1 As the crowd was pressing in on Jesus to hear God’s word,  * 5:1–11 Mt 4:18–22; Mk 1:16–20; Jn 1:40–42 he was standing by Lake Gennesaret.  * 5:1 Another name for the Sea of Galilee,* 5:1 Nm 34:11; Dt 3:17; Jos 12:3; 13:27; Mt 4:182 He saw two boats at the edge of the lake; the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats,  * 5:3 Mt 13:2; Mk 3:9–10; 4:1 which belonged to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from the land. Then he sat down and was teaching the crowds from the boat.

4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch."* 5:4–6 Jn 21:3–6

5 "Master,"  * 5:5 Lk 8:24; 9:33,49; 17:13 Simon replied, "we’ve worked hard all night long and caught nothing. But if you say so, I’ll let down the nets."  * 5:5 Other mss read net (Gk sg)

6 When they did this, they caught a great number of fish, and their nets  * 5:6 Other mss read net (Gk sg) began to tear. 7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them; they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’s knees and said, "Go away from me, because I’m a sinful man, Lord! "  * 5:8 Is 6:5; Lk 19:79 For he and all those with him were amazed  * 5:9 Lk 4:36; Ac 3:10 at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, Zebedee’s sons, who were Simon’s partners.

"Don’t be afraid,"* 5:10 Mt 14:27 Jesus told Simon. "From now on you will be catching people."* 5:10 2Tm 2:2611 Then they brought the boats to land, left everything, and followed him.  * 5:11 Mt 4:20,22; 19:29; Mk 1:18,20; Lk 5:28; 18:43