Luke 14:30

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

saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’

saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’

They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and ran out of money before it was finished!’

'He started something he couldn't finish.'

And saying, This man made a start at building and is not able to make it complete.

saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’

"saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’

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

¹ tn Grk “make fun of him, saying.”

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.

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.