A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls. | Like a city that has been breached and made defenseless is the man devoid of self-control. |
You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. | You are the light of the world. A city built upon a mountain cannot be hidden. |
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The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! | For this day in the city of David there has been born to you a Savior who is Christ, the Lord. |
Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city. | It is better to be a patient man rather than a warrior, one who controls his temper rather than one who captures a city. |
Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good. | If the Lord does not build the house, those who construct it labor in vain. If the Lord does not guard the city, those who keep watch over it do so in vain. |
The rich think of their wealth as a strong defense; they imagine it to be a high wall of safety. | The wealth of a rich man is his stronghold; he regards it as a high wall that cannot be scaled. |
But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne. And do not say, ‘By the earth!’ because the earth is his footstool. And do not say, ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem is the city of the great King. | But what I tell you is this: Do not swear at all, either by heaven, since it is God’s throne, or by earth, since that is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, since that is the city of the great King. |
And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child. | Joseph therefore went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David. He went to be registered together with Mary, his betrothed, who was expecting a child. |