“Come, see a man who told me everything that I have done in all my life!  Is not this man the Christ whom we are looking for?”

Soon the woman came back to the well with many of her people.  They asked Jesus to come to their town, and to stay there and teach them.  He went with them, and stayed there two days, teaching the people, who were Samaritans.  And many of the people in that place believed in Jesus, and said: 

“We have heard for ourselves; now we know that this is indeed the Saviour of the world.”

THE STORY OF THE FISHERMEN

When Jesus began to teach the people by the river Jordan, a few young men came to him as followers, or disciples.  Some of these men were Andrew and John, Peter and Philip and Nathanael.  While Jesus was teaching near Jerusalem and in Samaria, these men stayed with Jesus; but when he came to Galilee, they went to their homes and work, for most of them were fishermen from the Sea of Galilee.

One morning, soon after Jesus came to Capernaum, he went out of the city, by the sea, followed by a great throng of people, who had come together to see him and to hear him.  On the shore were lying two fishing boats, one of which belonged to Simon and Andrew, the other to James and John and their father Zebedee.  The men themselves were not in the boats, but were washing their nets near by.

Jesus stepped into the boat that belonged to Simon Peter and his brother Andrew, and asked them to push it out a little into the lake, so that he could talk to the people from it without being crowded too closely.  They pushed it out, and then Jesus sat in the boat, and spoke to the people, as they stood upon the beach.  After he had finished speaking to the people, and had sent them away, he said to Simon Peter: 

“Put out into the deep water and let down your nets to catch some fish.”

[Illustration:  The net caught so many fishes they could not pull it up]

“Master,” said Simon, “we have been fishing all night, and have caught nothing; but if it is your will, I will let down the net again.”

They did as Jesus bade them; and now the net caught so many fishes that Simon and Andrew could not pull it up, and it was in danger of breaking.  They made signs to the two brothers, James and John, who were in the other boat, for them to come and help them.  They came, and lifted the net, and poured out the fish.  There were so many of them that both the boats were filled, and began to sink.

When Simon Peter saw this, he was struck with wonder, and felt that it was by the power of God.  He fell down at the feet of Jesus, saying:  “Oh Lord, I am full of sin, and am not worthy of all this!  Leave me, O Lord.”

But Jesus said to Simon, and to the others, “Fear not; but follow me, and I will make you from this time fishers of men.”

From that time these four men, Simon and Andrew, James and John, gave up their nets and their work, and became disciples of Jesus.