The Samaritans Do Not Welcome Jesus
51 The time grew near for Jesus to be taken up to heaven. So he made up his mind to go to Jerusalem.
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He sent messengers on ahead. They went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him.
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But the people there did not welcome Jesus. That was because he was heading for Jerusalem.
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The disciples James and John saw this. They asked, "Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to destroy them?"
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But Jesus turned and commanded them not to do it.
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They went on to another village.
It Costs to Follow Jesus
57 Once 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."
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Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes. Birds of the air have nests. But the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
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He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."
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Jesus said to him, "Let dead people bury their own dead. You go and tell others about God's kingdom."
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Still another man said, "I will follow you, Lord. But first let me go back and say good-by to my family."
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Jesus replied, "Suppose you start to plow and then look back. If you do, you are not fit for service in God's kingdom."