When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
Parallel translations
- WEB But Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord.”
- BSB When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees. “Go away from me, Lord,” he said, “for I am a sinful man.”
- NKJV When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”
- NASB But when Simon Peter saw this, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!”
- NLT When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.”
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
Confronted with Jesus' power, Peter falls down confessing his sinfulness. Nearness to holiness exposes human unworthiness.
Overview
Peter perceives in the miracle the presence of divine holiness and responds as people throughout Scripture do before God: with awe and a sense of sin. His plea 'Depart from me' reflects genuine humility, not rejection. This moment of conviction is the necessary backdrop to grace, for it is sinners whom Christ calls and cleanses.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Isa 6:5Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
- Rev 1:17And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
- Job 42:5–6I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.
- Judg 13:22And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God.
- Job 40:4Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.
- Exod 20:19And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.
- Matt 8:8The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
- Matt 2:11And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
- Matt 17:6And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.
- 1 Sam 6:20And the men of Bethshemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God? and to whom shall he go up from us?
- Dan 10:16–17And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, O my lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength.
- Rev 22:8–9And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.
- Acts 10:25–26And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him.
- 1 Kgs 17:18And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?
- John 11:32Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
- 2 Sam 6:9And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, How shall the ark of the LORD come to me?
- 1 Cor 13:12For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 5:8 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
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