: (verb) When the police or soldiers take a person away for breaking a law.
be fooled: (phrase) To believe something that is not true because someone tricked you.
destroy: (verb) To break something completely.
earthquake: (noun) A sudden shaking of the ground.
faith: (noun) Believing and trusting in God.
Messiah: (noun) The “Chosen One” that God promised to send to save his people.
nations: (noun) All the different groups of people and countries in the world.
opportunity: (noun) A good time to do something.
riot: (noun) A loud and violent trouble caused by a crowd of people.
synagogue: (noun) A building where Jewish people meet to pray and study.

Important Words to Know (20 words)

amazing: (adjective) Something that is very surprising and wonderful.
arrest: (verb) When the police or soldiers take a person away for breaking a law.
be fooled: (phrase) To believe something that is not true because someone tricked you.
destroy: (verb) To break something completely.
earthquake: (noun) A sudden shaking of the ground.
faith: (noun) Believing and trusting in God.
follower: (noun) A person who learns from and obeys a teacher.
force: (verb) To make someone do something they do not want to do.
future: (noun) The time that has not happened yet.
governor: (noun) A leader of a state or region.
kingdom: (noun) A country or an area that is ruled by a king.
Messiah: (noun) The “Chosen One” that God promised to send to save his people.
nations: (noun) All the different groups of people and countries in the world.
opportunity: (noun) A good time to do something.
relative: (noun) A person in your family.
riot: (noun) A loud and violent trouble caused by a crowd of people.
synagogue: (noun) A building where Jewish people meet to pray and study.
terrible: (adjective) Very bad or scary.
war: (noun) Fighting between countries or large groups of people.
wisdom: (noun) Being able to understand what is true and right.

Complete Lesson Word Bank

afraid: (adjective) Feeling fear or being scared.
amazing: (adjective) Something that is very surprising and wonderful.
another: (adjective) One more of the same kind.
arrest: (verb) When the police or soldiers take a person away for breaking a law.
be careful: (phrase) To pay close attention so that you stay safe or do not make a mistake.
be fooled: (phrase) To believe something that is not true because someone tricked you.
beautiful: (adjective) Very pretty or nice to look at.
best: (adjective) Better than all the others.
building: (noun) A place with walls and a roof where people live or work.
built: (verb) To have made something, like a house.
come: (verb) To move toward a person or a place.
continue: (verb) To keep doing something.
decide: (verb) To make a choice.
destroy: (verb) To break something completely.
earthquake: (noun) A sudden shaking of the ground.
end: (noun) The last part of something.
enemy: (noun) A person who hates you or wants to hurt you.
even: (adverb) Used to show that something is surprising.
faith: (noun) Believing and trusting in God.
fight: (verb) To use force against someone.
follower: (noun) A person who learns from and obeys a teacher.
force: (verb) To make someone do something they do not want to do.
future: (noun) The time that has not happened yet.
gift: (noun) Something given to someone for free.
God: (noun) The creator and ruler of everything.
governor: (noun) A leader of a state or region.
great: (adjective) Very large or very good.
ground: (noun) The solid surface of the earth.
happen: (verb) To take place.
harm: (verb) To hurt someone or something.
hate: (verb) To dislike someone or something very much.
heaven: (noun) The place where God lives.
jail: (noun) A place where people are kept as punishment.
Jesus: (noun) The Son of God and the Savior of the world!
judge: (verb) To decide if something is good or bad.
kill: (verb) To end the life of a person or an animal.
kingdom: (noun) A country or an area that is ruled by a king.
later: (adverb) At a time in the future.
left: (adjective) To be remaining or to stay behind when others are gone.
Messiah: (noun) The “Chosen One” that God promised to send to save his people.
must: (verb) To need to do something.
nations: (noun) All the different groups of people and countries in the world.
offer: (verb) To give something to someone.
opportunity: (noun) A good time to do something.
place: (noun) A specific area, room, or location.
really: (adverb) Truly or very much.
relative: (noun) A person in your family.
right: (adjective) Something that is correct or good.
riot: (noun) A loud and violent trouble caused by a crowd of people.
save: (verb) To keep someone from danger or death.
show: (verb) To let someone see something.
sickness: (noun) A state of being ill or unhealthy.
stand before: (phrase) To be in a place in front of other people.
stone: (noun) A hard piece of rock.
strong: (adjective) Having a lot of power or physical strength.
synagogue: (noun) A building where Jewish people meet to pray and study.
tell: (verb) To give information to someone by speaking.
Temple: (noun) The special building in Jerusalem where people worshiped God.
terrible: (adjective) Very bad or scary.
through: (preposition) Moving from one side to the other.
thrown down: (phrase) To have been tossed or dropped to the ground with force.
turn against: (phrase) To stop being a friend and start being an enemy.
use: (verb) To do something with a tool or an object.
war: (noun) Fighting between countries or large groups of people.
warn: (verb) To tell someone about a danger that is coming.
wisdom: (noun) Being able to understand what is true and right.
worry: (verb) To feel unhappy because you are thinking about problems.

Summary of the Passage

This passage happens when Jesus is with his disciples. These are the people who followed him and learned from him. They were visiting the Temple in Jerusalem. The Temple was a very beautiful building made with the best stones. The followers talked about how great it looked. Jesus told them that one day the whole Temple would be destroyed. Every stone would be thrown down to the ground. This surprised them. They wanted to know when it would happen.

Jesus told them to be careful and not be fooled by the difficult things that would happen in the future. To be fooled means to believe something that is not true. He said that some people would lie and say, “I am the Messiah.” The Messiah is the “Chosen One” sent by God. Jesus said there would be wars, riots, and earthquakes. A riot is when a crowd of people causes violent trouble. He also said there would be sickness and no food in some places.

Jesus also gave a warning. He said that people who follow him would be treated badly. They would be arrested. They would be taken to a synagogue or a governor to be judged. A governor is a powerful leader. Even a relative or a friend might turn against them. But Jesus told them not to worry or be afraid. He promised to give them wisdom and the right words to say. He told them to stay strong in their faith. Faith means trusting in God.

This passage teaches us that the future can be scary. Sometimes life can be hard or difficult. However, Jesus stays with his people. He gives them an opportunity to tell others about God. He helps them be brave and promises to protect them.

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 Warns About the Future
5 Some of the followers were talking about the Temple.
They said,
“This is a beautiful Temple, built with the best stones.
Look at the many good gifts that have been offered to God.”
6 But Jesus said,
“The time will come when all that you see here will be destroyed.
Every stone of these buildings will be thrown down to the ground.
Not one stone will be left on another.”
7 Some followers asked Jesus,
“Teacher, when will these things happen?
What will show us that it is time for these things to happen?”
8 Jesus said,
“Be careful!
Don’t be fooled.
Many people will come using my name.
They will say,
‘I am the Messiah’ and
‘The right time has come!’
But don’t follow them.
9 When you hear about wars and riots, don’t be afraid.
These things must happen first.
Then the end will come later.”
10 Then Jesus said to them,
“Nations will fight against other nations.
Kingdoms will fight against other kingdoms.
11 There will be great earthquakes, sicknesses, and other bad things in many places.
In some places there will be no food for the people to eat.
Terrible things will happen, and amazing things will come from heaven to warn people.
12 “But before all these things happen, people will arrest you and do bad things to you.
They will judge you in their synagogues and put you in jail.
You will be forced to stand before kings and governors.
They will do all these things to you because you follow me.
13 But this will give you an opportunity to tell about me.
14 Decide now not to worry about what you will say.
15 I will give you the wisdom to say things that none of your enemies can answer.
16 Even your parents, brothers, relatives, and friends will turn against you.
They will have some of you killed.
17 Everyone will hate you because you follow me.
18 But none of these things can really harm you.
19 You will save yourselves by continuing strong in your faith through all these things.
Luke 21:5-19 (ERV)

Very Easy: Easy-to-Read Version: Luke 21:5-19 (ERV)
Very Easy: New International Reader’s Version: Luke 21:5-19 (NIRV)
Easy: Good News Translation: Luke 21:5-19 (GNT)
Medium: New Living Translation: Luke 21:5-19 (NLT)
Hard: New International Version: Luke 21:5-19 (NIV)
Very Hard: English Standard Version: Luke 21:5-19 (ESV)

Luke 22:5-19 Printable ERV Passage

Comprehension Questions

What were the followers saying about the Temple?
What did Jesus say would happen to the Temple?
What did the followers ask Jesus after he said this?
What did Jesus say people should watch out for?
What kinds of bad things did Jesus say would happen in the world?
What did Jesus say would happen to his followers?
How would Jesus help his followers when people were mean to them?
What did Jesus tell his followers to do when life was hard?

Application Questions

When have you had a hard time in life?
Who helps you when you feel afraid?
Why is it important to stand strong when things are difficult?
How can we trust God when we are worried about the future?

Theological Insights

Jesus knows the future and tells his people what to expect.
God’s people may have hard times, but God stays with them.
Jesus promises to give his people wisdom and courage.
Even when life is scary, God is in control.
Those who trust in Jesus have hope that lasts forever.

Closing Prayer

Dear Father, Thank you for always being with us, even when life is hard. Help us to be strong, brave, and trust you. Give us wisdom and kind hearts. Amen.