Matthew 4:19

Matthew 4:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
• New International Version (NIV)“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

Context of Matthew 4:19

17From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near.” 18As he was walking along the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter), and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea — for they were fishermen. “Follow me,” he told them, “and I will make you fish for people.” 20Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat with Zebedee their father, preparing their nets, and he called them.

Matthew 4:19 word by word

καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· δεῦτε ὀπίσω μου, καὶ ποιήσω ὑμᾶς ἁλιεῖς ἀνθρώπων.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• he saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• Followδεῦτεdeute · comeG1205
• ·ὀπίσωopisō · afterG3694
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• I will makeποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• youσύsu · youG4771
• fishersἁλιεύςhalieus · fishermanG231
• of menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444

Cross-references for Matthew 4:19

• Matthew 8:22But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
• Matthew 9:9As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office, and he said to him, “Follow me,” and he got up and followed him.
• Matthew 16:24Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.
• Matthew 19:21“If you want to be perfect,” Jesus said to him, “go, sell your belongings and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
• Mark 2:14Then, passing by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office, and he said to him, “Follow me,” and he got up and followed him.
• Luke 5:27After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax office, and he said to him, “Follow me.”
• Luke 9:59Then he said to another, “Follow me.” “Lord,” he said, “first let me go bury my father.”
• John 1:43The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. He found Philip and told him, “Follow me.”
• John 12:26If anyone serves me, he must follow me. Where I am, there my servant also will be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
• John 21:22“If I want him to remain until I come,” Jesus answered, “what is that to you? As for you, follow me.”
• Ezekiel 47:9Every kind of living creature that swarms will live wherever the river flows, and there will be a huge number of fish because this water goes there. Since the water will become fresh, there will be life everywhere the river goes.
• Mark 1:17“Follow me,” Jesus told them, “and I will make you fish for people.”
• Luke 5:10and so were James and John, Zebedee’s sons, who were Simon’s partners. “Don’t be afraid,” Jesus told Simon. “From now on you will be catching people.”
• 1 Corinthians 9:20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win Jews; to those under the law, like one under the law — though I myself am not under the law — to win those under the law.
• 2 Corinthians 12:16Now granted, I did not burden you; yet sly as I am, I took you in by deceit!

Commentaries on Matthew 4:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19Follow me - Come after me, . Receive my doctrines, imitate me in my conduct - in every respect be my disciples. We may observe that most of the calls of God to man are expressed in a few solemn words, which alarm, the conscience, and deeply impress the heart. I will make you fishers of men - Ezekiel 47:8-10, casts much light on this place; and to this prophet our Lord probably alludes. To follow Christ, and be admitted into a partnership of his ministry…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19Fishers of men - Ministers or preachers of the gospel, whose business it shall be to win souls to Christ.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. 19Come, follow Me: This meant accepting the beliefs and lifestyle of a teacher as your own (Matthew 16:24; Deuteronomy 5:33; 1 Kings 19:19–21). fishers of men: The disciples would help in the saving and judging work of the kingdom of heaven (see Matthew 10:5–15; 13:47–51; Ezekiel 29:4–5; Amos 4:2).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. And he saith unto them, Follow me--rather, as the same expression is rendered in Mark, "Come ye after Me" (Mr 1:17). and I will make you fishers of men--raising them from a lower to a higher fishing, as David was from a lower to a higher feeding (Psa 78:70-72).Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 4:19

• Agency
• Andrew
• Apostles
• Call
• Faith
• Fishermen
• Galilee
• Jesus, the Christ
• Minister, Christian
• Net
• Peter

In the dictionaries

• Andrew
• Dash
• Fame
• Fisher
• Light
• Peter
• Tempter
• Torment
• Fish
• Fisher; Fisherman

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