Sayings on Discipleship.^* 25Great crowds were traveling with him, and he turned and addressed them, 26^l “If any one comes to me without hating his father^* and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.^m 27Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.ⁿ 28Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion? 29Otherwise, after laying the foundation and finding himself unable to finish the work the onlookers should laugh at him 30and say, ‘This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.’ 31Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he can successfully oppose another king advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops? 32But if not, while he is still far away, he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms. 33In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.^o

The Simile of Salt.^* 34“Salt is good, but if salt itself loses its taste, with what can its flavor be restored?^p 35It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.”^q