Luke 5 · KJV
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Luke 5

A great catch of fish and the first disciples

And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.

Jesus teaches the crowds from Simon's boat on the Lake of Gennesaret, then tells him to let down his nets. After a night of catching nothing, they haul in so many fish that two boats begin to sink. Simon falls at Jesus' knees, saying he is a sinful man; Jesus tells him not to be afraid, for from now on he will catch people. Simon, James and John leave everything and follow him.

What does this mean?

The Greek behind "catch men" (KJV) means to take alive, which the WEB's "catching people alive" reflects.

Historical context

The Lake of Gennesaret is the Sea of Galilee, a freshwater lake about 21 km long; Luke, unlike Mark and Matthew, never calls it a sea. Fishermen worked at night with nets. A first-century fishing boat recovered from the lakeshore mud in 1986 was about 8 metres long.

Why does it matter?

Luke's account of the first call follows a miracle, unlike Mark's brief version (Mark 1:16–20). John's Gospel tells of a similar catch after the resurrection (John 21:1–14). Simon's awe and sense of unworthiness resemble Isaiah's response to his vision of God (Isaiah 6:5).

Editorial notes, not scripture.

A leper is cleansed

And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him. And he charged him to tell no man: but go, and shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities.

And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.

In one of the towns, a man covered with leprosy begs Jesus to make him clean. Jesus touches him and heals him, then tells him to say nothing but to show himself to the priest and make the offering Moses commanded. The news spreads anyway, great crowds gather, and Jesus withdraws to lonely places to pray.

What does this mean?

Biblical "leprosy" covered a range of visible skin diseases, not only what is now called Hansen's disease. To be "clean" meant fit to take part in community life and worship.

Historical context

Under the Law (Leviticus 13–14), people with such conditions had to live apart and warn others away. A priest examined anyone who recovered and, after offerings, declared them clean. Touching such a person would normally make the one who touched ritually unclean.

Why does it matter?

Jesus' touch reverses the expected flow of impurity: instead of becoming unclean, he makes the man clean. Sending him to the priest shows respect for the Law.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Told in three Gospels

How Luke tells it

Luke describes the man as "full of leprosy" and sets the scene vaguely "in a certain city." Where Mark says the man himself spread the news, Luke says only that the report spread, and he alone adds that Jesus withdrew to pray. Matthew places the story just after the Sermon on the Mount.

A paralysed man is forgiven and healed

And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judæa, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.

And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him. And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus. And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts? Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house. And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day.

While Jesus is teaching, with Pharisees and teachers of the Law present from all over Galilee, Judea and Jerusalem, some men lower a paralysed man through the roof tiles in front of him. Jesus tells the man his sins are forgiven, and the religious experts privately call it blasphemy. To show that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins, Jesus tells the man to get up and go home, and he does, praising God.

What does this mean?

Pharisees were members of a Jewish movement devoted to careful observance of the Law; "scribes" and "doctors of the law" (KJV) were experts in it. "Son of Man," Jesus' usual way of referring to himself, can mean simply "a human being" but also recalls the figure given authority in Daniel 7:13–14. Blasphemy here means claiming what belongs to God.

Historical context

Houses in the region often had flat roofs reached by an outside stair. The Gospels mostly show Pharisees as opponents, but historically they were respected teachers whose tradition later shaped rabbinic Judaism.

Why does it matter?

This is the first appearance of Pharisees in Luke and the beginning of their opposition. Forgiveness and healing are joined, presenting Jesus as acting with God's authority.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Told in three Gospels

How Luke tells it

Luke places Pharisees and teachers from every village of Galilee, Judea and Jerusalem in the audience from the start and notes that "the power of the Lord" was present to heal. Only Luke mentions roof "tiles" (Mark describes digging through the roof), and only he says the healed man went home glorifying God.

Jesus calls Levi the tax collector

And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me. And he left all, rose up, and followed him. And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them. But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Jesus sees a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax booth and says, "Follow me." Levi leaves everything and follows him, then holds a great banquet for Jesus attended by many tax collectors. When Pharisees and their scribes complain that Jesus' disciples eat with tax collectors and sinners, Jesus answers that it is the sick, not the healthy, who need a doctor.

What does this mean?

"Publican" (KJV) means tax collector, from the Latin publicanus. "Receipt of custom" (KJV) means the tax office. "Sinners" here means people regarded as openly disregarding the Law.

Historical context

In Galilee, tolls on goods were collected for Herod Antipas, often by local contractors who could profit by overcharging. Tax collectors were widely despised as collaborators and cheats. Eating together signalled acceptance and friendship.

Why does it matter?

Meals with outsiders become a recurring sign of Jesus' mission in Luke (7:34; 15:1–2; 19:7).

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Told in three Gospels

How Luke tells it

Luke alone says Levi "left everything" and that he made "a great feast" for Jesus in his own house. Mark and Luke call the tax collector Levi, while Matthew's Gospel calls him Matthew. Only Matthew includes Jesus' quotation from Hosea, "I will have mercy, and not sacrifice."

A question about fasting

And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink? And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.

And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old. And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved. No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.

Critics ask why the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast and pray often while Jesus' disciples eat and drink. Jesus replies that wedding guests do not fast while the bridegroom is with them, though a time will come when he is taken away. He adds images of a new patch on an old garment and new wine in old wineskins.

What does this mean?

"Children of the bridechamber" (KJV) are the wedding guests or the groom's friends. "Bottles" (KJV) are wineskins, containers made from animal hide; new wine still fermenting would stretch and burst old, brittle skins.

Historical context

The Law required fasting only on the Day of Atonement, but devout Jews often fasted voluntarily; an early Christian text, the Didache, mentions Jewish fasting on Mondays and Thursdays (compare 18:12). Weddings were celebrations that could last a week.

Why does it matter?

The bridegroom "taken away" is an early hint of Jesus' death. Only Luke adds the closing remark that people who have drunk old wine prefer it, which many read as an ironic comment on resistance to Jesus' new teaching.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Translation

KJVTraditional biblical languageWEBContemporary English

Chapters

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. 12
  13. 13
  14. 14
  15. 15
  16. 16
  17. 17
  18. 18
  19. 19
  20. 20
  21. 21
  22. 22
  23. 23
  24. 24

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Reading

Translation

KJVTraditional biblical languageWEBContemporary English

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

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