Everyone who heard Jesus was amazed at his teaching. It was all so new. And he spoke with such authority. When he began to heal those who were ill, the news spread like wildfire. People came from far and near, and Jesus was busy from morning till night. He never had a moment to himself. Wherever he went, crowds gathered. He was often tired. But he never turned people away.

One day there was such a crowd on the lake-shore that Jesus stepped into Peter's boat. 'Row me a little way out', he said. And he taught the people from there. Afterwards Jesus told Peter to go out further and let down the nets for a catch. 'We worked hard all night,' Peter said, 'and we didn't catch a thing. But if you say so...'

Peter and Andrew let down the nets - and caught so many fish that the nets were breaking! 'Come and help us,' they shouted to their partners, James and John, in the second boat. And they filled both boats with the catch.'Now,' Jesus said, as they rowed for the shore, 'I want you to leave your fishing and come with me. From now on you'll be catching people!'

Not all of Jesus' friends were fishermen. One day Jesus went out and saw a tax collector called Matthew, sitting in his office. 'Follow me!' Jesus said. And Matthew did! men like Matthew collected tax from the Jews to pay the Romans. They often grew rich by charging far more than they should have done so it wasn't surprising they were hated and despised.

Matthew gave a feast for Jesus at his house. The religious people were shocked that Jesus went. 'Fancy mixing with people like that,' they said. 'I'm like a doctor. I treat people who are ill, not those that are well. I have come to bring these men and women back to God.'

At night when the crowds went home, Jesus often went up into the hills to a lonely place where he could be quiet and pray. Sometimes he prayed all night. After a long night of prayer, Jesus chose twelve followers to be his special friends: Peter and Andrew; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew (Nathaniel); Matthew; Thomas; James (son of Alpahaeus); Simon; Judas and Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).

These twelve men went everywhere with Jesus. They were his closest friends and he was their teacher. They saw the wonderful things that he did. And he explained to them what God had sent him to do.