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

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. Jesus 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.’

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 8:22Jesus said to him, ‘No! You must come with me now. Let those people who are dead themselves bury their own dead people.’
• Matthew 9:9Jesus went away from that place. While he walked, he saw a man called Matthew. Matthew's job was to take taxes from people. He was sitting in his office. Jesus said to him, ‘Come with me and be my disciple.’ So Matthew stood up and he went with Jesus.
• Matthew 16:24Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘A person who wants to come with me must not think about himself. He must decide that his own life is not important. He must be like someone who carries his own cross to go and die. Then he may come with me as my disciple.
• Matthew 19:21Jesus said to him, ‘If you want to be completely good, then you must do this: You must sell everything that you have. Then give the money to poor people. If you do that, you will have many valuable things in heaven. Then come back and be my disciple.’
• Mark 2:14While Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Levi. Levi was the son of Alphaeus. His job was to take taxes from people. He was sitting in his office. Jesus said to him, ‘Come with me and be my disciple.’ Levi stood up and he went with Jesus.
• Luke 5:27After this happened, Jesus went away from that house. He saw a man that took taxes from people. He was working in his office. His name was Levi. Jesus said to him, ‘Come with me and be my disciple.’
• Luke 9:59Then Jesus said to another man, ‘Come with me!’ The man replied, ‘First let me go home and bury my father. Then I will come with you.’
• John 1:43The next day, Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He met Philip, and Jesus said to Philip, ‘Follow me.’
• John 12:26Anyone who wants to be my servant must follow me. Then he will be with me, where I am. My Father will praise anyone who is my servant.
• John 21:22Jesus answered him, ‘Perhaps I might want him to live until I return to this earth. But that should not matter to you. You must follow me!’
• Ezekiel 47:9Wherever the river goes, many kinds of animals and fish will live. There will be lots of fish in the Salt Sea because the water that goes in there will make it pure. There will be many living things in places where the river goes.
• Mark 1:17Jesus said to them, ‘Come with me and be my disciples. Then I will teach you how to catch people, instead of fish.’
• Luke 5:10Zebedee's sons, James and John, were fishermen who worked with Simon. They were also surprised. Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid. You have been catching fish. From now on you will catch people!’
• 1 Corinthians 9:20When I was among Jews, I lived like they do, because I wanted to bring Jews to Christ. The Law that God gave to Moses no longer has authority over me. But I chose to obey that Law when I was among Jewish people who obey it. I did that so that I could help them to believe in Christ.
• 2 Corinthians 12:16I did not give you trouble. You surely know that. But some of you say that I deceived you. You think that I was clever and I got money from you.

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