A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls. | Like a city that is broken down and without walls is a man whose spirit is without restraint. |
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 located on a hill can’t be hidden. |
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The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! | For there is born to you today, in David’s city, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. |
Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city. | One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty; one who rules his spirit, than he who takes 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. | Unless Yahweh builds the house, they who build it labor in vain. Unless Yahweh watches over the city, the watchman guards it in vain. |
The rich think of their wealth as a strong defense; they imagine it to be a high wall of safety. | The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, like an unscalable wall in his own imagination. |
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 I tell you, don’t swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God; nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it 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 also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to David’s city, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to enroll himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him as wife, being pregnant. |