Luke Chapter 9 verse 61 Holy Bible
And another also said, I will follow thee, Lord; but first suffer me to bid farewell to them that are at my house.
read chapter 9 in ASV
And another man said, I will come with you, Lord, but first let me say a last good-day to those who are at my house.
read chapter 9 in BBE
And another also said, I will follow thee, Lord, but first allow me to bid adieu to those at my house.
read chapter 9 in DARBY
And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.
read chapter 9 in KJV
read chapter 9 in WBT
Another also said, "I want to follow you, Lord, but first allow me to bid farewell to those who are at my house."
read chapter 9 in WEB
And another also said, `I will follow thee, sir, but first permit me to take leave of those in my house;'
read chapter 9 in YLT
Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerses 61, 62. - And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. There is an implied reproach in our Lord s reply to what, on first thoughts, would seem a reasonable request. The offer in this case came from the man himself. It would appear that this would-be disciple, on thinking the matter over, considered it might be desirable to hear what his family and friends thought about his project. At all events, one thing is clear his first ardour was cooled, his first love left. The Master, in his pithy but striking comment, shows when such is the case, that there is little or no hope of any real noble work being carried out. The simile is drawn from agricultural imagery. Jesus was evidently very familiar with all the little details of rural life. We find a similar saying in Hesiod, "He who would plough straight furrows, must not look about him" ('Works and Days,' 2:60).
Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(61) Lord, I will follow thee.--This third example of our Lord's method of dealing with half-hearted disciples is peculiar to St. Luke. Here, as in the first instance, there is what has the appearance of a spontaneous offer, coupled with a plea for postponement. The man pleads a wish to take a formal farewell of his kindred. The form of expression, the absence of any definite mention of father, or wife, or children, half-suggests the thought that the man was free from the closer and more binding ties of relationship, and that the plea urged was therefore hollow and unreal.
