Jesus Calls His First Disciples

5:1–11pp—Mt 4:18–22; Mk 1:16–20; Jn 1:40–42

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.v 2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.w

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

5 Simon answered, “Master,y we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything.z But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

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

8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”b 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken,