Luke 9:52–62

⁵²He sent messengers on ahead. They went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him. ⁵³But the people there did not welcome Jesus. That was because he was heading for Jerusalem.

⁵⁴The disciples James and John saw this. They asked, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to destroy them?”

⁵⁵But Jesus turned and commanded them not to do it. ⁵⁶They went on to another village.

It Costs to Follow Jesus

⁵⁷Once Jesus and those who were with him were walking along the road. A man said to Jesus, “I will follow you no matter where you go.”

⁵⁸Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes. Birds of the air have nests. But the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

⁵⁹He said to another man, “Follow me.”

But the man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

⁶⁰Jesus said to him, “Let dead people bury their own dead. You go and tell others about God’s kingdom.”

⁶¹Still another man said, “I will follow you, Lord. But first let me go back and say good-by to my family.”

⁶²Jesus replied, “Suppose you start to plow and then look back. If you do, you are not fit for service in God’s kingdom.”