Matthew 4:12-25

12Then Jesus heard that Herod had put John the Baptist in prison. So Jesus returned to Galilee.

13But he did not stay in Nazareth. He went to live in Capernaum, which is a town on the shore of Lake Galilee. It was in the part of Israel called Zebulun and Naphtali.

14This caused God's message to become true. Long ago God had said through his prophet Isaiah:

15‘I am speaking to you people who live in Zebulun and Naphtali. Your part of this country is on the way to Lake Galilee. It is across the Jordan River in the part of the country called Galilee. Some people who are not Jews live there.

16They are like people who are living in the dark. They live in the shadow which death brings. God will send a light to shine on them.’

17Then Jesus began to speak God's message to people. He said, ‘You have done many wrong things. You must turn away from them and change how you live. Do this now, because the kingdom of heaven has come very near.’

18One day, Jesus was walking along the shore of Lake Galilee. He saw two men who were brothers. One man was called Simon, and he was also called Peter. His brother's name was Andrew. Their job was to catch fish. They were throwing their nets into the lake to catch fish.

19Jesus said to them, ‘Come with me and be my disciples. Then I will teach you how to catch people, instead of fish.’

20Simon and Andrew immediately put their nets down and they went with Jesus.

21They continued to walk along the shore. Soon Jesus saw two more men who were brothers. They were called James and John. They were in their boat with their father, Zebedee. They were mending their nets. Jesus said to James and John, ‘Come with me.’

22The brothers immediately left the boat and their father behind. They went with Jesus to be his disciples.

23Jesus travelled everywhere in Galilee. He taught the people in the Jewish meeting places. He told them the good news about God's kingdom. He also caused sick people to become well again from all their different pains and illnesses.

24More and more people in all parts of Syria heard about Jesus. So they brought all the sick people to see him. These people had many different illnesses, and some of them had strong pains. Bad spirits were living inside some of them. Some people could not control their bodies, and some people could not walk. Jesus caused all these people to become well again.

25Because of this, large crowds of people followed him. They came from Galilee and from the region called ‘The ten cities’. Some of them came from Jerusalem, and other parts of Judea. And some came from the other side of the Jordan River.