Rich Man and Lazarus Sunday School Lesson for Kids

This free rich man and Lazarus Sunday school lesson teaches kids to listen to God's Word now. Jesus told of a rich man "clothed in purple and fine linen" and a beggar named Lazarus "laid at his gate," who wished for the crumbs from the rich man's table (Luke 16:19–21). When the rich man asked for someone to warn his five brothers, Abraham said, "They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them" (16:29). It comes in four age levels, each a separate printable teacher lesson, plus one take-home sheet for families. Everything is in the order you teach it.

Choose your age level

• Preschool (ages 3–5), 20–30 minutes, 2 pages: a listening-ears sound game, a short story with hand motions and repeat-after-me lines, three simple questions, a short memory verse ("They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them," Luke 16:29) with motions, and a drawing activity.
• Kindergarten to 2nd grade, 45 minutes, 3 pages: the Listen the First Time game, the story in simple words, five recall questions with answers, the Pick Up the Crumbs memory verse game, and a Who Needs Help? game.
• 3rd to 5th grade, 45–60 minutes, 3 pages: a read-the-signs game, kids look up verses in their own Bibles during a fuller story ("fared sumptuously," "Abraham's bosom," "a great gulf fixed," "let them hear them"), five thinking questions and three recall questions, and a Bible look-up race.
• Preteens (ages 11–12), 45–60 minutes, 3 pages: students read Luke 16:19–31 out loud themselves, then look closer at who Jesus told it to (16:14), why riches were not the whole story (Genesis 13:2), and why God's Word is enough. Six discussion questions, a journal page, and two memory verses (Luke 16:31 and 2 Timothy 3:15).

Lesson at a glance

• Bible passage: Luke 16:19–31
• Main point: Listen to God's Word now. It tells us everything we need to turn to God.
• Memory verse: Luke 16:31 (KJV), with 2 Timothy 3:15 added for preteens
• Ages: preschool to preteen, in four versions

Lesson outline (the same in every version)

1. Opening game: a short game about listening and heeding a message.
2. Bible story: the rich man in "purple and fine linen" (Luke 16:19), Lazarus "laid at his gate" (16:20), the crumbs and the dogs (16:21), the angels carrying Lazarus (16:22), the great gulf (16:26), the five brothers (16:28), and "let them hear them" (16:29). Every fact has its verse reference so you can check it.
3. Questions to ask: with answers, at the right level for each age.
4. Memory verse: a game or motion to help kids learn Luke 16:31.
5. What this means for us: hear God's Word now, care for people in need, the gospel (Acts 2:38), and a challenge for the week.
6. Activity: the word search, crossword, maze, worksheet, the rich man and Lazarus craft, a who-needs-help game, a Bible look-up race or a journal page, depending on the age.
7. Prayer.

Tips for teaching the rich man and Lazarus

• Read Luke 16:29 and 16:31 straight from your Bible. Jesus' point at the end is hearing God's Word.
• Tell the hard part calmly, the way Jesus told it. The younger lessons say "torment" and "a great gulf" and leave out the flame (16:24); every level ends with God's love and the good news about Jesus, who did rise from the dead.
• This is not the Lazarus of Bethany whom Jesus raised (John 11). Two men in the Bible have the name.
• The Bible doesn't say the rich man was lost because he was rich: Abraham was very rich too (Genesis 13:2). Keep the focus where Jesus put it.
• Short on time? Do the story, three questions and the memory verse. That is a solid 25-minute lesson.