Harmony of The Gospels: Topic 32

The Four Gospels arranged into a single narrative
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(32) Jesus Calls Four Fishermen

Matthew 4:18-22, Mark 1:16-20, Luke 5:1-11

      [A]Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. [B]As the people crowded around Him to hear the word of God, He stopped and stood by the Lake of Gennesaret.

      [C]Peter and Andrew brought their boats to shore and had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. Jesus saw the boats standing by the lake, [D]so He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s. He asked him to push Him out a little ways from the shore. Then He sat down and taught the people from the boat.

      [E]Now when He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a big catch.” [F]But Simon said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at your word I will let down the net. [G]And when they had done this, they caught a great multitude of fish, and their net began to break. [H]They shouted and signaled their partners, who were in the other boat, that they should come and help them. They came and filled both the boats so full that they began to sink. [I]When Simon Peter saw this, he dropped down before the knees of Jesus, saying, “Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”

      [J]For he and all that were with him were astonished at the number of fish they had caught, [K]and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid, from now on you will catch men.”

      [L]And when they had brought their boats to shore, Jesus said to Peter and Andrew, “Follow me, and I will make you fishermen for men.”

      [M]And they immediately left their nets and followed Him.

      [N]When He had gone a little farther to where the two other brothers had put to shore (James and John, the sons of Zebedee), He saw and called them. They were in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets also.[1] [O]As soon as He called them, they immediately left their father in the boat with the hired servants and followed Him --forsaking all.


(32) Jesus Calls Four Fishermen

Matthew 4:18-22, KJV

18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. 21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. 22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.


(32) Jesus Calls Four Fishermen

Mark 1:16-20, KJV

16 Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. 18 And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him. 19 And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets. 20 And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.


(32) Jesus Calls Four Fishermen

Luke 5:1-11, KJV

And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, 2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. 3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. 4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. 5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. 6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. 7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. 9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: 10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. 11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.


(1) The "also" of Mark 1:19 indicates that Peter and Andrew were mending their nets instead of washing them again. They broke because of the big catch, which is mentioned in Luke's account.


[A] Mt 4:18, Mk 1:16 [B] Lk 5:1 [C] Lk 5:2 [D] Lk 5:3 [E] Lk 5:4 [F] Lk 5:5 [G] Lk 5:6 [H] Lk 5:7 [I] Lk 5:8 [J] Lk 5:9 [K] Lk 5:10 [L] Mt 4:19, Mk 1:17, Lk 5:11a [M] Mt 4:20, Mk 1:18 [N] Mt 4:21, Mk 1:19 [O] Mt 4:22, Mk 1:20, Lk 5:11b


Harmony of The Gospels: The Four Gospels arranged into a single narrative

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