²⁵ Great crowds were following him. He turned around and addressed them as follows: ²⁶ “Anyone who wants to be my follower must love me far more than he does^[a] his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, or sisters—yes, more than his own life—otherwise he cannot be my disciple. ²⁷ And no one can be my disciple who does not carry his own cross and follow me.