Luke 14:28
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.
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.’
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- 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?
- KJV
- For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
- WEB
- For which of you, desiring to build a tower, doesn’t first sit down and count the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it?
- ASV
- For which of you, desiring to build a tower, doth not first sit down and count the cost, whether he have [wherewith] to complete it?
- DARBY
- For which of you, desirous of building a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, if he have what [is needed] to complete it;
- BLB
- For which of you⁺, wanting to build a tower, does not first, having sat down, count the cost, whether he has the [things] for [its] completion,
- ÅB
- For hvem av dere som vil bygge et tårn, setter seg ikke først ned og regner etter hva det vil koste, om han har nok til å fullføre det med,
- OTB
- Anta at en av dere vil bygge et tårn. Vil dere ikke først sette dere ned og beregne kostnaden for å se om dere har nok til å fullføre det?
- B1930
- For hvem av eder som vil bygge et tårn, setter sig ikke først ned og regner efter hvad det vil koste, om han har nok til å fullføre det med,
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Proverbs 24:27
Complete your outdoor work and prepare your field; after that, you may build your house.
Read in contextMatthew 10:22
You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.
Read in contextJoshua 24:19–24
But Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the LORD, for He is a holy God; He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your rebellion or your sins.
Read in contextLuke 14:33
In the same way, any one of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be My disciple.
Read in contextActs 21:13
Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
Read in contextMatthew 20:22–23
“You do not know what you are asking,” Jesus replied. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” the brothers answered.
Read in contextMatthew 8:20
Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.”
Read in contextGenesis 11:4–9
“Come,” they said, “let us build for ourselves a city with a tower that reaches to the heavens, that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of all the earth.”
Read in context