The basic interpretation of the metaphor as referring to the disciples working to catch souls for Jesus as they had previously caught fish is universally agreed upon, there are, however, a number of views of the exact meaning of the metaphor. In Jeremiah the reference is to hunting down sinners, in the Gospels it seems to be a milder metaphor of saving souls. Translators also prefer to avoid the word fisher, since fisherman has replaced it as the standard term in English, though in recent years fisher has gained some currency as a gender neutral term for fishermen.Ī similar reference to fishing occurs at Jeremiah 16:16, upon which this passage might be based. The translation "fishers of men" is well known and used by most authors, but not wholly accurate in a modern context inasmuch as the original Greek is gender neutral.
The reference has also often been moved from the disciples to Jesus, with him being called the "fisher of men," and the image of Jesus as a fisherman is second only to that of Jesus as a shepherd. The image probably had an important role in the adoption of the Ichthys as a symbol of early Christianity. The phrase " fishers of men," also at Mark 1:17, is one of the most well known lines in the entire New Testament, and the most important metaphor for evangelism. He said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers for men."įor a collection of other versions see BibleHub Matthew 4:19 Analysis The World English Bible translates the passage as: In the King James Version of the Bible the text reads:Īnd he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
The original Koine Greek, according to Westcott and Hort, reads:
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