The Mustard Seed and the Leaven

18 ^hHe said therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? 19 It is like ⁱa grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.”

20 And again he said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? 21 ^jIt is like leaven that a woman took and hid in ^kthree measures of flour, until it was ^lall leavened.”

The Narrow Door

22 ^mHe went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and ⁿjourneying toward Jerusalem. 23 And someone said to him, “Lord, ^owill those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, 24 ^p“Strive ^qto enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 ^rWhen once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ^s‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ^t‘I do not know where you come from.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ^u‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 But he will say, ‘I tell you, ^tI do not know where you come from. ^vDepart from me, all you workers of evil!’ 28 ^wIn that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see ^wAbraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but ^wyou yourselves cast out. 29 And ^wpeople will come from east and west, and from north and south, and ^xrecline at table in the kingdom of God. 30 And behold, ^ysome are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

The Cost of Discipleship

25 Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 26 ⁿ“If anyone comes to me and ^odoes not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, ^pyes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 ^qWhoever does not ^rbear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not ^sfirst sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not ^tsit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 ^uSo therefore, any one of you who ^vdoes not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

Salt Without Taste Is Worthless

34 ^w“Salt is good, ^xbut if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? 35 It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. ^yHe who has ears to hear, let him hear.”