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Luke 14 · a question people ask

Jesus says that anyone who comes to him "and doesn’t disregard his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he can’t be my disciple" (14:26). What does he mean?

In the text

Luke gives the words, and what comes around them, and no explanation beyond that. They are said to "great multitudes" who "were going with him", when "He turned and said to them" (14:25). The list ends with "yes, and his own life also" (14:26), and the next words are "Whoever doesn’t bear his own cross and come after me, can’t be my disciple" (14:27). Then come the builder who first sits down and counts the cost (14:28-30) and the king who first sits down and considers (14:31-32), and then "So therefore, whoever of you who doesn’t renounce all that he has, he can’t be my disciple" (14:33). These notes don't explain it beyond these verses, and don't apply it to anyone's own family.

From Favor's study of Luke 14

Luke 14: A great supper

At one table Jesus speaks in turn to the guests about where to sit (14:7-11), to his host about whom to invite (14:12-14), and to one guest with a story of a great supper (14:15-24), and one word, invited, runs through all three. Then, to the great multitudes going with him, he says three times, "can’t be my disciple" (14:26, 14:27, 14:33).

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Last reviewed October 2, 2026. Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions