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Jesus Chooses His First Disciples

(Matthew 4.18-22; Mark 1.16-20)

(A) Jesus was standing on the shore of Lake Gennesaret,[a] teaching the people as they crowded around him to hear God's message. Near the shore he saw two boats left there by some fishermen who had gone to wash their nets. Jesus got into the boat that belonged to Simon and asked him to row it out a little way from the shore. Then Jesus sat down[b] in the boat to teach the crowd.

When Jesus had finished speaking, he told Simon, “Row the boat out into the deep water and let your nets down to catch some fish.”

(B) “Master,” Simon answered, “we have worked hard all night long and have not caught a thing. But if you tell me to, I will let the nets down.” (C) They did this and caught so many fish that their nets began ripping apart. Then they signaled for their partners in the other boat to come and help them. The men came, and together they filled the two boats so full that they both began to sink.

When Simon Peter saw this happen, he knelt down in front of Jesus and said, “Lord, don't come near me! I am a sinner.” Peter and everyone with him were completely surprised at all the fish they had caught. 10 His partners James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were surprised too.

Jesus told Simon, “Don't be afraid! From now on you will bring in people instead of fish.” 11 The men pulled their boats up on the shore. Then they left everything and went with Jesus.

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Footnotes

  1. 5.1 Lake Gennesaret: Another name for Lake Galilee.
  2. 5.3 sat down: Teachers in the ancient world, including Jewish teachers, usually sat down when they taught.

Jesus Calls His First Disciples(A)

One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret,[a] the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God.(B) He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.(C)

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”(D)

Simon answered, “Master,(E) we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything.(F) But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.(G) So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”(H) For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.

Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid;(I) from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.(J)

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 5:1 That is, the Sea of Galilee