The Cost of Being a Disciple

²⁵ Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: ²⁶ “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.^{(A) 27} And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.^(B)

²⁸ “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? ²⁹ For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, ³⁰ saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’

³¹ “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? ³² If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. ³³ In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.^(C)

³⁴ “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?^{(D) 35} It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.^(E)

“Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”^(F)

4 The Spirit^(A) clearly says that in later times^(B) some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits^(C) and things taught by demons. ² Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.^{(D) 3} They forbid people to marry^(E) and order them to abstain from certain foods,^(F) which God created^(G) to be received with thanksgiving^(H) by those who believe and who know the truth. ⁴ For everything God created is good,^(I) and nothing is to be rejected^(J) if it is received with thanksgiving, ⁵ because it is consecrated by the word of God^(K) and prayer.

⁶ If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters,^[a] you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith^(L) and of the good teaching that you have followed.^{(M) 7} Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales;^(N) rather, train yourself to be godly.^{(O) 8} For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things,^(P) holding promise for both the present life^(Q) and the life to come.^{(R) 9} This is a trustworthy saying^(S) that deserves full acceptance. ¹⁰ That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God,^(T) who is the Savior of all people,^(U) and especially of those who believe.

¹¹ Command and teach these things.^{(V) 12} Don’t let anyone look down on you^(W) because you are young, but set an example^(X) for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith^(Y) and in purity. ¹³ Until I come,^(Z) devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture,^(AA) to preaching and to teaching. ¹⁴ Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy^(AB) when the body of elders^(AC) laid their hands on you.^(AD)

¹⁵ Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. ¹⁶ Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save^(AE) both yourself and your hearers.

Warnings Against Folly

Warning Against Adultery

List of the Family Heads Returning With Ezra

8 These are the family heads and those registered with them who came up with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes:^(A)

The Return to Jerusalem

¹⁵ I assembled them at the canal that flows toward Ahava,^(G) and we camped there three days. When I checked among the people and the priests, I found no Levites^(H) there. ¹⁶ So I summoned Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah and Meshullam, who were leaders, and Joiarib and Elnathan, who were men of learning, ¹⁷ and I ordered them to go to Iddo, the leader in Kasiphia. I told them what to say to Iddo and his fellow Levites, the temple servants^(I) in Kasiphia, so that they might bring attendants to us for the house of our God. ¹⁸ Because the gracious hand of our God was on us,^(J) they brought us Sherebiah,^(K) a capable man, from the descendants of Mahli son of Levi, the son of Israel, and Sherebiah’s sons and brothers, 18 in all; ¹⁹ and Hashabiah, together with Jeshaiah from the descendants of Merari, and his brothers and nephews, 20 in all. ²⁰ They also brought 220 of the temple servants^(L)—a body that David and the officials had established to assist the Levites. All were registered by name.

²¹ There, by the Ahava Canal,^(M) I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey^(N) for us and our children, with all our possessions. ²² I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers^(O) and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone^(P) who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.^(Q)” ²³ So we fasted^(R) and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.

²⁴ Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests, namely, Sherebiah,^(S) Hashabiah and ten of their brothers, ²⁵ and I weighed out^(T) to them the offering of silver and gold and the articles that the king, his advisers, his officials and all Israel present there had donated for the house of our God. ²⁶ I weighed out to them 650 talents^[c] of silver, silver articles weighing 100 talents,^[d] 100 talents^[e] of gold, ²⁷ 20 bowls of gold valued at 1,000 darics,^[f] and two fine articles of polished bronze, as precious as gold.

²⁸ I said to them, “You as well as these articles are consecrated to the Lord.^(U) The silver and gold are a freewill offering to the Lord, the God of your ancestors. ²⁹ Guard them carefully until you weigh them out in the chambers of the house of the Lord in Jerusalem before the leading priests and the Levites and the family heads of Israel.” ³⁰ Then the priests and Levites received the silver and gold and sacred articles that had been weighed out to be taken to the house of our God in Jerusalem.

³¹ On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the Ahava Canal^(V) to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us,^(W) and he protected us from enemies and bandits along the way. ³² So we arrived in Jerusalem, where we rested three days.^(X)

³³ On the fourth day, in the house of our God, we weighed out^(Y) the silver and gold and the sacred articles into the hands of Meremoth^(Z) son of Uriah, the priest. Eleazar son of Phinehas was with him, and so were the Levites Jozabad^(AA) son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui.^{(AB) 34} Everything was accounted for by number and weight, and the entire weight was recorded at that time.

³⁵ Then the exiles who had returned from captivity sacrificed burnt offerings to the God of Israel: twelve bulls^(AC) for all Israel,^(AD) ninety-six rams, seventy-seven male lambs and, as a sin offering,^[g] twelve male goats.^(AE) All this was a burnt offering to the Lord. ³⁶ They also delivered the king’s orders^(AF) to the royal satraps and to the governors of Trans-Euphrates,^(AG) who then gave assistance to the people and to the house of God.^(AH)