Matthew 8:18-22 - Would-Be Followers

¹⁸ When Jesus saw crowds round him he gave orders for crossing to the other side. ¹⁹ A scribe came up and said to him, "Teacher, I will follow you anywhere";

²⁰ Jesus said to him, "The foxes have their holes, the wild birds have their nests, but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head."

²¹ Another of the disciples said to him, "Lord, let me go and bury my father first of all";

²² Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead."

⁵⁷ And as they journeyed along the road a man said to him, "I will follow you anywhere."

⁵⁸ Jesus said to him, "The foxes have their holes, the wild birds have their nests, but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head." ⁵⁹ He said to another man, "Follow me"; but he said, "Let me go and bury my father first of all."

⁶⁰ Jesus said to him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead; you go and spread the news of the Reign of God."

⁶¹ Another man also said to him, "I will follow you, Lord. But let me first say good-bye to my people at home."

⁶² Jesus said to him, "No one is any use to the Reign of God who puts his hand to the plough and then looks behind him."