The Cost of Discipleship^(A)

²⁵ Now large crowds were traveling with Jesus.^[a] He turned and told them, ²⁶ “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, as well as his own life, he can’t be my disciple. ²⁷ Whoever doesn’t carry his cross and follow me can’t be my disciple.

²⁸ “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. He will first sit down and estimate the cost to see whether he has enough money to finish it, won’t he? ²⁹ Otherwise, if he lays a foundation and can’t finish the building,^[b] everyone who watches will begin to ridicule him ³⁰ and say, ‘This person started a building but couldn’t finish it.’

³¹ “Or suppose a king is going to war against another king. He will first sit down and consider whether with 10,000 men he can fight the one coming against him with 20,000 men, won’t he? ³² If he can’t, he will send a delegation to ask for terms of peace while the other king^[c] is still far away. ³³ In the same way, none of you can be my disciple unless he gives up all his possessions.”