Vincent's NT Word Studies
4. Launch out. Rev., put out. The singular number, addressed to Peter as master of the craft.Let down (calasate). The plural, addressed to the whole of the boat's crew. Originally, to slacken or loosen, as a bow-string or the reins of horses; hence to let sink as a net. Also of unbarring a door. Metaphorically, to be indulgent, to pardon. The word occurs in the New Testament seven times, and five of these in Luke. He uses it of letting down Paul in a basket at Damascus (Acts ix. 25); of striking a ship's sails, and of letting down a boat into the sea (Acts xxvii. 17, 30). Matthew, Mark, and John use ballw or ajmfiballw, for casting a net (Matt. iv. 18; xiii. 47; Mark i. 16; John xxi. 6), which appears also in the compound noun for a casting net (amfiblhstron, see on Matt. iv. 18). The word used by Luke was in common use in medical writings, to denote relaxation of the limbs; loosening of bandages; abatement of sickness; letting herbs down into a vessel to be steeped.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
5:4 {Had left speaking} (epausato lalwn). He ceased speaking (aorist middle indicative and present active participle, regular Greek idiom). {Put out into the deep} (epanagage eis to baqos). The same double compound verb as in verse #3, only here second aorist active imperative second person singular. {Let down} (calasate). Peter was master of the craft and so he was addressed first. First aorist active imperative second person plural. Here the whole crew are addressed. The verb is the regular nautical term for lowering cargo or boats (#Ac 27:17,30). But it was used for lowering anything from a higher place (#Mr 2:4; Ac 9:25; 2Co 11:33). For a catch (eis agran). this purpose was the startling thing that stirred up Simon.
