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Scripture • World English Bible
Luke 5:1–11
1Now while the multitude pressed on him and heard the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret.
2He saw two boats standing by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.
3He entered into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.
4When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”
5Simon answered him, “Master, we worked all night and caught nothing; but at your word I will let down the net.”
6When they had done this, they caught a great multitude of fish, and their net was breaking.
7They beckoned to their partners in the other boat, that they should come and help them. They came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink.
8But Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord.”
9For he was amazed, and all who were with him, at the catch of fish which they had caught;
10and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid. From now on you will be catching people alive.”
11When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything, and followed him.
World English Bible (WEB) • Public Domain
Reflection
Luke’s account of the catch at Gennesaret shows how Jesus transforms ordinary work into kingdom purpose. Simon and the others were expert fishermen; they knew the lake, the seasons, and how hard a night’s labor could be. Yet when Jesus spoke, their routine work became the moment of revelation: the abundance they could not produce by skill alone exposed both Christ’s authority and their need. Peter’s response — falling at Jesus’ knees and confessing, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord” — is not false humility but an honest confrontation with holy presence. Jesus doesn’t leave him there; he reassures him and redefines his vocation: from catching fish to catching people alive. The call to follow demands a posture of dependence (listen and obey Jesus’ word), repentance (recognize sin before the Savior), and sacrifice (leave the boats and follow). For men today that means readying our hands to work under Christ’s command, trusting his provision when obedience costs, and seeing our ordinary skills and networks as the field for discipleship. True biblical strength is not merely competence but humble courage to leave familiar securities and answer Jesus’ summons.
Putting Faith Into Action
- Pray and ask God to show one place in your daily schedule where following Jesus requires more time or re-prioritizing; this week rearrange that time and act on it.
- Tell one man who doesn’t know Jesus about the difference Christ has made in your life; invite him to meet you for coffee and a short conversation about Jesus.
- Serve a practical need for someone outside your usual circle (neighbor, coworker, or someone in church) and look for an opportunity to share how Jesus called you to serve.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, you met Simon at the lake and called him to leave his nets. Give me courage to obey your command where it calls me to change priorities, to risk comfort, and to trust your provision. Break my self-reliance and make me dependent on your word and power. Help me to see people as you do — sinners you seek and save — and grant boldness to speak your name with humility and love. When I am overwhelmed by my failures, remind me of your mercy; when I am tempted to hold tightly to possessions or plans, give me generous hands. Use me to bring others to you; shape my heart to be steady, faithful, and obedient to your call. Amen.
Memory Verse
Luke 5:11 — When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything, and followed him. (WEB)
“When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything, and followed him.”
Bible Context
Read all of Luke 5
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Bible Context
Read all of Luke 5
Luke 5
World English Bible • WEB
1Now while the multitude pressed on him and heard the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret.
2He saw two boats standing by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.
3He entered into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.
4When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”
5Simon answered him, “Master, we worked all night and caught nothing; but at your word I will let down the net.”
6When they had done this, they caught a great multitude of fish, and their net was breaking.
7They beckoned to their partners in the other boat, that they should come and help them. They came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink.
8But Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord.”
9For he was amazed, and all who were with him, at the catch of fish which they had caught;
10and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid. From now on you will be catching people alive.”
11When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything, and followed him.
12While he was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man full of leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, saying, “Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean.”
13He stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I want to. Be made clean.” Immediately the leprosy left him.
14He commanded him to tell no one, “But go your way and show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing according to what Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.”
15But the report concerning him spread much more, and great multitudes came together to hear and to be healed by him of their infirmities.
16But he withdrew himself into the desert and prayed.
17On one of those days, he was teaching; and there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by who had come out of every village of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. The power of the Lord was with him to heal them.
18Behold, men brought a paralyzed man on a cot, and they sought to bring him in to lay before Jesus.
19Not finding a way to bring him in because of the multitude, they went up to the housetop and let him down through the tiles with his cot into the middle before Jesus.
20Seeing their faith, he said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”
21The scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?”
22But Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, answered them, “Why are you reasoning so in your hearts?
23Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’?
24But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, arise, take up your cot, and go to your house.”
25Immediately he rose up before them, and took up that which he was laying on, and departed to his house, glorifying God.
26Amazement took hold on all, and they glorified God. They were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today.”
27After these things he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax office, and said to him, “Follow me!”
28He left everything, and rose up and followed him.
29Levi made a great feast for him in his house. There was a great crowd of tax collectors and others who were reclining with them.
30Their scribes and the Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?”
31Jesus answered them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do.
32I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
33They said to him, “Why do John’s disciples often fast and pray, likewise also the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink?”
34He said to them, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them?
35But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them. Then they will fast in those days.”
36He also told a parable to them. “No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old garment, or else he will tear the new, and also the piece from the new will not match the old.
37No one puts new wine into old wineskins, or else the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled and the skins will be destroyed.
38But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.
39No man having drunk old wine immediately desires new, for he says, ‘The old is better.’ ”
World English Bible (WEB) • Public Domain
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