✦Seek This Jesus
‹Previous
The Life of ChristEvent 24 / 50
Section 026 · The Galilean Ministry Begins

The Call of the Four Fishermen

By the Sea of Galilee, Jesus calls two pairs of brothers away from their nets and their father’s boat — “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” — and they go immediately, without recorded hesitation.

Matt 4:18–22; Mark 1:16–202 of 5 accountsReading: CCE

Tap a Gospel to show or hide its column — narrow to any two to read them side by side.

Study — reading text with parallel accounts; changes available.
? How to read this edition

The reading is the Covenant Christian Edition — the Joseph Smith Translation reading — carried beside each Gospel and set against the King James baseline. Headers give both numbering systems: the CCE chapter and verse, and the traditional KJV reference.

JST
Green — Joseph Smith Translation. Where the Covenant Christian Edition departs in substance from the King James text and the change is in the JST (confirmed against the parallel-column edition). Modernized English (“has” for “hath,” “you” for “thou”) is not marked.
CCE
Burgundy — Covenant Christian Edition. Where the CCE’s reading departs from the King James but the change is not in the Joseph Smith Translation — the CCE’s own editorial reading (e.g. “this day I have begotten you” at the baptism).
DS
Plum — Testimony of St. John. The TSJ (a separate scripture text) and Denver Snuffer’s later commentary share the plum mark.
MatthewKJVMatt 4:18–22CCEMatthew 3:2

18And 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. 19And he said unto them, I am he of whom it is written by the prophets; follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20And they, believing on his words, left their nets and immediately followed him. 21And going on from there, he saw two other brethren (Jacob, and John his brother, the sons of Zebedee) in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. And he called them. 22And they immediately left their father in the ship and followed him.

MarkKJVMark 1:16–20CCEMark 1:5NT 2

16Now 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. 17And Jesus said unto them, Come after me and I will make you to become fishers of men. 18And immediately they forsook their nets and followed him. 19And when he had gone a little farther from there, he saw Jacob, the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets. 20And he called them, and immediately they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants and went after him.

Cross-references · other works
Jeremiah 16:16 — I will send for many fishers↗Ezekiel 47:9–10 — fishers shall stand upon the waters↗Luke 5:1–11 — the miraculous catch, and “from henceforth thou shalt catch men”↗1 Kings 19:19–21 — Elijah calls Elisha from the plow↗Matthew 19:27 — we have forsaken all, and followed thee↗
Points to Ponder
  • Matthew and Mark both use the word “immediately” or “straightway” — no negotiation, no farewell scene, no delay. What made the call itself sufficient, with no argument attached?
  • The JST has the brothers act “believing on his words” — belief precedes the leaving, not the other way around. Is faith usually the cause of your obedience, or something you hope will follow it?
  • James and John leave their father “in the ship with the hired servants” — the family business simply continues without them. What does it cost to be replaceable at the very things you leave behind?