Jesus Calls His First Disciples^(A)

5 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)

Jesus Calls His First Disciples

¹⁶ As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” ¹⁸ At once they left their nets and followed him.^(A)

¹⁹ When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. ²⁰ Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

Jesus Calls His First Disciples^(A)

¹⁸ As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee,^(B) he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter^(C) and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁹ “Come, follow me,”^(D) Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” ²⁰ At once they left their nets and followed him.^(E)

²¹ Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John.^(F) They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, ²² and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.^(G)

³⁴ When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret.

⁹ Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him.