Jesus Prays in the Garden: An ESL Bible Study on Luke 22:39-46

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 22:39-46 Printable Discussion Questions

Luke 22:39-46 Printable ERV Passage

Lesson Icebreaker Question

When you feel sad or worried, what do you like to do to feel better?

Lesson Highlight

In this lesson, we will learn how Jesus prayed to God when he was very sad and afraid. We will see that even Jesus felt pain, but he trusted God’s plan. We will talk about how we can pray to God when we feel this way too.

Vocabulary Lists for the ERV Bible Translation

Key Vocabulary Words (10 words)

angel: (noun) A messenger from heaven who serves God.
grieving: (verb) Feeling very sad because someone died.
heaven: (noun) The place where God lives.
knelt down: (phrase) To go down on your knees to show respect or to pray.
Mount of Olives: (noun) A large hill near the city of Jerusalem where many olive trees grew.
strength: (noun) The quality of being strong.
struggle: (verb) To try very hard to do something difficult.
sweat: (noun) The liquid that comes through the skin when you are hot.
temptation: (noun) A feeling that makes you want to do something wrong.
willing: (adjective) Ready and happy to do something.

Important Words to Know (20 words)

alone: (adjective) Being without any other people.
angel: (noun) A messenger from heaven who serves God.
asleep: (adjective) Not awake.
blood: (noun) The red liquid inside the body.
drip: (verb) When liquid falls in small drops.
follower: (noun) A person who learns from and obeys a teacher.
full of: (phrase) To be completely covered or filled with a feeling.
grieving: (verb) Feeling very sad because someone died.
hard: (adverb) With a lot of effort or energy.
heaven: (noun) The place where God lives.
knelt down: (phrase) To go down on your knees to show respect or to pray.
Mount of Olives: (noun) A large hill near the city of Jerusalem where many olive trees grew.
often: (adverb) Happening many times.
pain: (noun) An unpleasant feeling in the body.
strength: (noun) The quality of being strong.
struggle: (verb) To try very hard to do something difficult.
sweat: (noun) The liquid that comes through the skin when you are hot.
temptation: (noun) A feeling that makes you want to do something wrong.
willing: (adjective) Ready and happy to do something.
worn out: (phrase) To be very tired because of hard work or sadness.

Complete Lesson Word Bank

about: (adverb) Nearly or almost.
against: (preposition) In opposition to or in conflict with.
alone: (adjective) Being without any other people.
angel: (noun) A messenger from heaven who serves God.
asleep: (adjective) Not awake.
away: (adverb) At a distance from a place.
blood: (noun) The red liquid inside the body.
came: (verb) To have moved toward a person or a place.
city: (noun) A large town with many people and buildings.
cup: (noun) A small container used for drinking.
drink: (verb) To swallow a liquid.
drip: (verb) When liquid falls in small drops.
drop: (noun) A very small bit of liquid.
face: (noun) The front part of the head with the eyes and nose.
fall: (verb) To drop down to the ground.
Father: (noun) A name for God.
finish: (verb) To reach the end of a task.
follower: (noun) A person who learns from and obeys a teacher.
found: (verb) To have seen something you were looking for.
full of: (phrase) To be completely covered or filled with a feeling.
get up: (phrase) To stand up after sitting or lying down.
grieving: (verb) Feeling very sad because someone died.
ground: (noun) The solid surface of the earth.
hard: (adverb) With a lot of effort or energy.
heaven: (noun) The place where God lives.
help: (verb) To do something useful for someone.
Jesus: (noun) The Son of God and the Savior of the world!
knelt down: (phrase) To go down on your knees to show respect or to pray.
left: (verb) To go away from a place.
like: (preposition) Similar to something else.
make: (verb) To cause a feeling or a change.
Mount of Olives: (noun) A large hill near the city of Jerusalem where many olive trees grew.
often: (adverb) Happening many times.
pain: (noun) An unpleasant feeling in the body.
please: (adverb) A polite word used when asking for something.
pray: (verb) To talk to God.
prayer: (noun) The words we say when we talk to God.
said: (verb) To have spoken words.
sleep: (verb) To rest with your eyes closed in a deep way.
step: (noun) The movement you make when you put one foot in front of the other.
strength: (noun) The quality of being strong.
struggle: (verb) To try very hard to do something difficult.
sweat: (noun) The liquid that comes through the skin when you are hot.
temptation: (noun) A feeling that makes you want to do something wrong.
want: (verb) To wish for something.
went: (verb) To have moved to another place.
willing: (adjective) Ready and happy to do something.
worn out: (phrase) To be very tired because of hard work or sadness.

Summary of the Passage

This passage takes place near the end of Jesus’ life. Jesus knew he was about to be arrested and die. He knew this would be very painful. He went to a quiet place called the Mount of Olives with his followers to pray. He went there often to talk to God.

When they arrived, Jesus told his friends to pray for strength. He did not want them to fall into temptation. Temptation is a feeling that makes you want to do something wrong. Then Jesus went about 50 steps away and knelt down to pray by himself. He asked God if he could skip the pain. He asked God not to make him drink from “this cup.” The cup means the hard things he had to do. Even though he was afraid, he was willing to do what God wanted. To be willing means to be ready to obey.

Jesus felt a deep struggle and pain in his heart. A struggle is when you try very hard to do something that is very difficult. God sent an angel from heaven to help him. Jesus prayed so hard that his sweat dripped like blood to the ground. Doctors call this hematidrosis. This can happen when a person feels a very large amount of stress or fear.

When Jesus finished his prayer, he went back to his followers. He found them asleep. They were worn out because of their grieving. Grieving is feeling very sad when something bad happens. Jesus told them to get up. He told them again to pray for strength against temptation.

This passage teaches us that Jesus understands how it feels to be sad and afraid. He knows what it is like to have a hard struggle. We can talk to God when we are hurting. God listens, cares for us, and gives us strength.

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 Prays Alone
39-40 Jesus left the city and went to the Mount of Olives.
His followers went with him.
(He went there often.)
He said to his followers,
“Pray for strength against temptation.”
41 Then Jesus went about 50 steps away from them.
He knelt down and prayed,
42 “Father, if you are willing, please don’t make me drink from this cup.
But do what you want, not what I want.”
43 Then an angel from heaven came to help him.
44 Jesus was full of pain; he struggled hard in prayer.
Sweat dripped from his face like drops of blood falling to the ground.
45 When he finished praying, he went to his followers.
He found them asleep, worn out from their grieving.
46 Jesus said to them,
“Why are you sleeping?
Get up and pray for strength against temptation.”
Luke 22:39-46 (ERV)