Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The disciples didn't just leave their nets; they left their entire livelihood behind without a second thought. Their immediate departure shows a profound trust and eagerness to follow Jesus, giving up all worldly security for an unknown future with Him. This radical obedience, even when it meant forfeiting everything they possessed, is the powerful testimony of their calling.
Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, calls Simon Peter and Andrew, who are fishermen, to follow Him and become "fishers of men." Immediately after hearing Jesus' call, they abandon their nets and their livelihood to follow Him. This event is followed by Jesus calling James and John, who also leave their father and ship to follow Him without delay.
Imagine your entire way of life just vanishing in an instant. That's what happened to these fishermen.
When Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James, and John, their response was immediate and complete.
More Than Just a Job
Jesus didn't just ask them to follow; He promised them a new, profound purpose.
The call to follow Jesus wasn't just about leaving something behind; it was about gaining something infinitely more valuable.
A Divine Invitation
Ask a follow-up
The immediate and complete abandonment of their fishing livelihood by Peter, Andrew, James, and John upon Jesus' call highlights the transformative power of His presence and message, signifying a willingness to forsake all for a higher calling.
c. AD 27-30— this verse
Jesus' Galilean Ministry Begins
After being baptized and tempted, Jesus begins His public ministry in Galilee, teaching in synagogues and announcing the kingdom of God.
c. AD 27-30
Calling of First Disciples
Jesus encounters Peter, Andrew, James, and John while they are engaged in their fishing trade and calls them to leave their livelihoods and follow Him.
c. AD 27-30
The Great Catch of Fish
In Luke's account, Jesus miraculously fills the disciples' nets after a night of fruitless labor, leading to astonishment and a profound sense of Jesus' divine authority.
c. AD 27-30
Jesus' Ministry Expands
News of Jesus' teachings and miracles spreads throughout Galilee and beyond, drawing large crowds who seek healing and instruction.
This passage describes the disciples leaving their boats and nets to follow Jesus after a miraculous catch of fish, mirroring the immediate and complete surrender seen in Matthew 4:20.
Matthew 19:27Peter recalls their initial call and asks Jesus what they will receive, prompting Jesus to affirm that those who have left everything to follow Him will receive much more in return, highlighting the cost and reward of such immediate obedience.
Mark 1:18This verse from Mark's Gospel offers a very similar account, emphasizing the disciples' instantaneous departure from their fishing trade to follow Jesus, underscoring the unwavering commitment Jesus called for.
John 1:43Before this event, Jesus calls Philip, who immediately finds Nathanael and tells him Jesus has found the Messiah. This illustrates a similar spirit of promptness and eagerness to follow and share the good news.
barnesMatthew 4:20: "And they straightway left their nets, and followed him."
Straightway - Immediately - as all should do when the Lord Jesus calls them. Left their nets - Their nets were the means of their living, perhaps all their property. By leaving them immediately, and following him, they gave every evidence of sincerity. They showed, what we should, that they were willing to forsake all for the sake of Jesus, and to follow him wherever he should lead them. They went forth to persecution and d…
pulpitMatthew 4:20: "And they straightway left their nets, and followed him."
Verse 20. - And they straightway left their nets. (For their leaving everything Wetstein, on ver. 19, compares Epictetus, 12, Ἐάν δὲ κυβερνήτης καλέσῃ τρέχε ἐπὶ τὸ πλοῖον ἀφεὶς ἐκεῖνα πάντα μηδὲν ἐπιστρεφόμενος, "If the steersman call, run to the ship, leaving all those things, without regarding anything.") The Rheims Version, with its love of archaisms, has, "But they incontinent, leaving the nettes, followed him."
The disciples didn't just leave their nets; they left their entire livelihood behind without a second thought. Their immediate departure shows a profound trust and eagerness to follow Jesus, giving up all worldly security for an unknown future with Him. This radical obedience, even when it meant forfeiting everything they possessed, is the powerful testimony of their calling.
Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, calls Simon Peter and Andrew, who are fishermen, to follow Him and become "fishers of men." Immediately after hearing Jesus' call, they abandon their nets and their livelihood to follow Him. This event is followed by Jesus calling James and John, who also leave their father and ship to follow Him without delay.
Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, calls Simon Peter and Andrew, who are fishermen, to follow Him and become "fishers of men." Immediately after hearing Jesus' call, they abandon their nets and their livelihood to follow Him. This event is followed by Jesus calling James and John, who also leave their father and ship to follow Him without delay.
"Immediately they left their nets and followed him." — The disciples didn't just leave their nets; they left their entire livelihood behind without a second thought. Their immediate departure shows a profound trust and eagerness to follow Jesus, giving u…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026