¹

So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret,

²

and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets.

³

Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.

⁴

When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."

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But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net."

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And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.

⁷

So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.

⁸

When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!"

⁹

For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken;

¹⁰

and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men."

¹¹

So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.

¹

Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church.

²

Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

³

And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread.

⁴

So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover.

⁵

Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.

⁶

And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison.

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Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, "Arise quickly!" And his chains fell off his hands.

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Then the angel said to him, "Gird yourself and tie on your sandals"; and so he did. And he said to him, "Put on your garment and follow me."

⁹

So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.

¹⁰

When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

¹¹

And when Peter had come to himself, he said, "Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people."