Jesus is Crucified: An ESL Bible Study on Luke 23:26-43

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 23:26-43 Printable Discussion Questions

Luke 23:26-43 Printable ERV Passage

Lesson Icebreaker Question

Have you ever helped someone carry something heavy? What happened?

Lesson Highlight

In this lesson, we will learn how Jesus was treated before he died on the cross. We will see how different people acted around him, and what Jesus said to them. We will hear a promise that brings hope.

Vocabulary Lists for the ERV Bible Translation

Key Vocabulary Words (10 words)

blessed: (adjective) Having the favor and help of God.
criminal: (noun) A person who breaks the law.
deserve: (verb) To have a right to something because of what you did.
divide: (verb) To separate something into parts.
forgive: (verb) To stop being angry at someone for a wrong they did.
Messiah: (noun) The “Chosen One” that God promised to send to save his people.
nail: (noun) A thin piece of metal with a sharp point.
paradise: (noun) A beautiful place of peace with God.
save: (verb) To keep someone from danger or death.
threw dice: (phrase) To toss small cubes with dots to play a game or make a choice.

Important Words to Know (20 words)

blessed: (adjective) Having the favor and help of God.
chosen: (adjective) Picked by God for a special reason.
criminal: (noun) A person who breaks the law.
cross: (noun) Two pieces of wood put together that were used to kill people.
deserve: (verb) To have a right to something because of what you did.
divide: (verb) To separate something into parts.
force: (verb) To make someone do something they do not want to do.
forgive: (verb) To stop being angry at someone for a wrong they did.
guilty: (adjective) Having done something wrong or broken a law.
insult: (verb) To say something mean to someone to hurt them.
king of the Jews: (phrase) A title given to Jesus that shows he is the leader of the Jewish people.
Messiah: (noun) The “Chosen One” that God promised to send to save his people.
nail: (noun) A thin piece of metal with a sharp point.
nailed to a cross: (phrase) To be attached to a wooden cross with large metal pins through the hands and feet.
offer: (verb) To give something to someone.
paradise: (noun) A beautiful place of peace with God.
promise: (verb) To say you will surely do something.
rule: (verb) To have power over a country or people.
save: (verb) To keep someone from danger or death.
threw dice: (phrase) To toss small cubes with dots to play a game or make a choice.

Complete Lesson Word Bank

away: (adverb) At a distance from a place.
began: (verb) To have started something.
begin: (verb) To start something.
behind: (preposition) At the back of someone or something.
beside: (preposition) Next to someone or something.
between: (preposition) In the space that separates two things.
blessed: (adjective) Having the favor and help of God.
blessing: (noun) A good thing that God gives to his people.
care: (verb) To look after or take care of something or someone.
carry: (verb) To hold something and move it from one place to another.
chosen: (adjective) Picked by God for a special reason.
city: (noun) A large town with many people and buildings.
clothes: (noun) Things that people wear to cover their bodies.
cover: (verb) To put something over another thing.
criminal: (noun) A person who breaks the law.
cross: (noun) Two pieces of wood put together that were used to kill people.
crowd: (noun) A very large group of people.
cry: (verb) To have tears come from your eyes because you are sad.
deserve: (verb) To have a right to something because of what you did.
dice: (noun) Small cubes with dots used to play games.
die: (verb) To stop living.
divide: (verb) To separate something into parts.
done: (verb) To have performed an action or task.
even: (adverb) Used to show that something is surprising.
fall: (verb) To drop down to the ground.
Father: (noun) A name for God.
fear: (verb) To show deep respect for the power of God.
felt sorry for: (phrase) To have felt sad for someone because they were hurt or in trouble.
field: (noun) An open area of land.
follow: (verb) To go after someone.
force: (verb) To make someone do something they do not want to do.
forgive: (verb) To stop being angry at someone for a wrong they did.
God: (noun) The creator and ruler of everything.
guilty: (adjective) Having done something wrong or broken a law.
hang: (verb) To attach something at the top so the bottom is free.
happen: (verb) To take place.
hill: (noun) A high area of land that is smaller than a mountain.
insult: (verb) To say something mean to someone to hurt them.
Jerusalem: (noun) The most important city in Israel where the Temple was.
Jesus: (noun) The Son of God and the Savior of the world!
Jewish: (adjective) Relating to the people, religion, or culture of the Jews.
kill: (verb) To end the life of a person or an animal.
king of the Jews: (phrase) A title given to Jesus that shows he is the leader of the Jewish people.
laugh: (verb) To make a sound that shows you are happy or think something is funny.
leader: (noun) A person who is in charge of a group.
led: (verb) To have shown someone the way to go.
left: (adjective) The side of the body that is not the right side.
let: (verb) To allow something to happen.
made fun of: (phrase) To laugh at someone or say mean things to make them look silly.
Messiah: (noun) The “Chosen One” that God promised to send to save his people.
mountain: (noun) A very high area of land.
nail: (noun) A thin piece of metal with a sharp point.
nailed to a cross: (phrase) To be attached to a wooden cross with large metal pins through the hands and feet.
offer: (verb) To give something to someone.
paradise: (noun) A beautiful place of peace with God.
place: (noun) A specific area, room, or location.
promise: (verb) To say you will surely do something.
really: (adverb) Truly or very much.
remember: (verb) To keep something in your mind.
right: (noun) The side of the body that is not the left.
rule: (verb) To have power over a country or people.
save: (verb) To keep someone from danger or death.
should: (verb) A word used to say what is the right thing to do.
shout: (verb) To speak or yell very loudly.
Simon of Cyrene: (noun) A man from a city in Africa who was forced to carry the cross for Jesus.
soldier: (noun) A person who is in an army.
soon: (adverb) In a short time from now.
sour: (adjective) Having a sharp taste, like a lemon.
sour wine: (phrase) A cheap drink that tastes like vinegar.
stood: (verb) To have been on your feet.
stop: (verb) To prevent someone from doing something.
The Skull: (noun) The name of the hill where Jesus was killed.
threw dice: (phrase) To toss small cubes with dots to play a game or make a choice.
top: (noun) The highest part of something.
turn: (verb) To move in a circle or to change direction.
walk: (verb) To move by putting one foot in front of the other.
watch: (verb) To look at something carefully for a time.
wrong: (adjective) Not right or not true.

Summary of the Passage

This passage tells the story of what happened to Jesus before he died. Jesus had to walk to a hill to be killed on a cross. A cross is made of two large pieces of wood. Jesus was very weak, so the soldiers forced a man named Simon of Cyrene to carry the cross for him. A large crowd of people followed them. Some women were crying because they were very sad. Jesus told them not to cry for him, but to be ready for hard times in the future.

The soldiers led Jesus to a place called “The Skull.” Two criminals were also there. A criminal is a person who breaks the law. The soldiers nailed Jesus and the criminals to a cross. Even while he was in pain, Jesus prayed to God. He asked God to forgive the people. To forgive means to stop being angry at someone for doing something wrong. The soldiers threw dice to see who would get Jesus’ clothes. The leaders and the soldiers made fun of Jesus. They told him to save himself if he really was the Messiah.

One of the criminals also insulted Jesus. However, the other criminal told him to stop. He said that they were guilty and deserved to die, but Jesus was innocent. Jesus had done nothing wrong. This man asked Jesus to remember him. Jesus made a beautiful promise. He said the man would be with him in paradise that very day. Paradise is a wonderful place of peace with God.

This passage teaches us that Jesus is full of love and forgiveness. He forgives people even when they hurt him. It shows us that anyone can ask Jesus for help, and he will listen.

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 Is Nailed to a Cross
26 The soldiers led Jesus away.
At that same time there was a man from Cyrene named Simon coming into the city from the fields.
The soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross and walk behind him.
27 A large crowd followed Jesus.
Some of the women were sad and crying.
They felt sorry for him.
28 But Jesus turned and said to the women,
“Women of Jerusalem, don’t cry for me.
Cry for yourselves and for your children too.
29 The time is coming when people will say,
‘The women who cannot have babies are the ones God has blessed.
It’s really a blessing that they have no children to care for.’
30 Then the people will say to the mountains,
‘Fall on us!’
They will say to the hills,
‘Cover us!’
31 If this can happen to someone who is good, what will happen to those who are guilty?”
32 There were also two criminals led out with Jesus to be killed.
33 They were led to a place called “The Skull.”
There the soldiers nailed Jesus to the cross.
They also nailed the criminals to crosses beside Jesus—one on the right and the other on the left.
34 Jesus said,
“Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they are doing.”
The soldiers threw dice to divide Jesus’ clothes between them.
35 The people stood there watching everything.
The Jewish leaders laughed at Jesus.
They said,
“If he is God’s Chosen One, the Messiah, then let him save himself.
He saved others, didn’t he?”
36 Even the soldiers laughed at Jesus and made fun of him.
They came and offered him some sour wine.
37 They said,
“If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!”
38 (At the top of the cross these words were written: “ this is the king of the jews.”)
39 One of the criminals hanging there began to shout insults at Jesus:
“Aren’t you the Messiah?
Then save yourself, and save us too!”
40 But the other criminal stopped him.
He said,
“You should fear God.
All of us will die soon.
41 You and I are guilty.
We deserve to die because we did wrong.
But this man has done nothing wrong.”
42 Then he said,
“Jesus, remember me when you begin ruling as king!”
43 Then Jesus said to him,
“I promise you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Luke 23:26-43 (ERV)