Joyful Moments ESL

This Bible study series uses simple English so everyone can understand. It is perfect for ESL students, homeschool children, and anyone who wants to grow in faith.

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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)

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

Important Words to Know (20 words)

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

Complete Lesson Word Bank

1. about: (adverb) Nearly or almost.
2. against: (preposition) In opposition to or in conflict with.
3. alone: (adjective) Being without any other people.
4. angel: (noun) A messenger from heaven who serves God.
5. asleep: (adjective) Not awake.
6. away: (adverb) At a distance from a place.
7. blood: (noun) The red liquid inside the body.
8. came: (verb) To have moved toward a person or a place.
9. city: (noun) A large town with many people and buildings.
10. cup: (noun) A small container used for drinking.
11. drink: (verb) To swallow a liquid.
12. drip: (verb) When liquid falls in small drops.
13. drop: (noun) A very small bit of liquid.
14. face: (noun) The front part of the head with the eyes and nose.
15. fall: (verb) To drop down to the ground.
16. Father: (noun) A name for God.
17. finish: (verb) To reach the end of a task.
18. follower: (noun) A person who learns from and obeys a teacher.
19. found: (verb) To have seen something you were looking for.
20. full of: (phrase) To be completely covered or filled with a feeling.
21. get up: (phrase) To stand up after sitting or lying down.
22. grieving: (verb) Feeling very sad because someone died.
23. ground: (noun) The solid surface of the earth.
24. hard: (adverb) With a lot of effort or energy.
25. heaven: (noun) The place where God lives.
26. help: (verb) To do something useful for someone.
27. Jesus: (noun) The Son of God and the Savior of the world!
28. knelt down: (phrase) To go down on your knees to show respect or to pray.
29. left: (verb) To go away from a place.
30. like: (preposition) Similar to something else.
31. make: (verb) To cause a feeling or a change.
32. Mount of Olives: (noun) A large hill near the city of Jerusalem where many olive trees grew.
33. often: (adverb) Happening many times.
34. pain: (noun) An unpleasant feeling in the body.
35. please: (adverb) A polite word used when asking for something.
36. pray: (verb) To talk to God.
37. prayer: (noun) The words we say when we talk to God.
38. said: (verb) To have spoken words.
39. sleep: (verb) To rest with your eyes closed in a deep way.
40. step: (noun) The movement you make when you put one foot in front of the other.
41. strength: (noun) The quality of being strong.
42. struggle: (verb) To try very hard to do something difficult.
43. sweat: (noun) The liquid that comes through the skin when you are hot.
44. temptation: (noun) A feeling that makes you want to do something wrong.
45. want: (verb) To wish for something.
46. went: (verb) To have moved to another place.
47. willing: (adjective) Ready and happy to do something.
48. 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)

• Very Easy: Easy-to-Read Version: Luke 22:39-46 (ERV)
• Very Easy: New International Reader’s Version: Luke 22:39-46 (NIRV)
• Easy: Good News Translation: Luke 22:39-46 (GNT)
• Medium: New Living Translation: Luke 22:39-46 (NLT)
• Hard: New International Version: Luke 22:39-46 (NIV)
• Very Hard: English Standard Version: Luke 22:39-46 (ESV)

Comprehension Questions

1. Where did Jesus go with his disciples?
2. What did Jesus tell his disciples to do when they arrived?
3. How far did Jesus go from his friends to pray?
4. What did Jesus ask God when he prayed?
5. Who appeared to Jesus to make him strong?
6. How did Jesus feel when he prayed?
7. What happened to Jesus’ sweat while he was praying?
8. What were the disciples doing when Jesus came back?
9. Why did Jesus tell the disciples to get up and pray?

Application Questions

1. When you feel sad or afraid, who do you like to talk to?
2. Why do you think Jesus prayed when he was hurting?
3. How do you feel when you pray to God?
4. What can you pray about when life is hard?
5. How can we help friends when they feel grief or sadness?

Theological Insights

1. Jesus knows what it feels like to be sad, afraid, and alone.
2. God hears our prayers, even when we are hurting.
3. It is good to pray for God’s will, even when it is hard.
4. God can give us strength through hard times.
5. We should pray for each other, especially when life is difficult.

Closing Prayer

Dear Father, Thank you for listening to us when we are sad and afraid. Please help us to pray like Jesus and trust your plan. Amen.

Luke Bible Study Series

You can explore my complete collection of 104 free Bible study lessons for ESL learners, homeschool families, and anyone who enjoys easy English. The studies are organized into 6 simple sections to help you grow in faith at your own pace:

• Part 1: The Birth and Early Life of Jesus (Lessons 1–11)
• Part 2: Jesus Begins His Ministry (Lessons 12–23)
• Part 3: Teaching and Miracles (Lessons 24–40)
• Part 4: The Journey to Jerusalem (Lessons 41–60)
• Part 5: Parables and Teachings (Lessons 61–83)
• Part 6: The Final Week and Resurrection (Lessons 84–104)

More Easy English Resources

More Related Resources

Visit the Joyful Moments ESL homepage for all posts, or scroll through more blog posts about prayer:

Scripture quotations marked (ERV) are taken from the HOLY BIBLE: EASY-TO-READ VERSION ©2006 by Bible League International. Used by permission.