John 1:44
ESV
Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
NIV
Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida.
NASB
Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
CSB
Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the hometown of Andrew and Peter.
NLT
Philip was from Bethsaida, Andrew and Peter’s hometown.
KJV
Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
NKJV
Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
What does John 1:44 mean?
Philip, Andrew, and Peter were all from Bethsaida, on the northeastern side of the Sea of Galilee. It would have been close to Capernaum, which housed a synagogue. It's possible that this town was something of a miniature suburb of the larger Capernaum. The name "Bethsaida" literally means, "house of fish," so it's safe to assume that almost everyone who lived there was a fisherman by trade.It's no accident that Jesus sought out fishermen for most of His disciples. The first requirement of a servant of God is a willingness to work. Knowledge and talents are important, but useless until a person submits to God's direction for his life. The most effective servants of the Lord are those deeply committed to His will, not necessarily those exceptionally "qualified" by their skills and abilities (1 Corinthians 1:25–31).
The region of Galilee curved around the north and west of the Sea of Galilee, west of the Jordan River. It was unique in that area, with more rain and less heat than the surrounding land. Galilee was both beautiful and popular for travelers.
