Luke 14:25-30

Expanded Bible

The Cost of Being Jesus’ Follower^(A)

²⁵ Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned and said to them, ²⁶ “If anyone comes to me but ·does not hate [or loves more than me; ^CJesus is using hyperbole to emphasize his point] his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, or sisters—or even ·life [life itself; or his own life]—he cannot be my ·follower [disciple]. ²⁷ Whoever ·is not willing to [^Ldoes not] carry his own cross and follow me cannot be my ·follower [disciple]. ²⁸ ·If you want [^LFor which of you who wants…?] to build a tower, you first sit down and ·decide [calculate; figure out] how much it will cost, to see if you have enough money to finish the job. ²⁹ If you don’t, you might lay the foundation, but you would not be able to finish. Then all who would see it would ·make fun of [mock; ridicule] you, ³⁰ saying, ‘This person began to build but was not able to finish.’