Luke 9:52–62

⁵²He sent some messengers ahead of him, who went into a town in Samaria to make everything ready for him. ⁵³But the people there would not welcome him, because he was set on going to Jerusalem. ⁵⁴When James and John, followers of Jesus, saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven and destroy those people?” ⁿ

⁵⁵But Jesus turned and scolded them. And Jesus said, “You don’t know what kind of spirit you belong to. ⁵⁶The Son of Man did not come to destroy the souls of people but to save them.” ⁿ Then they went to another town.

Following Jesus

⁵⁷As they were going along the road, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you any place you go.”

⁵⁸Jesus said to them, “The foxes have holes to live in, and the birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to rest his head.”

⁵⁹Jesus said to another man, “Follow me!”

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

⁶⁰But Jesus said to him, “Let the people who are dead bury their own dead. You must go and tell about the kingdom of God.”

⁶¹Another man said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me go and say good-bye to my family.”

⁶²Jesus said, “Anyone who begins to plow a field but keeps looking back is of no use in the kingdom of God.”