Bible Strands
Matthew 4:20
And at once they left their nets and followed Him.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Jesus speaks to Simon Peter and Andrew immediately after commanding them to become fishers of men. They act at the moment of His verbal call.
The words — εὐθέως (eutheōs) means "immediately," and ἀφέντες (aphentes) means "having left." These Greek terms record the disciples' instantaneous abandonment of their fishing equipment.
The thread — The text links this immediate departure to Peter’s later claim in Matthew 19:27 and Mark 10:28. It parallels the Elijah-Elisha encounter in 1 Kings 19:21, where the successor also abandons his trade upon prophetic call.
Why it lands — The verse records a factual sequence of departure and pursuit. It requires a reader to respond to Jesus’ invitation without retaining competing loyalties.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
Cross-references
- Mark 10:28 Peter began to say to Him, “Look, we have left everything and followed You.”
- Matthew 19:27 “Look,” Peter replied, “we have left everything to follow You. What then will there be for us?”
- 1 Kings 19:21 So Elisha turned back from him, took his pair of oxen, and slaughtered them. Using the oxen’s equipment for fuel, he cooked the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow and serve Elijah.
- Psalms 119:60 I hurried without hesitating to keep Your commandments.
- Luke 18:28 “Look,” said Peter, “we have left all we had to follow You.”
- Matthew 10:37 Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me;
- Galatians 1:16 to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not rush to consult with flesh and blood,