Matthew 4:20

Matthew 4:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
• New International Version (NIV)At once they left their nets and followed him.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
• New King James Version (NKJV)They immediately left their nets and followed Him.

Context of Matthew 4:20

18As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He noticed two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19And He said to them, “Follow Me [as My disciples, accepting Me as your Master and Teacher and walking the same path of life that I walk], and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed Him [becoming His disciples, believing and trusting in Him and following His example]. 21And going on [further] from there He noticed two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets; and He called them [to follow Him as His disciples]. 22Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him [becoming His disciples, believing and trusting in Him and following His example].

Matthew 4:20 word by word

οἱ δὲ εὐθέως ἀφέντες τὰ δίκτυα ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andδέde · thenG1161
• theyἀφίημιaphiēmi · to release: leaveG863
• straightwayεὐθέωςeutheōs · immediatelyG2112
• netsδίκτυονdiktuon · netG1350
• and followedἀκολουθέωakoloutheō · to followG190
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846

Cross-references for Matthew 4:20

• Matthew 10:37“ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
• Matthew 19:27Then Peter answered Him, saying, “Look, we have given up everything and followed You [becoming Your disciples and accepting You as Teacher and Lord]; what then will there be for us?”
• 1 Kings 19:21So Elisha left him and went back. Then he took a pair of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their meat with the implements of the oxen [as fuel], and gave the meat to the people, and they ate. Then he stood and followed Elijah, and served him.
• Psalms 119:60I hurried and did not delay To keep Your commandments.
• Mark 10:28Peter started saying to Him, “Look, we have given up everything and followed You [becoming Your disciples and accepting You as Teacher and Lord].”
• Luke 18:28Peter said, “Look, we have left all [things—homes, families, businesses] and followed You.”
• Galatians 1:16to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles [as the good news—the way of salvation], I did not immediately consult with anyone [for guidance regarding God’s call and His revelation to me].

Commentaries on Matthew 4:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20They straightway left their nets - A change, as far as it respected secular things, every way to their disadvantage. The proud and the profane may exult and say, "Such preachers as these cannot be much injured by their sacrifices of secular property - they have nothing but nets, etc., to leave." Let such carpers at the institution of Christ know, that he who has nothing but a net, and leaves that for the sake of doing good to the souls of men, leaves his…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Straightway - 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 death for his sake; but also to…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-22Verses 18-22 When Christ began to preach, he began to gather disciples, who should be hearers, and afterwards preachers of his doctrine, who should be witnesses of his miracles, and afterwards testify concerning them. He went not to Herod's court, not to Jerusalem, among the chief priests and the elders, but to the sea of Galilee, among the fishermen. The same power which called Peter and Andrew, could have wrought upon Annas and Caiaphas, for with God…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20-22They left the boat and their father: To be disciples of Jesus required both commitment and sacrifice from the brothers (see Matthew 8:18–22; 10:38; 16:24; 19:21).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 4:20

• Apostles
• Call
• Faith
• Fishermen
• Galilee
• Jesus, the Christ
• Minister, Christian
• Net
• Peter
• Self-Denial

In the dictionaries

• Dash
• Fame
• Light
• Peter
• Tempter
• Torment
• Follow
• James
• Jesus Christ
• Judas Iscariot

Commentaries on Matthew 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings