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)

³⁷ “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.^(A)

²⁵ Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it^(A) for eternal life.^(B)

⁸ What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing^(A) Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ^(B)

²⁴ However, I consider my life worth nothing to me;^(A) my only aim is to finish the race^(B) and complete the task^(C) the Lord Jesus has given me^(D)—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.^(E)

⁶ If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you love, or your closest friend secretly entices^(A) you, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods”^(B) (gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known, ⁷ gods of the peoples around you, whether near or far, from one end of the land to the other), ⁸ do not yield^(C) to them or listen to them. Show them no pity.^(D) Do not spare them or shield them.