^14:28For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn’t sit down⁹⁰ first and compute the cost⁹¹ to see if he has enough money to complete it? ^14:29Otherwise,⁹² when he has laid⁹³ a foundation and is not able to finish the tower,⁹⁴ all who see it⁹⁵ will begin to make fun of⁹⁶ him. ^14:30They will say,⁹⁷ ‘This man⁹⁸ began to build and was not able to finish!’⁹⁹

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Footnotes

90 The participle καθίσας (kathisas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
91 The first illustration involves checking to see if enough funds exist to build a watchtower. Both ψηφίζω (psēphizō, “compute”) and δαπάνη (dapanē, “cost”) are economic terms.
92 Grk “to complete it, lest.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation and ἵνα μήποτε (hina mēpote, “lest”) has been translated as “Otherwise.”
93 The participle θέντος (thentos) has been taken temporally.
94 The words “the tower” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
95 The word “it” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
96 Or “mock,” “ridicule.” The person who did not plan ahead becomes an object of joking and ridicule.
97 Grk “make fun of him, saying.”
98 The phrase this man is often used in Luke in a derogatory sense; see “this one” and expressions like it in Luke 5:21; 7:39; 13:32; 23:4, 14, 22, 35.
99 The failure to finish the building project leads to embarrassment (in a culture where avoiding public shame was extremely important). The half completed tower testified to poor preparation and planning.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’

CSBChristian Standard Bible

“For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn’t first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, after he has laid the foundation and cannot finish it, all the onlookers will begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man started to build and wasn’t able to finish.’

NLTNew Living Translation

“But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

For which of you, wanting to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise after he has laid the foundation and is not able to finish it, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish!’

KJV 1900King James Version

For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.

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