And at once they left their nets and followed Him.
Parallel translations
- WEB They immediately left their nets and followed him.
- KJV And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
- NKJV They immediately left their nets and followed Him.
- NASB Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.
- NLT And they left their nets at once and followed him.
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 and Andrew immediately leave their nets and follow Jesus. It shows the prompt, wholehearted obedience that Jesus' call evokes.
Overview
Their instant response, abandoning livelihood and security, illustrates the supreme claim of Christ on a disciple's life. Such obedience flows not from compulsion but from the compelling authority and grace of the One who calls. It sets a pattern of trusting, immediate surrender to Jesus.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Mark 10:28–31Peter began to say to Him, “Look, we have left everything and followed You.”
- Matt 19:27“Look,” Peter replied, “we have left everything to follow You. What then will there be for us?”
- Ps 119:60I hurried without hesitating to keep Your commandments.
- Luke 18:28–30“Look,” said Peter, “we have left all we had to follow You.”
- 1 Kgs 19:21So Elisha turned back from him, took his pair of oxen, and slaughtered them. With the oxen’s equipment, he cooked the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow and serve Elijah.
- Matt 10:37Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me;
- Gal 1:16to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not rush to consult with flesh and blood,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 4:20 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.