The Cost of Discipleship

(Matthew 8:18–22, Luke 9:57–62, John 6:59–66)

25 Now large crowds were traveling with [Jesus], and He turned [and] said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to Me and {does} not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters—yes, even his [own] life—he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever {does} not carry his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple.

28 Which of you, wishing to build a tower, {does} not first sit down [and] count the cost to see if he has [ the resources ] to complete [it]? 29 Otherwise if he lays [the] foundation and is unable to finish [the work], everyone who sees [it] will ridicule him, 30 saying ‘This man could not finish what he started to build.’

31 Or what king on his way to war with another king does not[fn] first sit down [and] consider whether he can engage with ten thousand [men] the [one] coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if [he is unable], he will send a delegation [while the other king] is still far off, to ask for terms of peace.

33 In the same way any one of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be My disciple.