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Gospel Reading - Counting the cost

²⁵Great crowds were following him. He turned around and addressed them as follows: ²⁶“Anyone who wants to be my follower must love me far more than he does^a his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, or sisters — yes, more than his own life — otherwise he cannot be my disciple. ²⁷And no one can be my disciple who does not carry his own cross and follow me.

²⁸“But don’t begin until you count the cost.^b For who would begin construction of a building without first getting estimates and then checking to see if he has enough money to pay the bills? ²⁹Otherwise he might complete only the foundation before running out of funds. And then how everyone would laugh!

³⁰“‘See that fellow there?’ they would mock. ‘He started that building and ran out of money before it was finished!’

³¹“Or what king would ever dream of going to war without first sitting down with his counselors and discussing whether his army of 10,000 is strong enough to defeat the 20,000 men who are marching against him?

³²“If the decision is negative, then while the enemy troops are still far away, he will send a truce team to discuss terms of peace. ³³So no one can become my disciple unless he first sits down and counts his blessings —and then renounces them all for me.

1. Literally, “must hate.”
2. Implied in v. 33.