The Cost of Following Jesus(A)

57 As they were walking along the road,(B) a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”

58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man(C) has no place to lay his head.”

59 He said to another man, “Follow me.”(D)

But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”(E)

61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”(F)

62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

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57 Farther along on the road, a man volunteered to become a disciple.

Volunteer: I’ll follow You to any destination.

Jesus: 58 Foxes are at home in their burrows. Birds are at home in their nests. But the Son of Man has no home. 59 You (to another person)—I want you to follow Me!

Another Volunteer: I’d be glad to, Teacher, but let me first attend to my father’s funeral.

Jesus: 60 Let the dead bury their dead. I’m giving you a different calling—to go and proclaim the kingdom of God.

A Third Volunteer: 61 I’ll come, Jesus. I’ll follow You. But just let me first run home to say good-bye to my family.

Jesus: 62 Listen, if your hand is on the plow but your eyes are looking backward, then you’re not fit for the kingdom of God.

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