New Testament · Luke 5:1–11Mark 1:16–20Luke 5:27–28Luke 6:12–16
Jesus Calls His Disciples — Bible Story for Kids
Jesus helped Simon Peter catch so many fish that the nets began to break. Then he said, "Follow me," and fishermen left everything to follow him.
This is a retelling for children, written by BibleKenya from the Bible passages shown on each picture. It is not a Bible translation.
A big crowd came to hear by the lake. Jesus got into Simon's boat and taught the people from there.
The crowd pressed around by the lake of Gennesaret to hear the word of God. He saw two boats and got into one of them, which was Simon's. He asked Simon to push out a little from the land, and he sat down and taught the crowd from the boat.
Bible explorer The lake of Gennesaret is another name for the Sea of Galilee.
told Simon, "Put down your nets." Simon said, "We fished all night and caught nothing. But I will do it." They caught so many fish that the nets began to break!
said to Simon, "Put out into the deep, and let down your nets for a catch." Simon said, "Master, we worked all night and caught nothing; but at your word I will let down the net." They caught a great many fish, and their net was breaking. They filled both boats, so that they began to sink.
fell at ' knees. Jesus said, "Don't be afraid. From now on you will catch people." They left everything and followed him.
fell down at ' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord." James and John, Simon's partners, were amazed too. Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid. From now on you will be catching people alive." When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.
Bible explorer Mark 1:16-20 tells of Jesus calling Simon, his brother Andrew, and James and John.
saw a named . Jesus said, "Follow me!" Levi got up, left everything and followed him.
saw a named sitting at the tax office, and said to him, "Follow me!" He left everything, rose up and followed him.
Bible explorer Matthew 9:9 tells the same event and calls the tax collector Matthew.
prayed all night on a mountain. In the morning he chose twelve to be his .
went out to the mountain to pray, and he continued all night in prayer to God. When it was day, he called his and chose twelve of them, whom he also named : Simon (Peter), , James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, , Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot.
The end of the story
Read it in the Bible
This is the Bible text itself, from the version shown. Scripture in WEBWorld English Bible — Protestant Edition
Luke 5:1–11 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.
Mark 1:16–20 WEB
16Passing along by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you into fishers for men.” 18Immediately they left their nets, and followed him. 19Going on a little further from there, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets. 20Immediately he called them, and they left their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired servants, and went after him.
Luke 5:27–28 WEB
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.
Luke 6:12–16 WEB
12In these days, he went out to the mountain to pray, and he continued all night in prayer to God. 13When it was day, he called his disciples, and from them he chose twelve, whom he also named apostles: 14Simon, whom he also named Peter; Andrew, his brother; James; John; Philip; Bartholomew; 15Matthew; Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus; Simon who was called the Zealot; 16Judas the son of James; and Judas Iscariot, who also became a traitor.
Who is in the story?
- Jesus He called ordinary people to follow him (Luke 5:10, 5:27).
- Simon Peter A fisherman who became one of the twelve apostles (Luke 5:8, 6:14).
- Andrew Simon Peter's brother, also a fisherman (Mark 1:16).
- Levi (Matthew) A tax collector who left his work to follow Jesus (Luke 5:27-28, Matthew 9:9).
Words to learn
- Apostle
- An apostle is someone Jesus sent to tell others about him. Jesus chose twelve apostles, including Peter, James and John.
- Disciple
- A disciple is a learner who follows a teacher. Peter and Andrew left their fishing nets to follow Jesus.
- Tax collector
- A tax collector took money from people for the rulers. Zacchaeus was a tax collector who changed after meeting Jesus.
What can we learn from this passage?
Jesus called fishermen and a tax collector to follow him. They had to trust his word, and they left everything to go with him. Luke 5:5Luke 5:11Luke 5:28