Luke 9:46-62

New International Version

⁴⁶ An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest.^{(A) 47} Jesus, knowing their thoughts,^(B) took a little child and had him stand beside him. ⁴⁸ Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.^(C) For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.”^(D)

⁴⁹ “Master,”^(E) said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.”

⁵⁰ “Do not stop him,” Jesus said, “for whoever is not against you is for you.”^(F)

Samaritan Opposition

⁵¹ As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven,^(G) Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.^{(H) 52} And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan^(I) village to get things ready for him; ⁵³ but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. ⁵⁴ When the disciples James and John^(J) saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them^[a]?”^{(K) 55} But Jesus turned and rebuked them. ⁵⁶ Then he and his disciples went to another village.

The Cost of Following Jesus^(L)

⁵⁷ As they were walking along the road,^(M) a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”

⁵⁸ Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man^(N) has no place to lay his head.”

⁵⁹ He said to another man, “Follow me.”^(O)

But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

⁶⁰ Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”^(P)

⁶¹ Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”^(Q)

⁶² Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”