1. One day Jesus was standing on the shore of Lake Gennesaret while the people pushed their way up to him to listen to the word of God.
2. He saw two boats pulled up on the beach; the fishermen had left them and were washing the nets.
3. Jesus got into one of the boats — it belonged to Simon — and asked him to push off a little from the shore. Jesus sat in the boat and taught the crowd.
4. When he finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Push the boat out further to the deep water, and you and your partners let down your nets for a catch.”
5. “Master,” Simon answered, “we worked hard all night long and caught nothing. But if you say so, I will let down the nets.”