Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

15 Now, my brothers, I want to bring the good news to your minds again. I told it to you and you received it. You now believe it.

² You are saved by it, if you hold on to what I told you. If you do not, then you have believed for nothing.

³ I told you first what was told to me. I told you that Christ died for the wrong things we did, as the holy writings said.

⁴ He was buried. He was raised on the third day, as the holy writings said.

⁵ Peter saw him, and then all the twelve disciples saw him.

⁶ After that, more than five hundred Christian brothers saw him at one time. Most of them are still living, but some have died.

⁷ After that, James saw him. Then all the apostles saw him.

⁸ Last of all, I saw him too. I was like one who was born at the wrong time.

⁹ The other apostles are all greater than I am. I should not be called an apostle because I troubled the people of God's church.

¹⁰ But God has been kind to me. He has made me what I am today. And he did not bless me for nothing. I did more work than any of them. Yet it was not I, but the loving kindness of God was working with me.

¹¹ So it does not matter who gave the message, they or I. This is the message we gave, and this is the message you believed.

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.