Mark 1:17
New International Version
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”

New Living Translation
Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”

English Standard Version
And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”

Berean Standard Bible
“Come, follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”

Berean Literal Bible
And Jesus said to them, "Come after Me, and I will make you to become fishers of men."

King James Bible
And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.

New King James Version
Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”

New American Standard Bible
And Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will have you become fishers of people.”

NASB 1995
And Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”

NASB 1977
And Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”

Legacy Standard Bible
And Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”

Amplified Bible
And Jesus said to them, “Follow Me [as My disciples, accepting Me as your Master and Teacher and walking the same path of life that I walk], and I will make you fishers of men.”

Christian Standard Bible
“Follow me,” Jesus told them, “and I will make you fish for people.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
“Follow Me,” Jesus told them, “and I will make you fish for people!”

American Standard Version
And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.

Contemporary English Version
Jesus said to them, "Follow me! I will teach you how to bring in people instead of fish."

English Revised Version
And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Jesus said to them, "Come, follow me! I will teach you how to catch people instead of fish."

Good News Translation
Jesus said to them, "Come with me, and I will teach you to catch people."

International Standard Version
Jesus told them, "Follow me, and I'll make you fishers of people!"

Majority Standard Bible
?Come, follow Me,? Jesus said, ?and I will make you fishers of men.?

NET Bible
Jesus said to them, "Follow me, and I will turn you into fishers of people."

New Heart English Bible
Jesus said to them, "Come, follow me, and I will make you into fishers of people."

Webster's Bible Translation
And Jesus said to them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.

Weymouth New Testament
"Come and follow me," said Jesus, "and I will make you fishers for men."

World English Bible
Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you into fishers for men.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and Jesus said to them, “Come after Me, and I will make you to become fishers of men”;

Berean Literal Bible
And Jesus said to them, "Come after Me, and I will make you to become fishers of men."

Young's Literal Translation
and Jesus said to them, 'Come ye after me, and I shall make you to become fishers of men;'

Smith's Literal Translation
And Jesus said to them, Come after me, and I will make you to become fishermen of men.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Jesus said to them: Come after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

New American Bible
Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

New Revised Standard Version
And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And Jesus said to them, Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And Yeshua said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And Jesus said to them: Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.

Godbey New Testament
Jesus said to them, Come after me, and I will make you to be fishers of men.

Haweis New Testament
And Jesus said to them, Come after me, and I will appoint you to be fishers of men:

Mace New Testament
(for they were fishers) and Jesus said to them, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

Weymouth New Testament
"Come and follow me," said Jesus, "and I will make you fishers for men."

Worrell New Testament
And Jesus said to them, "Come after Me, and I will make you to become fishers of men."

Worsley New Testament
(for they were fishermen,) and Jesus said unto them, Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The First Disciples
16As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17“Come, follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” 18And at once they left their nets and followed Him.…

Cross References
Matthew 4:19
“Come, follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”

Luke 5:10
and so were his partners James and John, the sons of Zebedee. “Do not be afraid,” Jesus said to Simon. “From now on you will catch men.”

John 21:15-17
When they had finished eating, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love Me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.” Jesus replied, “Feed My lambs.” / Jesus asked a second time, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.” Jesus told him, “Shepherd My sheep.” / Jesus asked a third time, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was deeply hurt that Jesus had asked him a third time, “Do you love Me?” “Lord, You know all things,” he replied. “You know I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.

Matthew 28:19-20
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, / and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Acts 1:8
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

John 15:16
You did not choose Me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will remain—so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you.

Matthew 9:9
As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth. “Follow Me,” He told him, and Matthew got up and followed Him.

John 1:40-42
Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John’s testimony and followed Jesus. / He first found his brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated as Christ). / Andrew brought him to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which is translated as Peter).

Acts 2:38-41
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. / This promise belongs to you and your children and to all who are far off—to all whom the Lord our God will call to Himself.” / With many other words he testified, and he urged them, “Be saved from this corrupt generation.” ...

1 Corinthians 9:19-23
Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. / To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), to win those under the law. / To those without the law I became like one without the law (though I am not outside the law of God but am under the law of Christ), to win those without the law. ...

2 Timothy 2:2
And the things that you have heard me say among many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be qualified to teach others as well.

Isaiah 6:8
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying: “Whom shall I send? Who will go for Us?” And I said: “Here am I. Send me!”

Jeremiah 16:16
But for now I will send for many fishermen, declares the LORD, and they will catch them. After that I will send for many hunters, and they will hunt them down on every mountain and hill, even from the clefts of the rocks.

Ezekiel 47:10
Fishermen will stand by the shore; from En-gedi to En-eglaim they will spread their nets to catch fish of many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea.

Proverbs 11:30
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.


Treasury of Scripture

And Jesus said to them, Come you after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.

fishers.

Ezekiel 47:10
And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many.

Matthew 4:19,20
And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men…

Luke 5:10
And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.

Jump to Previous
Fishers Follow Jesus
Jump to Next
Fishers Follow Jesus
Mark 1
1. The office of John the Baptist.
9. Jesus is baptized;
12. tempted;
14. he preaches;
16. calls Peter, Andrew, James, and John;
23. heals one that had a demon;
29. Peter's mother in law;
32. many diseased persons;
40. and cleanses the leper.














Come
The Greek word used here is "deute," which is an imperative form, indicating a command or an invitation. This word is not merely a suggestion but a call to action. In the historical context, rabbis would often call disciples to follow them, but Jesus' call is unique in its authority and purpose. It is an invitation to leave behind the old life and embark on a transformative journey with Christ. This word signifies the beginning of a new path, a step into a life of purpose and divine mission.

follow Me
The phrase "follow Me" is translated from the Greek "akoloutheite moi," which implies a continuous action. It is not a one-time event but an ongoing commitment. In the cultural context of the time, to follow a rabbi meant to adopt his teachings and way of life. Jesus is calling His disciples to not only learn from Him but to emulate His life and mission. This call to follow is deeply relational, indicating a close, personal walk with Jesus, where His followers are to learn from His example and teachings.

Jesus said
The authority of this call comes from Jesus Himself. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus is portrayed as the Son of God with divine authority. When Jesus speaks, it is with the power and authority of God. His words are not just instructions but are life-giving and transformative. The historical Jesus, as depicted in the Gospels, speaks with a unique authority that compels a response. His words are not just for the original disciples but echo through time to all who hear His call.

and I will make you
This phrase indicates a promise and a process. The Greek word "poieso" means to make or to create. Jesus is not only calling His disciples to follow Him but is promising to transform them. This transformation is a divine work, where Jesus takes the initiative to shape and mold His followers into something new. It is a process of spiritual formation, where the disciples are being prepared for a specific purpose. This highlights the transformative power of Jesus' call, where He takes ordinary individuals and equips them for extraordinary purposes.

fishers of men
The imagery of "fishers of men" is rich with meaning. In the cultural context, many of Jesus' first disciples were fishermen by trade. Jesus uses this familiar concept to illustrate their new mission. The Greek word "halieis" refers to fishermen, and the metaphor suggests gathering people into the kingdom of God, much like fish are gathered into nets. This phrase signifies a shift from a focus on the temporal to the eternal, from catching fish to saving souls. It is a call to evangelism and discipleship, where the followers of Jesus are to reach out to others with the message of the Gospel. This metaphor also implies skill, patience, and perseverance, qualities that are essential in the mission of spreading the Good News.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
“Come, follow
Δεῦτε (Deute)
Verb - Imperative - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1205: Come hither, come, hither, an exclamatory word. From deuro and an imperative form of eimi; come hither!

Me,”
μου (mou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

Jesus
Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2424: Of Hebrew origin; Jesus, the name of our Lord and two other Israelites.

said,
εἶπεν (eipen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

“and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

I will make
ποιήσω (poiēsō)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 4160: (a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do.

you
ὑμᾶς (hymas)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

fishers
ἁλιεῖς (halieis)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 231: A fisherman. From hals; a sailor, i.e. a fisher.

of men.”
ἀνθρώπων (anthrōpōn)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 444: A man, one of the human race. From aner and ops; man-faced, i.e. A human being.


Links
Mark 1:17 NIV
Mark 1:17 NLT
Mark 1:17 ESV
Mark 1:17 NASB
Mark 1:17 KJV

Mark 1:17 BibleApps.com
Mark 1:17 Biblia Paralela
Mark 1:17 Chinese Bible
Mark 1:17 French Bible
Mark 1:17 Catholic Bible

NT Gospels: Mark 1:17 Jesus said to them Come after me (Mar Mk Mr)
Mark 1:16
Top of Page
Top of Page