18. And they all alike began to excuse themselves. The first said to him, ‘I have purchased a field, and I must go out to look at it. I ask you, consider me excused.’
19. And another said, ‘I have purchased five yoke of oxen, and I am going to examine them. I ask you, consider me excused.’
20. And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and for this reason I am not able to come.’
21. And the slave came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his slave, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the city and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame!’
22. And the slave said, ‘Sir, what you ordered has been done, and there is still room.’
23. And the master said to the slave, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges and press them to come in, so that my house will be filled!
24. For I say to you that none of those persons who were invited will taste my banquet!’ ”
25. Now large crowds were going along with him, and he turned around and said to them,
26. “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, and furthermore, even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.
27. Whoever does not carry his own cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
28. 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?
29. Otherwise after he has laid the foundation and is not able to finish it, all who see it will begin to ridicule him,