Book of Common Prayer

³⁶ In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha, whose name translates as “Dorcas.” She was full of good works and generous deeds. ³⁷ Around that time she fell ill and died. They washed her and laid her in an upper room. ³⁸ Lydda is near Joppa, and the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the urgent request that he shouldn’t delay, but come to them at once. ³⁹ So Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they took him to the upper room, where all the widows were weeping. They showed him the tunics and the other clothes that Dorcas had made while she was with them.

⁴⁰ Peter sent them all out. Then he knelt down and prayed, and turned to the body.

“Tabitha,” he said, “get up!”

She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. ⁴¹ He gave her his hand and lifted her up. Then he called God’s people, including the widows, and presented her alive.

⁴² This became known throughout the whole of Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. ⁴³ Peter stayed on in Joppa for some days, at the house of Simon the tanner.

The miraculous catch of fish

5 One day, as the crowds were pressing close to him to hear the word of God, Jesus was standing by the lake of Gennesaret. ² He saw two boats moored by the land; the fishermen had gone ashore and were washing their nets. ³ He got into one of the boats—it was Simon’s—and asked him to put out a little way from the land. Then he sat down in the boat and began to teach the crowd.

⁴ When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deeper part, and let down your nets for a catch.”

⁵ “Master,” replied Simon, “we were working hard all night and caught nothing at all. But if you say so, I’ll let down the nets.”

⁶ When they did so, they caught such a huge number of fish that their nets began to break. ⁷ They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. So they came, and filled both the boats, and they began to sink.

⁸ When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees.

“Leave me alone, Lord!” he said. “I’m a sinner!” ⁹ He and all his companions were gripped with amazement at the catch of fish they had taken. ¹⁰ This included James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon.

“Don’t be afraid,” said Jesus to Simon. “From now on you’ll be catching people.”

¹¹ They brought the boats in to land. Then they abandoned everything and followed him.