Matthew 4:19 kjv
And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
Matthew 4:19 nkjv
Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."
Matthew 4:19 niv
"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will send you out to fish for people."
Matthew 4:19 esv
And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."
Matthew 4:19 nlt
Jesus called out to them, "Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!"
Matthew 4 19 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mk 1:17 | "And Jesus said to them, 'Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.'" | Parallel account of this direct call and promise. |
| Lk 5:10-11 | "...Fear not; from now on you will be catching men." And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him. | Parallel account emphasizing immediate response and leaving all behind. |
| Matt 16:24 | Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself..." | The personal cost and commitment involved in following Jesus. |
| Lk 9:23 | And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily..." | Radical self-denial and devotion required in following Christ. |
| Jn 12:26 | "If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also..." | Connection between following Jesus and active service to Him. |
| Matt 19:27 | Then Peter said in reply, "See, we have left everything and followed you..." | Disciples' verbal acknowledgment of their response to the call. |
| Lk 18:28 | Peter said, "See, we have left our homes and followed you." | Reiterates the significant sacrifice made to follow Jesus. |
| Matt 28:19 | "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father..." | The Great Commission, directly expanding the mission of "fishers of men" to all believers. |
| Mk 16:15 | And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation." | A further command for universal evangelism, fulfilling the "fishers" purpose. |
| Acts 1:8 | "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses..." | Empowerment for disciples to be effective "fishers of men." |
| Acts 2:41 | So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. | Peter's sermon, demonstrating the immediate "catch" of souls as a "fisher of men." |
| Matt 9:37-38 | Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few..." | Harvest metaphor, calling for more workers in the spiritual gathering. |
| Jn 4:35 | "Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, then comes the harvest'? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes..." | Highlights the urgency and readiness of the spiritual harvest for gathering. |
| 2 Cor 5:17 | Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. | The spiritual transformation that occurs upon following Christ, enabling new purpose. |
| Eph 4:22-24 | ...put off your old self... and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God... | Describes the putting on of a new identity aligned with God's purpose. |
| Phil 2:13 | for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. | God's enabling power and initiative in transforming and equipping His followers. |
| Jn 15:5 | "I am the vine; you are the branches... apart from me you can do nothing." | Emphasizes complete dependence on Jesus for effectiveness in mission. |
| Jer 16:16 | "Behold, I am sending for many fishers, declares the Lord, and they shall catch them..." | Old Testament parallel, where "fishers" can signify divine judgment or gathering, contrasting Jesus' salvific purpose. |
| Hab 1:14-17 | You make mankind like the fish of the sea... He brings them all up with a hook; he drags them out with his net... | Another OT metaphor for capturing/ensnaring, highlighting the unique positive nature of Jesus' "fishing" for life. |
| Rom 10:14 | How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? | Reinforces the necessity of those who proclaim, fulfilling the "fishers" role. |
| 1 Cor 9:22 | I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. | Paul's commitment as an apostle embodying the principle of "fishing for men." |
Matthew 4 verses
Matthew 4 19 Meaning
Matthew 4:19 records Jesus' pivotal call to His first disciples, directly transforming their ordinary livelihood into a sacred mission. It is an authoritative invitation to abandon their previous way of life, to align themselves personally with Him, and in doing so, to be spiritually equipped and enabled by Him to gather people into God's kingdom, much like they had previously gathered fish from the sea. This declaration signifies a profound shift in identity, purpose, and focus for all who respond to His call, initiating a journey of radical discipleship and evangelistic purpose.
Matthew 4 19 Context
This verse marks a foundational moment at the outset of Jesus' public ministry in Galilee. Immediately after His temptation in the wilderness and the arrest of John the Baptist, Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt 4:17). His very next action (Matt 4:18-22) is to call His first disciples, specifically two pairs of brothers—Simon Peter and Andrew, and then James and John—directly from their fishing boats. This immediate, authoritative call and their instant abandonment of their profession highlights the radical nature of following Jesus. It signifies that the establishment and spread of the Kingdom would be carried out through people who would undergo a transformation and be re-purposed for His divine mission.
Matthew 4 19 Word analysis
- And: Kai (Gr.) - A simple conjunction that smoothly connects Jesus' preceding actions of moving to Galilee and preaching the kingdom to this direct, foundational call to His first followers, showing an immediate progression in His ministry.
- he saith: Legei (Gr.) - Present tense, indicating immediate, direct, and authoritative speech. Jesus is the one initiating the encounter and commanding action, signifying His unique authority.
- unto them, Autois (Gr.) - Referring to Simon Peter and Andrew. This highlights Jesus' deliberate choice of ordinary working men, not those from the religious elite or scholarly circles, for His kingdom's foundation.
- Follow me, Deute opisō mou (Gr.) -
- Follow: Deute - An imperative verb, translated as "Come!" or "Come here!" In this context, it functions as an urgent summons to discipleship, demanding immediate personal adherence and commitment. It means to literally move behind, but figuratively to live according to Jesus' example and teaching.
- me: Mou - The emphasis is personal and relational. Discipleship is primarily about personal allegiance to Jesus Himself, rather than merely subscribing to a set of doctrines or a movement.
- and I will make you Kai poiēsō hymas (Gr.) -
- and: Kai - Establishes a direct connection between their obedience to "Follow me" and Jesus' promise to "make" them. This implies a reciprocal relationship: their action prompts His transforming work.
- I will make: Poiēsō - Future tense, active voice. Jesus promises to perform this work. It signifies a divine act of equipping and reorienting their lives. This is a transformation that they cannot achieve by their own effort; it is an assurance given by His power and authority.
- you: Hymas - The direct recipients of Jesus' transformative work, highlighting that His promise is for those specific individuals who respond to His call.
- fishers of men. Halieis anthrōpōn (Gr.) -
- fishers: Halieis - Literally, those who catch fish. This draws directly from their current trade, transforming their vocational skills into a spiritual purpose. The work of a fisher demands patience, perseverance, strategic planning, and understanding of the "waters" and "catch."
- of men: Anthrōpōn - The "new catch" or spiritual prey. It vividly describes the task of gathering individuals out of a hostile or chaotic "sea" (representing the world under judgment or alienated from God) into the safety and community of the kingdom. This is the essence of evangelism and soul-winning, the urgent task of bringing people to new life in Christ.
Words-group analysis
- "Follow me, and I will make you": This concise phrase powerfully defines Christian discipleship. It reveals a divinely initiated and divinely empowered process. It is a clear and authoritative command from Jesus, demonstrating His sovereignty over lives. Their obedient response of following is directly met by His assured promise to transform them for a greater purpose, indicating that growth and effectiveness in ministry are from Him.
- "fishers of men": This transformative metaphor reshapes their identity from laborers for sustenance to laborers for salvation. It signifies a spiritual mission: actively and intentionally seeking out and gathering lost souls into the fold of God's Kingdom. Unlike Old Testament parallels where fishing often symbolized judgment, Jesus repurposes this imagery for salvific intent—bringing life out of the depths into His light. It underscores the active, strategic, and often patient effort required in evangelism.
Matthew 4 19 Bonus section
The metaphor of "fishers of men" implies a rescue operation. In ancient Jewish thought, the sea was often associated with chaos, gentile nations, judgment, and forces opposed to God. Therefore, to "fish" for men meant to draw them out of this chaotic "sea" of destruction, away from their old ways, and into the safety and life found within God's spiritual kingdom, symbolized by the "boat" or the assembly of believers (the church). This immediate re-direction of their professional lives also illustrates the total nature of Christ's claim on His disciples—He demands full commitment and a realignment of priorities from earthly gain to spiritual fruitfulness. This call, coming early in Jesus' ministry, establishes discipleship and active mission as foundational to the expansion of God's reign on earth.
Matthew 4 19 Commentary
Matthew 4:19 presents a fundamental understanding of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. It is not merely an invitation to join a movement, but a direct, authoritative summons to abandon an old way of life in favor of a new one radically redefined by Christ. The immediate and costly response of Simon and Andrew underscores the profound draw of Jesus' presence and power. The promise "I will make you fishers of men" illustrates divine transformation; their old skills in a natural context are repurposed for a spiritual objective. This points to the principle that God often uses our existing abilities, once we surrender them, for His greater, redemptive purposes. The core message is evangelism—the diligent, intentional, and Spirit-empowered work of drawing people from spiritual death to life in Christ. This call is applicable to all believers; every follower is called to participate in gathering souls for God's kingdom, leveraging their unique skills and circumstances under Christ's guidance.
- Example: Just as a fisherman adjusts nets for different conditions, a follower of Christ learns to adapt their communication of the Gospel to different people groups, always seeking to draw them to salvation.
- Example: If a person leaves a career in marketing to become a pastor, they may still apply skills in communication and organization, but now their purpose is to gather and shepherd God's people for His glory.