Jesus Is Sentenced to Die: An ESL Bible Study on Luke 23:13-25

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 23:13-25 Printable Discussion Questions

Luke 23:13-25 Printable ERV Passage

Lesson Icebreaker Question

Have you ever seen someone get blamed for something they did not do? How did it make you feel?

Lesson Highlight

In this lesson, we will learn about a time when Jesus was judged by leaders and a large crowd. We will see how people made a bad choice and how Jesus was hurt, even though he did nothing wrong.

Vocabulary Lists for the ERV Bible Translation

Key Vocabulary Words (10 words)

cross: (noun) Two pieces of wood put together that were used to kill people.
death penalty: (phrase) A punishment where a person is killed because they did a very bad crime.
demand: (verb) To ask for something in a very strong way.
go free: (phrase) To be allowed to leave jail or a place where you were kept.
guilty: (adjective) Having done something wrong or broken a law.
hand over: (phrase) To give control of a person or a thing to someone in power, like a judge or an officer.
murder: (noun) The crime of killing someone on purpose.
punish: (verb) To make someone suffer for doing something wrong.
release: (verb) To let someone or something go free.
start a riot: (phrase) To cause a large group of people to become angry and violent in a public place.

Important Words to Know (20 words)

cross: (noun) Two pieces of wood put together that were used to kill people.
death penalty: (phrase) A punishment where a person is killed because they did a very bad crime.
decide: (verb) To make a choice.
demand: (verb) To ask for something in a very strong way.
festival: (noun) A special day for celebration and worship.
go free: (phrase) To be allowed to leave jail or a place where you were kept.
guilty: (adjective) Having done something wrong or broken a law.
hand over: (phrase) To give control of a person or a thing to someone in power, like a judge or an officer.
jail: (noun) A place where people are kept as punishment.
judge: (verb) To decide if something is good or bad.
kill: (verb) To end the life of a person or an animal.
leader: (noun) A person who is in charge of a group.
murder: (noun) The crime of killing someone on purpose.
Passover: (noun) A special meal and holiday to remember how God saved Israel.
prisoner: (noun) A person who is kept in prison.
punish: (verb) To make someone suffer for doing something wrong.
release: (verb) To let someone or something go free.
riot: (noun) A loud and violent trouble caused by a crowd of people.
shout: (verb) To speak or yell very loudly.
start a riot: (phrase) To cause a large group of people to become angry and violent in a public place.

Complete Lesson Word Bank

add: (verb) To put something with another thing to make it more.
again: (adverb) One more time.
back: (adverb) In the place where someone was before.
Barabbas: (noun) A prisoner who was set free instead of Jesus.
before: (preposition) In front of someone or something.
brought: (verb) To have taken someone or something to a place.
call: (verb) To ask someone to come to you or to meet with you.
change: (verb) To make something different.
city: (noun) A large town with many people and buildings.
continue: (verb) To keep doing something.
copy: (noun) Something that is made to look exactly like another thing.
cross: (noun) Two pieces of wood put together that were used to kill people.
death penalty: (phrase) A punishment where a person is killed because they did a very bad crime.
decide: (verb) To make a choice.
demand: (verb) To ask for something in a very strong way.
done: (verb) To have performed an action or task.
either: (adjective) One or the other of two things.
enough: (adjective) As much as you need.
fail: (verb) To not succeed in doing something.
festival: (noun) A special day for celebration and worship.
few: (adjective) A small number of people or things.
find: (verb) To see or get something you were looking for.
found: (verb) To have seen something you were looking for.
give: (verb) To hand something over to another person.
go free: (phrase) To be allowed to leave jail or a place where you were kept.
Greek: (noun) The language used to write the New Testament part of the Bible.
guilty: (adjective) Having done something wrong or broken a law.
hand over: (phrase) To give control of a person or a thing to someone in power, like a judge or an officer.
Herod: (noun) A king who ruled in Israel during the time of Jesus.
jail: (noun) A place where people are kept as punishment.
Jesus: (noun) The Son of God and the Savior of the world!
Jewish: (adjective) Relating to the people, religion, or culture of the Jews.
judge: (verb) To decide if something is good or bad.
kill: (verb) To end the life of a person or an animal.
lead: (verb) To be the person in charge of a group.
leader: (noun) A person who is in charge of a group.
let go: (phrase) To allow a person to leave or be free.
loud: (adjective) Making a lot of noise.
murder: (noun) The crime of killing someone on purpose.
Passover: (noun) A special meal and holiday to remember how God saved Israel.
Pilate: (noun) The Roman leader who decided that Jesus should die.
priest: (noun) A man who did special work for God in the Temple.
prisoner: (noun) A person who is kept in prison.
punish: (verb) To make someone suffer for doing something wrong.
reason: (noun) Why something happens.
release: (verb) To let someone or something go free.
riot: (noun) A loud and violent trouble caused by a crowd of people.
sent: (verb) To have caused someone to go to a place.
shout: (verb) To speak or yell very loudly.
start a riot: (phrase) To cause a large group of people to become angry and violent in a public place.
together: (adverb) With each other.
told: (verb) To have given information to someone.
try: (verb) To make an effort to do something.
verse: (noun) A small part of a chapter in the Bible.
would: (verb) A word used to talk about something that might happen or something someone wanted to do.
wrong: (adjective) Not right or not true.

Summary of the Passage

This passage happens during the last part of Jesus’ life. Jesus had done many good things, like healing people and teaching them about God. But some leaders did not like him. They took Jesus to a Roman ruler named Pilate. They said Jesus was a troublemaker and should be killed.

Pilate talked to Jesus and looked at what the people said. He did not find Jesus guilty. To be guilty means you broke a law. Pilate even said Jesus did not deserve the death penalty. The death penalty is a punishment where a person is killed for a crime. Pilate wanted to release Jesus after punishing him a little. To release someone means to let them go free. But the people would not listen.

It was the time of the Passover festival. A festival is a special time for worship. During this time, Pilate usually let one prisoner go free. The people wanted a man named Barabbas to be set free instead of Jesus. Barabbas was in jail for murder and for starting a riot. A riot is when a crowd gets angry and violent. The people shouted louder and louder for Jesus to be killed on a cross. A cross is two pieces of wood used to kill people.

Pilate tried again to stop them. He said three times that Jesus was not guilty. However, the crowd demanded that Jesus die. In the end, Pilate decided to give the people what they wanted. He handed Jesus over to the soldiers. He let Barabbas go free and sent Jesus to be killed on the cross.

This passage shows us how people can make bad choices when they listen to a crowd. It also teaches us that Jesus was willing to suffer for us even though he did nothing wrong. He took the punishment that we deserve.

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.

Pilate Tries but Fails to Free Jesus
13 Pilate called all the people together with the leading priests and the Jewish leaders.
14 He said to them,
“You brought this man to me.
You said he was trying to change the people.
But I judged him before you all and have not found him guilty of the things you say he has done.
15 Herod didn’t find him guilty either.
He sent him back to us.
Look, he has done nothing bad enough for the death penalty.
16 So, after I punish him a little, I will let him go free.”
17
18 But they all shouted,
“Kill him!
Let Barabbas go free!”
19 (Barabbas was a man who was in jail for starting a riot in the city and for murder.)
20 Pilate wanted to let Jesus go free.
So again Pilate told them that he would let him go.
21 But they shouted again,
“Kill him! Kill him on a cross!”
22 A third time Pilate said to the people,
“Why?
What wrong has he done?
He is not guilty.
I can find no reason to kill him.
So I will let him go free after I punish him a little.”
23-24 But the people continued to shout.
They demanded that Jesus be killed on a cross.
Their shouting got so loud that Pilate decided to give them what they wanted.
25 They wanted Barabbas to go free—the one who was in jail for starting a riot and for murder.
Pilate let Barabbas go free.
And he handed Jesus over to be killed.
This is what the people wanted.
Luke 23:13-25 (ERV)
Note: A few Greek copies add verse 17: “Every year at the Passover festival, Pilate had to release one prisoner to the people.”

Very Easy: Easy-to-Read Version: Luke 23:13-25 (ERV)
Very Easy: New International Reader’s Version: Luke 23:13-25 (NIRV)
Easy: Good News Translation: Luke 23:13-25 (GNT)
Medium: New Living Translation: Luke 23:13-25 (NLT)
Hard: New International Version: Luke 23:13-25 (NIV)
Very Hard: English Standard Version: Luke 23:13-25 (ESV)

Luke 23:13-25 Printable ERV Passage

Comprehension Questions

Who did the leaders bring Jesus to?
What did Pilate think about Jesus?
Did Herod find Jesus guilty?
What did the crowd ask Pilate to do?
Who was Barabbas?
Why did the people want Barabbas to go free?
What did Pilate do after the people kept shouting?
What punishment did the people want for Jesus?
Did Jesus do anything wrong to deserve death?
Who made the final decision to send Jesus to die?

Application Questions

Why do you think people sometimes follow a crowd instead of doing what is right?
Have you ever been in a situation where you had to choose between what is popular and what is right?
What do you learn about Jesus from this story?
How does it feel to know Jesus was willing to suffer for us?
How can we make better choices when people around us want to do wrong?

Theological Insights

Jesus was innocent, but he chose to suffer so that sinners like us could be saved.
Sometimes people make wrong choices because they are afraid or because they want to please others.
God’s plan was for Jesus to die for our sins, even though it was very unfair to him.
We all need forgiveness, and Jesus made a way for us to be forgiven.
Jesus’ love is shown in how he stayed quiet and accepted punishment to save us.

Closing Prayer

Dear Father, Thank you for sending Jesus to take our place when we deserve punishment. Help us to follow you and make good choices, even when others do not. Amen.