Discovery BoxLuke 14:28-30 
Context14:28 For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn’t sit down 1 first and compute the cost 2 to see if he has enough money to complete it? 14:29 Otherwise, 3 when he has laid 4 a foundation and is not able to finish the tower, 5 all who see it 6 will begin to make fun of 7 him. 14:30 They will say, 8 ‘This man 9 began to build and was not able to finish!’ 10
1 tn The participle καθίσας (kaqisas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
2 tn The first illustration involves checking to see if enough funds exist to build a watchtower. Both ψηφίζω (yhfizw, “compute”) and δαπάνη (dapanh, “cost”) are economic terms.
3 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.”
4 tn The participle θέντος (qentos) has been taken temporally.
5 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.
6 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.
7 tn Or “mock,” “ridicule.” The person who did not plan ahead becomes an object of joking and ridicule.
8 tn Grk “make fun of him, saying.”
9 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.
10 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.
