Luke 5:5

5 And Simon answered, and said to him [And Simon answering said to him], Commander, we travailed all the night, and took nothing, but in thy word I shall lay out the net.

Luke 5:5 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 5:5

And Simon answering said unto him, master
Or Rabbi, as the Syriac version renders it: he knew him to be the Messiah, the king of Israel, and a teacher sent from God:

we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing;
which carries in it an objection to what Christ advised and directed to: they had been fishing that "night", which was the best time for catching fish; and they had been at it all the night, and had "laboured" hard; and were even "fatigued", and quite wearied out; and what was most discouraging of all, their labour was in vain; they had caught "nothing":

nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net;
which showed faith in Christ, and obedience to him: thus the faithful preachers of the Gospel, sometimes labour and toil in the ministry of the word a great while, with little or no success; and are discouraged from going on, and would be tempted to leave off, were it not for the commission and word of command they have received from Christ, which they dare not be disobedient to; and for the word of promise he has given them, to be with them, on which they depend.

Luke 5:5 In-Context

3 And he went up into a boat, that was Simon's, and prayed him to lead it a little from the land; and he sat, and taught the people out of the boat.

4 And as he ceased to speak, he said to Simon, Lead out into the depth, and slack your nets to take fish [and slake ye your nets into the taking].

5 And Simon answered, and said to him [And Simon answering said to him], Commander, we travailed all the night, and took nothing, but in thy word I shall lay out the net.

6 And when they had done this thing, they closed together a great multitude of fishes; and their net was broken.

7 And they beckoned to fellows, that were in another boat, that they should come, and help them. And they came, and filled both the boats, so that they were almost drowned.