1 On one occasion the crowd was pressing on Him and listening to God's Message, while He was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret.
2 He, however, saw two fishing-boats drawn up on the beach (for the men had gone away from them and were washing the nets),
3 and going on board one of them, which was Simon's He asked him to push out a little from land. Then He sat down and taught the crowd of people from the boat.
4 When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, »Push out into deep water, and let down your nets for a haul.«
5 »Rabbi,« replied Peter, »all night long we have worked hard and caught nothing; but at your command I will let down the nets.«
6 This they did, and enclosed a vast number of fish; and their nets began to break.
7 So they signalled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them; they came, and they filled both the boats so that they almost sank.
8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell down at the knees of Jesus, and exclaimed, »Master, leave my boat, for I am a sinful man.«
9 (For he was astonished and terrified –he and all his companions– at the haul of fish which they had taken;
10 and so were Simon's partners James and John, the sons of Zabdi.) But Jesus replied to Simon, »Fear not: from this time you shall be a catcher of men.«
11 Then, after bringing their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him.