Peter Denies Knowing Jesus: An ESL Bible Study on Luke 22:54-62

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 22:54-62 Printable Discussion Questions

Luke 22:54-62 Printable ERV Passage

Lesson Icebreaker Question

Can you tell about a time when you were afraid to tell the truth?

Lesson Highlight

In this lesson, we will learn about a man named Peter, one of Jesus’ close friends. Peter made a big mistake because he was scared. We will talk about how Jesus still loves us, even when we make mistakes.

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.
at a distance: (phrase) To be far away from someone or something.
cry bitterly: (phrase) To cry with a lot of sadness and pain because you did something very wrong.
Galilee: (noun) A region in the north part of Israel where Jesus lived.
high priest: (phrase) The most important religious leader for the Jewish people.
immediately: (adverb) Happening right away without waiting.
rooster: (noun) An adult male chicken that crows in the morning.
servant: (noun) A person who works for another person.
stay back: (phrase) To keep away or not go near someone or something.
yard: (noun) The area of land around a house.

Important Words to Know (20 words)

afraid: (adjective) Feeling fear or being scared.
arrest: (verb) When the police or soldiers take a person away for breaking a law.
at a distance: (phrase) To be far away from someone or something.
closely: (adverb) In a way that is very near or careful.
crow: (verb) The loud sound that a rooster makes.
cry bitterly: (phrase) To cry with a lot of sadness and pain because you did something very wrong.
follow: (verb) To go after someone.
Galilee: (noun) A region in the north part of Israel where Jesus lived.
high priest: (phrase) The most important religious leader for the Jewish people.
immediately: (adverb) Happening right away without waiting.
lady: (noun) A polite word for a woman.
remember: (verb) To keep something in your mind.
rooster: (noun) An adult male chicken that crows in the morning.
servant: (noun) A person who works for another person.
short time: (phrase) A small amount of time that does not last long.
soldier: (noun) A person who is in an army.
stay back: (phrase) To keep away or not go near someone or something.
still: (adverb) Continuing until now.
sure: (adjective) Having no doubt about something.
yard: (noun) The area of land around a house.

Complete Lesson Word Bank

about: 1. (adverb) Nearly or almost. 2. (preposition) On the subject of.
afraid: (adjective) Feeling fear or being scared.
also: (adverb) In addition to something else.
another: (adjective) One more of the same kind.
arrest: (verb) When the police or soldiers take a person away for breaking a law.
at a distance: (phrase) To be far away from someone or something.
away: (adverb) At a distance from a place.
before: (preposition) Earlier than a certain time.
closely: (adverb) In a way that is very near or careful.
could: (verb) To have been able to do something.
crow: (verb) The loud sound that a rooster makes.
cry bitterly: (phrase) To cry with a lot of sadness and pain because you did something very wrong.
else: (adverb) Different or more.
eye: (noun) The part of the body used for seeing.
face: (noun) The front part of the head with the eyes and nose.
fire: (noun) The heat and light from something burning.
follow: (verb) To go after someone.
Galilee: (noun) A region in the north part of Israel where Jesus lived.
high priest: (phrase) The most important religious leader for the Jewish people.
immediately: (adverb) Happening right away without waiting.
Jesus: (noun) The Son of God and the Savior of the world!
lady: (noun) A polite word for a woman.
later: (adverb) At a time in the future.
light: (noun) The brightness that lets us see.
Lord: (noun) A name that shows someone has power or authority.
middle: (noun) The center of a group or space.
morning: (noun) The early part of the day.
outside: (adverb) Not in a building.
Peter: (noun) One of the main followers of Jesus.
remember: (verb) To keep something in your mind.
rooster: (noun) An adult male chicken that crows in the morning.
sat: (verb) To have rested on a seat.
saw: (verb) To have looked at something with your eyes.
servant: (noun) A person who works for another person.
short time: (phrase) A small amount of time that does not last long.
sit: (verb) To rest your body on a chair or the ground.
soldier: (noun) A person who is in an army.
someone: (pronoun) A person, but it is not said who.
start: (verb) To begin doing something.
stay back: (phrase) To keep away or not go near someone or something.
still: (adverb) Continuing until now.
sure: (adjective) Having no doubt about something.
talk: (verb) To speak to someone.
times: (noun) The number of times something happens or is repeated.
together: (adverb) With each other.
took: (verb) To have carried or moved something from one place to another.
true: (adjective) Something that is a fact.
turn: (verb) To move in a circle or to change direction.
went: (verb) To have moved to another place.
while: (conjunction) During the time that something is happening.
yard: (noun) The area of land around a house.

Summary of the Passage

This passage happens after Jesus was arrested. The leaders took Jesus away to the house of the high priest. One of Jesus’ friends, Peter, followed them. Peter was afraid, so he stayed back at a distance. He sat with some people around a fire in the yard.

A servant girl saw Peter. She looked closely at him and said he was with Jesus. But Peter was afraid of the soldiers. He denied it. To deny means to say that something is not true. Peter said, “Lady, I don’t know him.” Immediately, someone else said the same thing. Peter said he was not a follower. After about an hour, another man said Peter must be with Jesus because Peter was from Galilee. People from Galilee spoke in a different way. Peter denied it a third time. He said he did not know what they were talking about.

Immediately, while Peter was speaking, a rooster crowed. Jesus turned and looked into Peter’s eyes. Then Peter remembered what the Lord had said. Jesus told him that he would deny him three times before the rooster crowed in the morning. Peter felt very sorry and went outside. He cried bitterly. To cry bitterly means to cry with a lot of sadness because you did something very wrong.

This passage teaches us that even close friends of Jesus can be weak and make mistakes. It shows us that Jesus knows our hearts and still loves us. When we make mistakes, we can be sorry, pray, and know that God forgives us.

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.

Peter Is Afraid to Say He Knows Jesus
54 They arrested Jesus and took him away to the house of the high priest.
Peter followed Jesus but stayed back at a distance.
55 The soldiers started a fire in the middle of the yard and sat together.
Peter sat with them.
56 A servant girl saw him sitting there.
She could see because of the light from the fire.
She looked closely at Peter’s face. Then she said,
“This man was also with Jesus.”
57 But Peter said this was not true.
He said, “Lady, I don’t know him.”
58 A short time later, someone else saw Peter and said,
“You are also one of them.”
But Peter said,
“Man, I am not!”
59 About an hour later, another man said,
“It’s true.
I’m sure this man was with him, because he is from Galilee.”
60 But Peter said,
“Man, I don’t know what you are talking about!”
Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed.
61 Then the Lord turned and looked into Peter’s eyes.
And Peter remembered what the Lord had said,
“Before the rooster crows in the morning, you will say three times that you don’t know me.”
62 Then Peter went outside and cried bitterly.
Luke 22:54-62 (ERV)