Waverly Church of Christ

While “standing by the lake of Gennesaret” Jesus saw two boats at the edge of the lake.

“The fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets.” (They were cleaning their equipment after a night of fishing.)

“[Jesus] got into one of the boats” which belonged to Simon.

Simon was asked “to put out a little way from the land,” then Jesus sat down teaching the people.

“When [Jesus] had finished speaking, He said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.’”

a. The plural verbs “let down” and “your” informs us that others were in the boat with Jesus and Simon.

b. But, Jesus is still addressing Simon specifically.

“Simon answered and said, ‘Master, we worked hard (toiled or labored unto extreme fatigue) all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets.’”

Luke 5:6-7 NKJV
6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. 7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.

Peter’s statement can be understood as idiomatic for “Lord, be merciful to me a sinner” or “Forgive me.”