And they left their nets at once and followed him.
Parallel translations
- WEB They immediately left their nets and followed him.
- KJV And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
- BSB And at once they left their nets and followed Him.
- NKJV They immediately left their nets and followed Him.
- NASB Immediately they left their nets 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 tell him, “Behold, we have left all, and have followed you.”
- Matt 19:27Then Peter answered, “Behold, we have left everything, and followed you. What then will we have?”
- Ps 119:60I will hurry, and not delay, to obey your commandments.
- Luke 18:28–30Peter said, “Look, we have left everything, and followed you.”
- 1 Kgs 19:21He returned from following him, and took the yoke of oxen, and killed them, and boiled their meat with the instruments of the oxen, and gave to the people, and they ate. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and served him.
- Matt 10:37He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me isn’t worthy of me.
- Gal 1:16to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I didn’t immediately confer 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.