Old/New Testament

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.

The healing of the man with a virulent skin disease

¹² It so happened that, as Jesus was in one particular town, there was a man whose skin was covered all over with a virulent disease. When he saw Jesus, he fell on his face.

“Lord,” he begged, “if you want, you can make me clean.”

¹³ Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him.

“I do want to,” he said. “Be clean.”

And the skin disease disappeared immediately.

¹⁴ Jesus instructed the man not to tell anyone. “Go and show yourself to the priest,” he said, “and make the offering commanded by Moses in connection with your healing, as evidence for them.”

¹⁵ The news about Jesus, though, spread all round, and large crowds came to hear and to be healed from their diseases. ¹⁶ He used to slip away to remote places and pray.