Jesus Is Alive: An ESL Bible Study on Luke 24:1-12

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Luke 24:1-12 Printable Discussion Questions

Luke 24:1-12 Printable ERV Passage

Lesson Icebreaker Question

What is something surprising or good that has happened to you when you did not expect it?

Lesson Highlight

In this lesson, we will learn about what happened after Jesus died. Some women went to visit his tomb, but something amazing happened there. We will talk about what they saw and what it means for us.

Vocabulary Lists for the ERV Bible Translation

Key Vocabulary Words (10 words)

apostle: (noun) One of the special followers Jesus chose to send out with a message.
believe: (verb) To think that something is true.
bowed down: (phrase) To bend the body forward and low to show respect or worship.
entrance: (noun) The way to go into a place.
nonsense: (noun) Words that have no meaning or are silly.
risen from death: (phrase) To have come back to life after being dead.
rolled away: (phrase) To move a heavy, round object to the side.
shining clothes: (phrase) Clothing that is very bright and looks like it has light coming from it.
Son of Man: (phrase) A special name Jesus used for himself to show he is the savior sent by God.
tomb: (noun) A place where a dead person is put.

Important Words to Know (20 words)

apostle: (noun) One of the special followers Jesus chose to send out with a message.
believe: (verb) To think that something is true.
body: (noun) The whole physical part of a person or animal.
bowed down: (phrase) To bend the body forward and low to show respect or worship.
control: (noun) The power to make decisions or give orders.
entrance: (noun) The way to go into a place.
follower: (noun) A person who learns from and obeys a teacher.
handed over: (phrase) To have given someone to the power or control of another person.
Lord: (noun) A name that shows someone has power or authority.
nonsense: (noun) Words that have no meaning or are silly.
prepare: (verb) To get something ready.
risen from death: (phrase) To have come back to life after being dead.
rolled away: (phrase) To move a heavy, round object to the side.
shining clothes: (phrase) Clothing that is very bright and looks like it has light coming from it.
sinful: (adjective) Full of sin or doing many wrong things.
Son of Man: (phrase) A special name Jesus used for himself to show he is the savior sent by God.
sound like: (phrase) To seem similar to a certain thing when heard or described.
stone: (noun) A hard piece of rock.
tomb: (noun) A place where a dead person is put.
wonder: (verb) To want to know more about something.

Complete Lesson Word Bank

afraid: (adjective) Feeling fear or being scared.
alone: (adjective) Being without any other people.
apostle: (noun) One of the special followers Jesus chose to send out with a message.
away: (adverb) At a distance from a place.
believe: (verb) To think that something is true.
beside: (preposition) Next to someone or something.
body: (noun) The whole physical part of a person or animal.
bowed down: (phrase) To bend the body forward and low to show respect or worship.
brought: (verb) To have taken someone or something to a place.
cloth: (noun) Material used to make clothes or covers.
control: (noun) The power to make decisions or give orders.
cover: (verb) To put something over another thing.
cross: (noun) Two pieces of wood put together that were used to kill people.
dead: (adjective) Not living anymore.
death: (noun) The end of a life.
early: (adjective) Happening before the usual time.
entrance: (noun) The way to go into a place.
everything: (pronoun) All things that exist.
faces: (noun) More than one face.
find: (verb) To see or get something you were looking for.
follower: (noun) A person who learns from and obeys a teacher.
Galilee: (noun) A region in the north part of Israel where Jesus lived.
got up: (verb) To have moved the body from a sitting or lying position to a standing position.
ground: (noun) The solid surface of the earth.
handed over: (phrase) To have given someone to the power or control of another person.
happen: (verb) To take place.
heavy: (adjective) Weighing a lot.
James: (noun) One of the first men who followed Jesus.
Jesus: (noun) The Son of God and the Savior of the world!
Joanna: (noun) A woman who followed Jesus and helped him.
just: (adverb) Only or simply.
kill: (verb) To end the life of a person or an animal.
laid: (verb) To have put something down in a flat position.
left: (verb) To have gone away from a place.
look: 1. (verb) To use your eyes to see something. 2. (verb) To search for something or someone.
Lord: (noun) A name that shows someone has power or authority.
lying: (verb) Resting in a flat position.
Mary: (noun) The mother of Jesus.
Mary Magdalene: (noun) A woman who followed Jesus after he healed her and made seven demons leave her.
morning: (noun) The early part of the day.
must: (verb) To need to do something.
news: (noun) Information about something that just happened.
nonsense: (noun) Words that have no meaning or are silly.
Peter: (noun) One of the main followers of Jesus.
place: (noun) A specific area, room, or location.
prepare: (verb) To get something ready.
ran: (verb) To have moved fast on your feet.
remember: (verb) To keep something in your mind.
rise: (verb) To get up or go up.
risen from death: (phrase) To have come back to life after being dead.
rolled away: (phrase) To move a heavy, round object to the side.
shining clothes: (phrase) Clothing that is very bright and looks like it has light coming from it.
sinful: (adjective) Full of sin or doing many wrong things.
Son of Man: (phrase) A special name Jesus used for himself to show he is the savior sent by God.
sound like: (phrase) To seem similar to a certain thing when heard or described.
spice: (noun) A plant part used to flavor food or smell good.
stone: (noun) A hard piece of rock.
stood: (verb) To have been on your feet.
Sunday: (noun) The first day of the week.
sweet-smelling: (adjective) Having a pleasant or nice odor like a flower.
told: (verb) To have given information to someone.
tomb: (noun) A place where a dead person is put.
understand: (verb) To know what something means.
went: (verb) To have moved to another place.
while: (conjunction) During the time that something is happening.
wonder: (verb) To want to know more about something.
wrap: (verb) To cover something by putting cloth or paper around it.

Summary of the Passage

This passage tells us what happened on the Sunday morning after Jesus died. In those days, people would bring spices to put on a dead person’s body. This was a way to show love. Some women who were followers of Jesus went to his tomb very early. A tomb is a place for a dead person. Usually, a very heavy stone covered the entrance. But when the women arrived, they saw the stone had been rolled away. They went inside, but the body of Jesus was gone!

The women were very confused. While they were wondering about it, two men in bright, shining clothes suddenly appeared. The women were very afraid and bowed down to show respect. The men told them that Jesus was not there. He had risen from death! This means he was alive again. The men reminded them that Jesus said he would be handed over to sinful men and be killed, but then rise again.

Then the women remembered Jesus’ words. They quickly went to tell his closest followers, called the apostles. But the apostles did not believe them. To the men, the news sounded like nonsense. They thought it was a silly story. One apostle named Peter ran to the tomb to see for himself. He saw only the cloth that had wrapped Jesus. Peter was amazed at what had happened.

This passage teaches us that Jesus did not stay dead. He is alive! It shows us that God is powerful and keeps his promises.

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.

News That Jesus Has Risen From Death
1 Very early Sunday morning, the women came to the tomb where Jesus’ body was laid.
They brought the sweet-smelling spices they had prepared.
2 They saw that the heavy stone that covered the entrance had been rolled away.
3 They went in, but they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
4 They did not understand this.
While they were wondering about it, two men in shining clothes stood beside them.
5 The women were very afraid.
They bowed down with their faces to the ground.
The men said to them,
“Why are you looking for a living person here?
This is a place for dead people.
6 Jesus is not here.
He has risen from death.
Do you remember what he said in Galilee?
7 He said the Son of Man must be handed over to the control of sinful men, be killed on a cross, and rise from death on the third day.”
8 Then the women remembered what Jesus had said.
9 The women left the tomb and went to the eleven apostles and the other followers.
They told them everything that happened at the tomb.
10 These women were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary, the mother of James, and some others.
They told the apostles everything that happened.
11 But the apostles did not believe what they said.
It sounded like nonsense.
12 But Peter got up and ran to the tomb to see.
He looked in, but he saw only the cloth that Jesus’ body had been wrapped in.
It was just lying there. Peter went away to be alone, wondering what had happened.
Luke 24:1-12 (ERV)

Very Easy: Easy-to-Read Version: Luke 24:1-12 (ERV)
Very Easy: New International Reader’s Version: Luke 24:1-12 (NIRV)
Easy: Good News Translation: Luke 24:1-12 (GNT)
Medium: New Living Translation: Luke 24:1-12 (NLT)
Hard: New International Version: Luke 24:1-12 (NIV)
Very Hard: English Standard Version: Luke 24:1-12 (ESV)

Luke 24:1-12 Printable ERV Passage

Comprehension Questions

When did the women go to the tomb?
What did the women carry with them?
What did they find at the entrance of the tomb?
What did they see inside the tomb?
How did the women feel when the two men appeared?
What did the two men in shining clothes say to the women?
Where did the men tell the women to remember Jesus’ words?
What did the women do after they left the tomb?
Who did the women tell about what happened?
How did the apostles feel about the women’s story?
Who went to the tomb to see for himself?
What did Peter see inside the tomb?
How did Peter feel after he saw the empty tomb?

Application Questions

How would you feel if you saw something amazing like the empty tomb?
Why do you think the women were brave to go to the tomb early in the morning?
Why is it important that Jesus is alive again?
What does it mean that God keeps his promises?
How can we share good news with others, like the women did?

Theological Insights

Jesus really died, but he did not stay dead.
God has power over death and life.
Jesus rising from the dead proves he is the Son of God.
God keeps his promises to his people.
We should believe the good news even if it sounds surprising.
God chooses people, like the women, to share important news.
When we believe in Jesus, we can have hope for life after death.

Closing Prayer

Dear Father, Thank you for raising Jesus from the dead and showing us your great power. Help us to believe your promises and share your good news with others. Amen.