Luke 5:5 records Simon Peter’s answer to Jesus after a long night of fruitless fishing. Simon admits that he and his crew have worked hard and caught nothing, yet he decides to obey Jesus’ instruction to cast the net again, trusting his word rather than his own experience. The verse is spoken by Simon, a professional fisherman, to Jesus, who has just asked him to push the boat back out into deeper water.
Simon answered him, “Master, we worked all night, and took nothing; but at your word I will let down the net.”
Luke 5:5 (WEB)
What Luke 5:5 Means
The verse begins with Simon calling Jesus “Master,” a word that signals respect and willingness to be taught. Simon then states the plain facts: the crew “worked all night” and “took nothing.” He is not complaining or pretending everything went well. He is being honest that his skill and effort had produced no result.
The turn comes in the phrase “but at your word.” Simon sets aside his own judgment about the lake, which he knows well, and acts on what Jesus has said. He does not claim to understand why a teacher from the shore should tell an experienced fisherman where to fish. The verse shows trust in a word more than trust in a plan that has already failed.
It is important to see what the verse does not promise. It does not say that every act of obedience will produce an immediate reward, or that God always makes our work succeed on our schedule. Simon’s obedience is followed by a miraculous catch, but the verse itself only records his decision to try again. It offers a pattern of faithful response, not a formula for guaranteed results.
The Context of Luke 5:5
Luke’s Gospel was written to a largely Gentile audience, probably in the 80s AD, and traditionally attributed to Luke, the companion of Paul. In this passage Luke is showing how Jesus gathers his first followers, and Simon’s response is part of that larger story of calling. The episode comes early in Jesus’ ministry, when people are still deciding who he is.
Just before verse 5, Jesus has been teaching crowds from Simon’s boat and has asked him to move out a short distance. Just after verse 5, the net fills so fully that two boats begin to sink, and Simon falls at Jesus’ knees saying he is a sinful man. Read in this setting, Simon’s willingness to obey is the hinge between the teaching and the recognition of Jesus’ holiness, which explains why his short answer carries so much weight.
Key Phrases in Luke 5:5
Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
(WEB)
These verses call believers to trust the Lord with all their heart and not to lean on their own understanding. Like Simon, the reader is encouraged to set aside personal judgment and to acknowledge God in every area of life, trusting that he will guide the path ahead.
John 21:6
He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” They cast it therefore, and now they weren’t able to draw it in for the multitude of fish.
(WEB)
In this later scene, the risen Jesus tells the disciples to cast their net on the right side of the boat, and they again catch an abundance of fish. The parallel shows Simon and his companions learning once more that obedience to Jesus’ word can lead to unexpected provision.
A Short Prayer From Luke 5:5
Lord, I have worked hard at things that seem to produce nothing, and I am tired of pretending otherwise. Help me to be honest about my effort and my disappointment before you. Give me the willingness of Simon to set aside my own judgment and to act on your word, even when I cannot see the outcome. Teach me to trust you in the small, practical steps you put before me today. Amen.
