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 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. 19“Follow me,” he told them, “and I will make you fish for people.” Immediately 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. 22Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

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 10:37The one who loves a father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; the one who loves a son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
• Matthew 19:27Then Peter responded to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you. So what will there be for us?”
• 1 Kings 19:21So he turned back from following him, took the team of oxen, and slaughtered them. With the oxen’s wooden yoke and plow, he cooked the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he left, followed Elijah, and served him.
• Psalms 119:60I hurried, not hesitating to keep your commands.
• Mark 10:28Peter began to tell him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.”
• Luke 18:28Then Peter said, “Look, we have left what we had and followed you.”
• Galatians 1:16to reveal his Son in me, so that I could preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone.

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