1st Sunday of Luke

No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God remains in us, and his love has been perfected in us.

¹³By this we know that we remain in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. ¹⁴We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as the Savior of the world. ¹⁵Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him, and he in God. ¹⁶We know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and he who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. ¹⁷In this, love has been made perfect among us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as he is, even so we are in this world. ¹⁸There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment. He who fears is not made perfect in love. ¹⁹We love him, because he first loved us.

Now while the multitude pressed on him and heard the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret. ²He saw two boats standing by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. ³He entered into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.

⁴When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”

⁵Simon answered him, “Master, we worked all night and caught nothing; but at your word I will let down the net.” ⁶When they had done this, they caught a great multitude of fish, and their net was breaking. ⁷They beckoned to their partners in the other boat, that they should come and help them. They came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. ⁸But Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord.” ⁹For he was amazed, and all who were with him, at the catch of fish which they had caught;

¹⁰and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid. From now on you will be catching people alive.”

¹¹When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything, and followed him.