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29 Otherwise,[a] when he has laid[b] a foundation and is not able to finish the tower,[c] all who see it[d] will begin to make fun of[e] him. 30 They will say,[f] ‘This man[g] began to build and was not able to finish!’[h] 31 Or what king, going out to confront another king in battle, will not sit down[i] first and determine whether he is able with 10,000 to oppose[j] the one coming against him with 20,000?

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 14:29 tn Grk “to complete it, lest.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation and ἵνα μήποτε (hina mēpote, “lest”) has been translated as “Otherwise.”
  2. Luke 14:29 tn The participle θέντος (thentos) has been taken temporally.
  3. Luke 14:29 tn The words “the tower” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
  4. Luke 14:29 tn The word “it” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
  5. Luke 14:29 tn Or “mock,” “ridicule.” The person who did not plan ahead becomes an object of joking and ridicule.
  6. Luke 14:30 tn Grk “make fun of him, saying.”
  7. Luke 14:30 sn The phrase this man is often used in Luke in a derogatory sense; see “this one” and expressions like it in Luke 5:21; 7:39; 13:32; 23:4, 14, 22, 35.
  8. Luke 14:30 sn The failure to finish the building project leads to embarrassment (in a culture where avoiding public shame was extremely important). The half completed tower testified to poor preparation and planning.
  9. Luke 14:31 tn The participle καθίσας (kathisas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
  10. Luke 14:31 tn On the meaning of this verb see also L&N 55.3, “to meet in battle, to face in battle.”