Luke 14:29

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Otherwise, after he has laid the foundation and cannot finish it, all the onlookers will begin to ridicule him,

King James Version (1611)
Lest haply after hee hath laide the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it, begin to mock him,

King James Version
Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,

English Standard Version
Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,

New American Standard Bible
"Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who are watching it will begin to ridicule him,

New Century Version
If you don't, you might lay the foundation, but you would not be able to finish. Then all who would see it would make fun of you,

Amplified Bible
"Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is unable to finish [the building], all who see it will begin to ridicule him,

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him,

Legacy Standard Bible
Lest, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him,

Berean Standard Bible
Otherwise, if he lays the foundation and is unable to finish the work, everyone who sees it will ridicule him,

Contemporary English Version
Otherwise, you will start building the tower, but not be able to finish. Then everyone who sees what is happening will laugh at you.

Complete Jewish Bible
If you don't, then when you have laid the foundation but can't finish, all the onlookers start making fun of you

Darby Translation
in order that, having laid the foundation of it, and not being able to finish it, all who see it do not begin to mock at him,

Easy-to-Read Version
If you don't do that, you might begin the work, but you would not be able to finish. And if you could not finish it, everyone would laugh at you.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Lest that after he hath laide the foundation, and is not able to performe it, all that behold it, begin to mocke him,

George Lamsa Translation
Lest after he has laid the foundation, he is not able to finish it, and all who see it will mock him,

Good News Translation
If you don't, you will not be able to finish the tower after laying the foundation; and all who see what happened will make fun of you.

Lexham English Bible
Otherwise after he has laid the foundation and is not able to finish it, all who see it will begin to ridicule him,

Literal Translation
that having laid a foundation, and not having strength to finish, all those seeing begin to mock him,

American Standard Version
Lest haply, when he hath laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all that behold begin to mock him,

Bible in Basic English
For fear that if he makes a start and is not able to go on with it to the end, all who see it will be laughing at him,

Hebrew Names Version
Or perhaps, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, everyone who sees begins to mock him,

International Standard Version
Otherwise, if he lays a foundation and can't finish the building,the building">[fn] everyone who watches will begin to ridicule him

Etheridge Translation
lest, when he shall have laid the foundation, and shall not be able to finish, all who see shall deride him,

Murdock Translation
lest, when he hath laid the foundation, and is unable to finish, all that see it begin to deride him;

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Lest after he hath layde the foundation, and is not able to perfourme it, all that beholde it, begyn to mocke hym,

English Revised Version
Lest haply, when he hath laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all that behold begin to mock him,

World English Bible
Or perhaps, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, everyone who sees begins to mock him,

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Lest haply after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold mock him,

Weymouth's New Testament
lest perhaps, when he has laid the foundation and is unable to finish, all who see it shall begin to jeer at him,

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Lest aftir that he hath set the foundement, and mowe not perfourme, alle that seen, bigynnen to scorne hym, and seie, For this man bigan to bilde,

Update Bible Version
Lest perhaps, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all that watch begin to mock him,

Webster's Bible Translation
Lest perhaps after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish [it], all that behold [it] begin to mock him,

New English Translation
Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish the tower, all who see it will begin to make fun of him.

New King James Version
lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,

New Living Translation
Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you.

New Life Bible
or when the base of the building is finished, you might see that you do not have enough money to finish it. Then all who would see it would make fun of you.

New Revised Standard
Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him,

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
lest once, he having laid a foundation, and not being able to finish, all who are looking on, should begin to mock at him,

Douay-Rheims Bible
Lest, after he hath laid the foundation and is not able to finish it, all that see it begin to mock him,

Revised Standard Version
Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
lest after he hath layde ye foundacion and is not able to performe it all yt beholde it beginne to mocke him

Young's Literal Translation
lest that he having laid a foundation, and not being able to finish, all who are beholding may begin to mock him,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
lest after he hath layed the foundacio, and is not able to perfourme it, all they that se it, begynne to laugh him to scorne,

Mace New Testament (1729)
for fear he should be made the jest of every spectator, for laying the foundation, without being able to carry it on.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Otherwise your cattle will starve, and people will laugh at you.

Contextual Overview

²⁵One day when large groups of people were walking along with him, Jesus turned and told them, "Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters—yes, even one's own self!—can't be my disciple. Anyone who won't shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can't be my disciple. ²⁸"Is there anyone here who, planning to build a new house, doesn't first sit down and figure the cost so you'll know if you can complete it? If you only get the foundation laid and then run out of money, you're going to look pretty foolish. Everyone passing by will poke fun at you: ‘He started something he couldn't finish.' ³¹"Or can you imagine a king going into battle against another king without first deciding whether it is possible with his ten thousand troops to face the twenty thousand troops of the other? And if he decides he can't, won't he send an emissary and work out a truce? ³³ "Simply put, if you're not willing to take what is dearest to you, whether plans or people, and kiss it good-bye, you can't be my disciple. ³⁴ "Salt is excellent. But if the salt goes flat, it's useless, good for nothing. "Are you listening to this? Really listening?" ³⁵ One time when Jesus went for a Sabbath meal with one of the top leaders of the Pharisees, all the guests had their eyes on him, watching his every move. Right before him there was a man hugely swollen in his joints. So Jesus asked the religion scholars and Pharisees present, "Is it permitted to heal on the Sabbath? Yes or no?" They were silent. So he took the man, healed him, and sent him on his way. Then he said, "Is there anyone here who, if a child or animal fell down a well, wouldn't rush to pull him out immediately, not asking whether or not it was the Sabbath?" They were stumped. There was nothing they could say to that. He went on to tell a story to the guests around the table. Noticing how each had tried to elbow into the place of honor, he said, "When someone invites you to dinner, don't take the place of honor. Somebody more important than you might have been invited by the host. Then he'll come and call out in front of everybody, ‘You're in the wrong place. The place of honor belongs to this man.' Red-faced, you'll have to make your way to the very last table, the only place left. "When you're invited to dinner, go and sit at the last place. Then when the host comes he may very well say, ‘Friend, come up to the front.' That will give the dinner guests something to talk about! What I'm saying is, If you walk around with your nose in the air, you're going to end up flat on your face. But if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself." Then he turned to the host. "The next time you put on a dinner, don't just invite your friends and family and rich neighbors, the kind of people who will return the favor. Invite some people who never get invited out, the misfits from the wrong side of the tracks. You'll be—and experience—a blessing. They won't be able to return the favor, but the favor will be returned—oh, how it will be returned!—at the resurrection of God's people." That triggered a response from one of the guests: "How fortunate the one who gets to eat dinner in God's kingdom!" Jesus followed up. "Yes. For there was once a man who threw a great dinner party and invited many. When it was time for dinner, he sent out his servant to the invited guests, saying, ‘Come on in; the food's on the table.' "Then they all began to beg off, one after another making excuses. The first said, ‘I bought a piece of property and need to look it over. Send my regrets.' "Another said, ‘I just bought five teams of oxen, and I really need to check them out. Send my regrets.' "And yet another said, ‘I just got married and need to get home to my wife.' "The servant went back and told the master what had happened. He was outraged and told the servant, ‘Quickly, get out into the city streets and alleys. Collect all who look like they need a square meal, all the misfits and homeless and wretched you can lay your hands on, and bring them here.' "The servant reported back, ‘Master, I did what you commanded—and there's still room.' "The master said, ‘Then go to the country roads. Whoever you find, drag them in. I want my house full! Let me tell you, not one of those originally invited is going to get so much as a bite at my dinner party.'" One day when large groups of people were walking along with him, Jesus turned and told them, "Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters—yes, even one's own self!—can't be my disciple. Anyone who won't shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can't be my disciple. "Is there anyone here who, planning to build a new house, doesn't first sit down and figure the cost so you'll know if you can complete it? If you only get the foundation laid and then run out of money, you're going to look pretty foolish. Everyone passing by will poke fun at you: ‘He started something he couldn't finish.' "Or can you imagine a king going into battle against another king without first deciding whether it is possible with his ten thousand troops to face the twenty thousand troops of the other? And if he decides he can't, won't he send an emissary and work out a truce? "Simply put, if you're not willing to take what is dearest to you, whether plans or people, and kiss it good-bye, you can't be my disciple. "Salt is excellent. But if the salt goes flat, it's useless, good for nothing. "Are you listening to this? Really listening?"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Reciprocal: Jeremiah 22:14 - I will Matthew 27:40 - that destroyest Ephesians 6:11 - able

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Lest haply after he hath laid the foundation,.... Has begun to build, has taken up a profession, has submitted to ordinances, and got into a church state:

and is not able to finish it; a foundation may be laid, and the building may never be finished, because the foundation is not laid right; was it, it would continue, and the building go on, and at last be finished; though no man is able to finish it of himself, yet those hands which have laid the foundation, will raise up the superstructure, and complete the whole building, through the power and efficacy of divine grace: but where there is a beginning, and which at first looks well, and there is no progress, but the work is dropped and left unfinished,

all that behold it, begin to mock; as follows;

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Haply - Perhaps.

To mock him - To ridicule him. To laugh at him.