Luke 5:1-16

Easy-to-Read Version

Jesus Chooses Some Followers^(A)

5 As Jesus stood beside Lake Galilee,^[a] a crowd of people pushed to get closer to him and to hear the teachings of God. ² Jesus saw two boats at the shore of the lake. The fishermen were washing their nets. ³ Jesus got into the boat that belonged to Simon. He asked Simon to push off a little from the shore. Then he sat down in the boat and taught the people on the shore.

⁴ When Jesus finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Take the boat into the deep water. If all of you will put your nets into the water, you will catch some fish.”

⁵ Simon answered, “Master, we worked hard all night trying to catch fish and caught nothing. But you say I should put the nets into the water, so I will.” ⁶ The fishermen put their nets into the water. Their nets were filled with so many fish that they began to break. ⁷ They called to their friends in the other boat to come and help them. The friends came, and both boats were filled so full of fish that they were almost sinking.

^8-9 The fishermen were all amazed at the many fish they caught. When Simon Peter saw this, he bowed down before Jesus and said, “Go away from me, Lord. I am a sinful man!” ¹⁰ James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were amazed too. (James and John worked together with Simon.)

Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid. From now on your work will be to bring in people, not fish!”

¹¹ The men brought their boats to the shore. They left everything and followed Jesus.

Jesus Heals a Sick Man^(B)

¹² One time Jesus was in a town where a very sick man lived. This man was covered with leprosy. When the man saw Jesus, he bowed before Jesus and begged him, “Lord, you have the power to heal me if you want.”

¹³ Jesus said, “I want to heal you. Be healed!” Then he touched the man, and immediately the leprosy disappeared. ¹⁴ Then Jesus said, “Don’t tell anyone about what happened. But go and let the priest look at you.^[b] And offer a gift to God for your healing as Moses commanded. This will show people that you are healed.”

¹⁵ But the news about Jesus spread more and more. Many people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. ¹⁶ Jesus often went away to other places to be alone so that he could pray.