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"If people come to me and are not ready to abandon their fathers, mothers, wives, children, brothers, and sisters, as well as their own lives, they cannot be my disciples.
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So those who do not carry their crosses and follow me cannot be my disciples.
28
"Suppose you want to build a tower. You would first sit down and figure out what it costs. Then you would see if you have enough money to finish it.
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Otherwise, if you lay a foundation and can't finish the building, everyone who watches will make fun of you.
30
They'll say, 'This person started to build but couldn't finish the job.'
31
"Or suppose a king is going to war against another king. He would first sit down and think things through. Can he and his 10,000 soldiers fight against a king with 20,000 soldiers?
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If he can't, he'll send ambassadors to ask for terms of peace while the other king is still far away.
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In the same way, none of you can be my disciples unless you give up everything.
34
"Salt is good. But if salt loses its taste, how will you restore its flavor?
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It's not any good for the ground or for the manure pile. People throw it away. "Let the person who has ears listen!"