Nathanael

43The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me."

The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.

NoteGalilee is the part of the country in the north. Jesus grew up there.

44Philip came from a town called Bethsaida. Andrew and Peter came from that same town.

Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.

NoteBethsaida was a small fishing town beside a big lake.

45Philip found Nathanael. He said, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law. The prophets wrote about him too. He is Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.

Note"The law" means the first books of their Bible, written by Moses. "The prophets" means the books of the men who spoke for God.

46Nathanael said, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see."

And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.

NoteNazareth was a small, plain town. Nobody expected anyone important to come from there.

47Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him. He said about him, "Here is a true Israelite. He does not trick anyone."

Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!

NoteAn Israelite is one of God's people, Israel. The King James says he has "no guile." Guile means tricking people or being sneaky.

48Nathanael asked, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered, "I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you."

Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.

NoteA fig tree grows sweet fruit and has wide leaves. People sat in its shade to be quiet and pray.

49Nathanael said, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"

Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.

NoteThe Jewish people were waiting for a king God would send them. Nathanael is saying Jesus is that king.

50Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see much greater things than that."

Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.

51Then he said, "I tell you the truth. You will all see heaven open. You will see God's angels going up and coming down on the Son of Man."

And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

NoteThe King James says "Verily, verily." That means "this is really true," a way of saying listen carefully. Angels are God's messengers. Long ago Jacob dreamed of angels going up and down a stairway to heaven. "Son of man" is a name Jesus used for himself.

1Later, Jesus let his followers see him again. This happened by the Sea of Tiberias. Here is how it went.

After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself.

NoteThe Sea of Tiberias is a big lake in the land of Galilee. It is also called the Sea of Galilee. Many people caught fish there for their work. His followers were the people who learned from him.

2Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, and Zebedee's sons were together. Two other followers were with them.

There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.

NoteDidymus means "twin." It was a second name for Thomas. Zebedee's sons were two brothers named James and John.

3Simon Peter said, "I am going fishing." They said, "We will come with you." They got into the boat right away. All that night they caught nothing.

Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.

NoteFishermen often worked all night, because night was a good time to catch fish. They dropped big nets into the water from the boat.

4Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore. But his followers did not know it was Jesus.

But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.

5Jesus called to them, "Children, do you have any fish?" They answered, "No."

Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.

Note"Children" here is a warm word, like saying "boys" or "friends." Jesus was speaking to grown men he knew well.

6He said, "Throw your net out on the right side of the boat. Then you will find some." They threw the net out. So many fish went in that they could not pull it up.

And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.

7The follower Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When Peter heard that, he pulled on his coat, because he had nothing on. Then he jumped into the water.

Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.

NoteThe man who wrote this book calls himself "the follower Jesus loved." He never writes his own name. Men took their coats off to work in a boat. Peter pulled his coat back on before he jumped in.

8The other followers came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish. They were not far from land, only about a hundred yards.

And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes.

NoteThe King James says "two hundred cubits." A cubit was the length of a grown-up's arm, from the elbow to the fingertips.

9When they got to land, they saw a fire of hot coals. Fish were laid on it, and there was bread.

As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.

NoteCoals are pieces of wood that have burned down. They stay hot for a long time. People cooked food on them.

10Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish you just caught."

Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.

11Simon Peter went and pulled the net onto the land. It was full of big fish, 153 of them. Even with so many, the net did not tear.

Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.

12Jesus said, "Come and eat." No one dared to ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord.

Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.

13Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them. He gave them the fish too.

Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.

14This was the third time Jesus let his followers see him. It was after he rose from the dead.

This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.

NoteJesus had died a few days before this. Then he came back to life. This was the third time his friends saw him after that.