Book of Common Prayer

¹³ I have written these things to you who believe on the name of the Son of God. I have written them so that you will know that you will live for ever.

¹⁴ And we are sure God will do this. If we ask him for anything that he wants us to have, he will listen to us.

¹⁵ And if we know he listens to us when we ask for anything, then we know that we have what we asked him for.

¹⁶ Maybe a man sees his brother do something wrong, but not so bad that he must die for it. The man should ask God and God will let his brother live. God will let people live if the things they have done are not so bad that they must die for them. But there are things so wrong that a person must die for them. If he has done such as that, I do not tell the man to ask God to let him live.

¹⁷ Everything that is wrong is a bad thing. But not every bad thing is so wrong that a person must die for it.

¹⁸ We know that any child of God does not do wrong things. The Son of God keeps him safe and the devil cannot touch him.

¹⁹ We know that we belong to God and the whole world belongs to the devil.

²⁰ We know that the Son of God has come. He has given us a heart to know him who is true. We belong to him who is true, because we belong to his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God. He has the life that will live for ever.

²¹ My children, have nothing to do with false gods or idols.

5 The people came close around Jesus to hear God's word. He was standing by Lake Gennesaret [the Sea of Galilee].

² He saw two boats by the water. The fishermen were not in their boats. They were washing their nets.

³ Jesus got into one of the boats. It was Simon's boat. Jesus asked him to put the boat out into the water a little way from the land. Then he sat down in the boat and taught the people.

⁴ When he stopped talking, he said to Simon, `Put the boat out into deep water and let down your nets to catch some fish.'

⁵ Simon answered, `Master, we worked hard all night and did not catch anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.'

⁶ When they did this, they caught many fish. Their nets were so full they were breaking.

⁷ They called their friends in the other boat to come and help them. They came. They filled both boats with so much fish, they began to go down.

⁸ When Simon Peter saw this, he kneeled down in front of Jesus. He said, `Lord, leave me because I am a bad man!'

⁹ He was very much surprised to see how many fish they had caught. All those who were with him were surprised too.

¹⁰ James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were helping Simon. They were surprised also. Jesus said to Simon, `Do not fear. From now on your work will be to catch men.'

¹¹ They brought their boats to the land. Then they left everything and went with Jesus.