Luke 14:30

14:30 They will say, ¹  ‘This man ²  began to build and was not able to finish!’ ³ 

Luke 14:29

14:29 Otherwise, ⁴  when he has laid ⁵  a foundation and is not able to finish the tower, ⁶  all who see it ⁷  will begin to make fun of ⁸  him.

[14:30]  ¹ tn Grk “make fun of him, saying.”

[14:30]  ² sn The phrase this man is often used in Luke in a derogatory sense; see “this one” and expressions like it in Luke 5:21; 7:39; 13:32; 23:4, 14, 22, 35.

[14:30]  ³ sn The failure to finish the building project leads to embarrassment (in a culture where avoiding public shame was extremely important). The half completed tower testified to poor preparation and planning.

[14:29]  ⁴ tn Grk “to complete it, lest.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation and ἵνα μήποτε ({ina mhpote, “lest”) has been translated as “Otherwise.”

[14:29]  ⁵ tn The participle θέντος (qentos) has been taken temporally.

[14:29]  ⁶ tn The words “the tower” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[14:29]  ⁷ tn The word “it” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[14:29]  ⁸ tn Or “mock,” “ridicule.” The person who did not plan ahead becomes an object of joking and ridicule.