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For small groups and leaders

Bible study questions for small groups

Questions for 40 chapters people read together most. Each set starts with a warm-up, then three parts: what it says, what it means, what to do. Each question names its verses. Print it, or send it to your group.

  1. Look What does it say?
  2. Understand What does it mean?
  3. Live it What will we do?

The Gospels

  • Matthew 2Magi from the east follow a star to Jesus, Herod tries to kill the child, and the family runs to Egypt, then settles in Nazareth.
  • Matthew 5The start of the Sermon on the Mount: the blessings, salt and light, and Jesus on anger, lust, promises, revenge and loving enemies.
  • Matthew 6Jesus teaches about giving, praying and fasting in secret, gives the Lord’s Prayer, and tells his followers not to worry.
  • Matthew 7The end of the Sermon on the Mount: judging others, asking God, the narrow gate, good and bad fruit, and two builders.
  • Matthew 25Three teachings about the time Jesus comes back: the 10 bridesmaids, the servants given talents, and the sheep and the goats.
  • Matthew 28The women find the tomb empty and meet the risen Jesus, the guards are paid to lie, and Jesus sends his followers to all nations.
  • Mark 1John the Baptist prepares the way, Jesus is baptized and tested, calls fishermen, and heals many in Capernaum.
  • Mark 4Jesus tells the parable of the sower and other seed stories, then calms a storm on the lake.
  • Mark 10Jesus talks about marriage, welcomes children, meets a rich man, predicts his death, teaches that the greatest serve, and heals blind Bartimaeus.
  • Mark 13Jesus warns that the temple will fall, speaks of hard times ahead and his coming, and tells his followers to stay awake.
  • Luke 1An angel tells Zechariah his son John will be born, then tells Mary she will bear Jesus. Mary visits Elizabeth and sings, and Zechariah sings at John’s birth.
  • Luke 2Jesus is born in Bethlehem, angels tell shepherds, Simeon and Anna meet him in the temple, and at 12 he stays behind in his Father’s house.
  • Luke 10Jesus sends out 72, tells the story of the good Samaritan, and visits Martha and Mary.
  • Luke 15Jesus answers grumbling religious leaders with 3 stories of lost things: a sheep, a coin, and 2 sons.
  • Luke 24The women find the tomb empty, the risen Jesus walks with 2 disciples to Emmaus, appears to the 11, and is taken up to heaven.
  • John 1The Word who was with God and was God becomes flesh. John the Baptist points to Jesus, and the first disciples follow him.
  • John 3Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night and hears about being born again. Jesus says God so loved the world. John the Baptist says he must become less.
  • John 4Jesus talks with a Samaritan woman at a well about living water and true worship. She tells her town, and many believe. Jesus heals an official’s son.
  • John 11Lazarus dies. Jesus comes late, talks with Martha and Mary, weeps, and calls Lazarus out of the tomb. The leaders plot to kill Jesus.
  • John 15On his last night, Jesus says he is the vine and his followers are the branches. He calls them friends and warns that the world will hate them.
  • John 20Mary Magdalene finds the empty tomb and meets Jesus. He appears to the disciples behind locked doors, and then to Thomas.
  • John 21The risen Jesus meets 7 disciples at the lake, fills their nets, cooks breakfast, and asks Peter 3 times, “Do you love me?”

Psalms

  • Psalm 1Two ways to live: the person who delights in God’s teaching is like a tree by water. The wicked are like chaff the wind blows away.
  • Psalm 23David says the Lord is his shepherd, who leads, restores, walks with him through the darkest valley, and welcomes him to a table.
  • Psalm 46God is a refuge and strength, even if the earth shakes. There is a river that makes God’s city glad. Be still, and know that I am God.
  • Psalm 51David’s prayer after his sin with Bathsheba: a plea for mercy, a clean heart, and a renewed spirit.
  • Psalm 103David tells himself to bless the Lord and not forget what God has done: forgiving, healing, redeeming, and showing love as high as the heavens.
  • Psalm 121A pilgrim’s song: my help comes from the Lord, who does not sleep and guards your going out and coming in.
  • Psalm 139God knows David fully, is with him everywhere, made him in the womb, and is invited to search his heart.

Romans

  • Romans 5Made right with God by faith, we have peace with him. God shows his love in that Christ died for us while we were still sinners.
  • Romans 8No condemnation for those in Christ. The Spirit gives life, makes us God’s children, and prays for us. Nothing can separate us from God’s love.
  • Romans 12Paul urges believers to offer their lives to God, be renewed in mind, use their gifts in one body, love sincerely, and overcome evil with good.

More of the Bible

  • Genesis 1God creates the heavens and the earth in 6 days by his word, makes people in his image, and calls it all very good.
  • Isaiah 53The suffering servant is despised, carries our pain, is wounded for our wrongs, and is silent like a lamb. Christians read it as a picture of Jesus.
  • Acts 2The Holy Spirit comes at Pentecost, Peter preaches, about 3,000 are baptized, and the first church shares life together.
  • 1 Corinthians 13Without love, gifts and sacrifices are nothing. Love is patient and kind. Faith, hope and love remain, and the greatest is love.
  • Ephesians 2We were dead in sin, and God made us alive with Christ by grace through faith. Christ broke down the wall between Jews and Gentiles and made one people.
  • Philippians 4From prison, Paul tells the church to rejoice, not to be anxious but to pray, to think about what is good, and says he has learned to be content.
  • Hebrews 11Faith is being sure of what we hope for. The chapter lists people who trusted God, many of whom died before they saw the promise.
  • James 1James says to count trials as joy, ask God for wisdom, be quick to listen and slow to anger, and do the word, not only hear it.

Preaching or teaching from the Sunday reading? Open this week’s passage and keep one line from it. Any other chapter: read it and tap What is it about?

Leading a group

How do you lead a small group Bible study?

Read the passage aloud together. Ask what it says before what it means, and what it means before what to do. Let silence sit after a question; someone will speak. You do not need to get through every question. Close by praying about what came up.

What are observation, interpretation and application questions?

Observation asks what the text says: who, what, where. Interpretation asks what it means: why this, why here. Application asks what to do with it this week. Here they are called Look, Understand, and Live it.

Which Bible translation do these questions use?

The questions describe the passage instead of quoting it, so they work with any translation your group reads. The chapter printed with each set is the Lumin Translation.

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