The Miraculous Catch and Call of Disciples
Study note
While teaching crowds from Simon's boat, Jesus instructs the experienced fisherman to let down his nets in deep water despite a fruitless night. The overwhelming catch causes Simon Peter to fall at Jesus' knees, confessing his sinfulness. Jesus responds not with condemnation but with a new calling: 'From now on you will catch men.' Peter, James, and John leave everything to follow Him, demonstrating that encountering Jesus' power leads to both humility and wholehearted commitment.
1 One day, a crowd was pressing close to Jesus on the shore of Lake Gennesaret, eager to hear God's message. 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 He noticed two boats sitting at the water's edge. The fishermen had climbed out and were cleaning their nets. And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.
3 Jesus climbed into Simon's boat and asked him to push it out a little from shore. Then he sat down in the boat and taught the crowd from there. 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 After he finished talking, he told Simon, "Take the boat out to where the water is deep and drop your nets in." Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
5 Simon replied, "Teacher, we fished all night long and did not catch a single thing. But since you are asking, I will try again." 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 When they lowered the nets, they pulled in so many fish that the nets started ripping apart. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.
7 They frantically waved to their partners in the other boat to come help. Both boats became so laden with fish that they were on the edge of sinking. 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 realized what had happened, he dropped to his knees in front of Jesus and said, "Please leave me, Lord. I am too sinful to be around you!" When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
9 He was completely blown away by the size of the catch, and so was everyone else with him. For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:
10 James and John, Zebedee's sons, who were Simon's fishing partners, felt the same way. Jesus looked at Simon and said, "There is no need to be afraid. From now on, your job will be gathering people." 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 After they pulled their boats onto shore, they walked away from everything they had and went with Jesus. And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.
Jesus Heals a Leper
Study note
A man covered with leprosy falls before Jesus begging for healing. Jesus does what no one would do -- He reaches out and touches the unclean man, saying 'I am willing. Be clean.' Jesus instructs the healed man to follow the Mosaic purification requirements, showing respect for the Law while demonstrating His authority over disease. Luke notes that despite growing fame, Jesus regularly withdrew to pray.
12 While Jesus was visiting a certain town, a man covered head to toe with leprosy spotted him. He threw himself facedown on the ground and begged, "Lord, if you want to, you have the power to make me clean." And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
13 Jesus reached out and put his hand on the man, saying, "I want to. Be clean." In that instant, the leprosy vanished. And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him.
14 Jesus told him not to tell anyone, but said, "Go let the priest examine you. Then offer the sacrifice Moses commanded to prove you are healed." And he charged him to tell no man: but go, and shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
15 Even so, word about Jesus kept spreading further and further. Huge numbers of people gathered to listen to him and to get healed of their illnesses. But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities.
16 But Jesus often slipped away to places where he could be alone and pray. And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.
Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man
Study note
Friends lower a paralyzed man through the roof to get him to Jesus, who first forgives the man's sins rather than healing his body. The Pharisees charge Jesus with blasphemy, since only God can forgive sins. Jesus proves His authority to forgive by commanding the man to walk, demonstrating that the Son of Man has power on earth to do what only God can do. This marks the first direct confrontation with religious leaders.
17 On one particular day while Jesus was teaching, some Pharisees and experts in the law were sitting there. They had traveled in from villages all over Galilee and Judaea, and even from Jerusalem. The Lord's healing power was flowing through Jesus. And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judæa, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.
18 Some men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a stretcher. They were trying to find a way to get him inside and before Jesus. And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him.
19 The crowd was so thick that there was no getting through, so they went up on the roof. They removed some tiles and lowered the man on his mat right down into the middle of the room, directly in front of Jesus. And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.
20 When Jesus saw how much faith they had, he spoke to the paralyzed man: "Friend, your sins are forgiven." And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.
21 The Pharisees and religion teachers started thinking, "Who does this man think he is, saying such offensive things? Only God has the right to forgive sins!" And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?
22 Jesus could tell exactly what they were thinking. He responded, "What is going on in your minds right now?" But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts?
23 "Tell me, which is the simpler thing to say -- 'Your sins are forgiven' or 'Stand up and walk'?" Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?
24 "But I want you to see that the Son of man truly does have the power to forgive sins right here on earth." Then he turned to the paralyzed man and said, "Get up, grab your mat, and head home." But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.
25 The man jumped up then, picked up the mat he had been lying on, and walked home praising God the whole way. And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.
26 Everybody there was completely amazed. They praised God and were filled with wonder, saying, "We saw something truly incredible today!" And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day.
The Calling of Levi and New Wine
Study note
Jesus calls the tax collector Levi, who leaves everything and hosts a great feast in Jesus' honor. When Pharisees criticize Jesus for eating with sinners, He responds that He came to call the sick, not the healthy. Questions about fasting lead Jesus to use parables of new cloth on old clothing and new wine in old wineskins, teaching that His ministry cannot be patched onto old religious structures but represents something entirely new.
27 Later, Jesus walked by and noticed a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax booth. Jesus simply said, "Come follow me." And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me.
28 Levi stood right up, left everything behind, and followed him. And he left all, rose up, and followed him.
29 Then Levi threw a big dinner party at his house for Jesus. A vast multitude of tax collectors and other guests were eating together with them. And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them.
30 The Pharisees and their religion teachers grumbled to Jesus's followers. They asked, "Why are you eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners?" But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?
31 Jesus answered them, "Healthy people do not go looking for a doctor -- sick people do." And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.
32 "I did not come for people who think they are already good enough. I came to call sinners to change their ways." I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
33 Some people challenged him, "John's followers go without food regularly and spend lots of time praying, and so do the followers of the Pharisees. But your followers keep eating and drinking." And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink?
34 Jesus answered, "Would you expect wedding guests to skip meals while they are still celebrating with the groom?" And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?
35 "But a time is coming when the groom will be taken away from them. When that happens, then they will go without food." But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.
36 He also gave them this word picture: "Nobody rips a patch from new clothing to fix old clothing. If you did, you would ruin the new piece, and anyway the new patch would not match the old fabric." And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old.
37 "And nobody pours fresh wine into dried-out old wineskins. If you did, the new wine would burst right through the old skins, spilling everywhere and ruining the skins." And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.
38 "Fresh wine needs fresh wineskins, and then both the wine and the skins are fine." But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.
39 "Also, anyone who drinks old wine does not want the new kind right away. They say, 'The old things tastes better.'" No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.