Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing.
Parallel translations
- WEB Simon Peter said to them, “I’m going fishing.” They told him, “We are also coming with you.” They immediately went out, and entered into the boat. That night, they caught nothing.
- KJV Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.
- BSB Simon Peter told them, “I am going fishing.” “We will go with you,” they said. So they went out and got into the boat, but caught nothing that night.
- NASB Simon Peter *said to them, “I am going fishing.” They *said to him, “We are also coming with you.” They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing.
- NLT Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.” “We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Peter goes fishing with the others, but they catch nothing all night. It matters because their empty nets set up Jesus' miraculous provision and recall their original calling.
Overview
Peter returns to his familiar trade, and the others join him, yet their labor through the night yields nothing. The fruitless effort recalls Luke 5, where a similar empty catch preceded Jesus' call to follow Him. The emphasis on catching nothing highlights human inability apart from Christ. It prepares the disciples to recognize that fruitfulness comes only at the Lord's word.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Luke 5:5Simon answered him, “Master, we worked all night, and took nothing; but at your word I will let down the net.”
- Matt 4:18–20Walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers: Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.
- 2 Th 3:7–9For you know how you ought to imitate us. For we didn’t behave ourselves rebelliously among you,
- Luke 5:10–11and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid. From now on you will be catching people alive.”
- 1 Th 2:9For you remember, brothers, our labor and travail; for working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached to you the Good News of God.
- 2 Kgs 6:1–7The sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “See now, the place where we live and meet with you is too small for us.
- 1 Cor 3:7So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.
- Acts 18:3and because he practiced the same trade, he lived with them and worked, for by trade they were tent makers.
- 1 Cor 9:6Or have only Barnabas and I no right to not work?
- Acts 20:34You yourselves know that these hands served my necessities, and those who were with me.
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Christ at the center
John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.
How John 21:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.