Fishers of Men Coloring Page

Color Jesus calling the fishermen

Choose from six original Fishers of Men coloring pages for children and families. Follow Peter, Andrew, James, and John as Jesus calls them by the Sea of Galilee. Each design has an individual A4 PDF, and the complete pack puts all six scenes together.

Read The Fishers of Men Bible Story alongside the coloring activity. The longer story includes the miraculous catch described in Luke; this collection focuses on the calling of the fishermen in Matthew and Mark.

Six designs to print

1. Peter and Andrew cast their net: the two brothers work by the lake. Matthew 4:18.
2. Jesus calls Peter and Andrew: Jesus invites them to follow him. Matthew 4:19.
3. The brothers leave their nets: Peter and Andrew respond to Jesus. Matthew 4:20.
4. James and John mend their nets: the brothers are in a boat with Zebedee. Matthew 4:21.
5. Jesus calls James and John: they leave the boat and their father to follow him. Matthew 4:21-22.
6. Following Jesus together: the four fishermen begin following Jesus. Mark 1:16-20.

Read the Bible passage together

In Matthew 4:18-22, Jesus walks beside the Sea of Galilee. He sees Simon, called Peter, and his brother Andrew casting a net into the water. They are fishermen. Jesus tells them to follow him and says he will make them fishers of men. They immediately leave their nets and follow him.

Farther along, Jesus sees James and John in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He calls them too. They leave the boat and their father and follow Jesus. Mark 1:16-20 also describes this calling and mentions hired servants remaining with Zebedee.

This is a short summary in our own words. Read the complete passages together. For a longer reading that also includes the miraculous catch in Luke 5:1-11, visit the main story article.

What does fishers of men mean?

Jesus uses their familiar work as a picture of a new calling: helping people hear his message and follow him. It does not mean catching people in fishing nets. Explain the phrase in simple language while your child colors the boats, robes, water, and nets.

A family or Sunday school activity

Read the passage, let each child choose a scene, then place the finished pages in story order. Younger children can color the larger shapes; older children can add patterns to the robes and talk about each scene.

• What work did Peter and Andrew do?
• What did Jesus invite them to do?
• What did the brothers leave behind?
• Who was in the boat with James and John?
• How did the fishermen respond when Jesus called?
• How can we share Jesus’ message with kindness and respect?

Download and print

Choose an individual A4 portrait PDF or the complete six-page PDF. The ZIP includes all six individual PDFs and the same complete pack. It contains six designs, rather than extra designs. WebP images are lightweight screen previews; use the PDFs for printing.

Select A4 portrait in your print settings. For US Letter paper, choose Fit to page and check the preview.

Notes for parents and teachers

The designs are illustrations inspired by Matthew and Mark. Faces, clothing, boat construction, net shapes, gestures, and the walking arrangement are artistic interpretations. The final picture groups Jesus with the four fishermen to bring the activity together; the passage does not describe that exact arrangement.

The fourth and fifth scenes focus on James, John, and Zebedee as named in Matthew. They do not show every person mentioned in Mark. These pages do not illustrate the miraculous catch in Luke, so there is no oversized catch or sinking boat.

Jesus’ call to these adult disciples is a Bible story to discuss together. Children can learn about following Jesus with the support and care of their parents and teachers.

Helpful questions

Can I print just one design?

Yes. Every scene has its own PDF, and the complete PDF contains all six.

Are these the same two coloring sheets from the story article?

This collection has six newly illustrated designs. The story article now links here for its coloring activity.

Where can we read the story?

Use the Bible links above or read The Fishers of Men Bible Story, which links back to these printables.