2435、“我不倾覆你所说的这城”表示在这种情况下，他，即凡拥有包含某种良善的真理之人，不会灭亡。这从“城”的含义清楚可知，“城”是指真理（参看402，2268，2428节）。人们从上古时代就开始争论教会头生的是哪一个，是仁还是信。原因在于，人通过信之真理重生并成为一个教会。但那些优先考虑信并视它为头生的人都陷入了异端和虚假，最终完全灭绝了仁。如我们所读到的该隐，他就表示这种信，最后杀死了他的兄弟亚伯，而亚伯表示仁；还有后来雅各的长子流便，他同样表示信，但他却污秽了父亲的榻（创世记35:22；49:4），因此失去身份，长子的名分便给了约瑟（创世记48:5；历代志上5:1）。
这是关于圣言所提到的长子名分的一切争论和一切律法的源头。引起这场争论的原因是，过去人们不知道，甚至今天仍不知道，一个人所拥有的信的量取决于他所拥有的仁的量；当一个人正在重生时，仁就将自己呈现给信，或也可说，良善将自己呈现给真理，并把自己植入信的各个方面，调整自己去适应它，使得信成为信。因此，仁才是教会真正头生的，尽管在人看来不是这样（参看352，367节）。后面许多地方会论述这些事，所以蒙主的神性怜悯，等到了这些地方我们再予以详述。
Potts(1905-1910) 2435
2435. That I will not overthrow the city of which thou hast spoken. That this signifies that so he would not perish, namely, the man with whom there is truth within which there is good, is evident from the signification of a "city," as being truth (see n. 402, 2268, 2428). It has been disputed from the most ancient times which is the firstborn of the church, charity or faith; for the reason that man is regenerated and becomes a church by means of the truths of faith. But they who have set faith foremost and made it the firstborn, have all fallen into heresies and falsities, and at length have extinguished charity altogether; as we read of Cain, by whom such faith is signified, that at length he killed his brother Abel, by whom is signified charity; and afterwards of Reuben, the firstborn son of Jacob, by whom likewise faith is signified, that he polluted his father's couch (Gen. 35:22; 49:4), and therefore was held unworthy, and the primogeniture was given to Joseph (Gen. 48:5; 1 Chron. 5:1). [2] This was the source of all the contentions, and also all the laws, respecting primogeniture that are mentioned in the Word. The cause of there being such a controversy was that it was not known, as even at this day it is not known, that a man has only so much of faith as he has of charity; and that when a man is being regenerated, charity presents itself to faith, or what is the same, good presents itself to truth, and insinuates itself into it and adapts itself to it in every particular, causing faith to be faith; and thus that charity is the very firstborn of the church, although to man it appears otherwise (see also n. 352, 367). But as these things will frequently be treated of hereafter, of the Lord's Divine mercy we shall say more on the subject as the occasion arises.
Elliott(1983-1999) 2435
2435. 'That I will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken' means that this being so he would not perish, that is to say, the person with whom the truth which has good within it is present. This is clear from the meaning of 'a city' as truth, dealt with in 402, 2268, 2428. From most ancient times men have argued about which is the firstborn of the Church, whether charity or faith. The reason is that man is regenerated and made a Church by means of the truths of faith. But people who have given preference to faith and made it the firstborn have all sunk into heresies and falsities, and at length have annihilated charity altogether. One reads of Cain, for example, by whom a faith such as this is meant, that he at length killed Abel his brother, who means charity. One reads after this of Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, by whom also faith is meant; but he defiled his father's couch, Gen 35: 22; 49: 4, as a result of which he was disgraced and the birthright passed to Joseph, Gen 48: 15; 1 Chron 5: 1.
[2] This was the origin in the Word of all the disputes, and also the laws concerning the birthright. The reason for this controversy was that people did not know, even as it is not known today, that the amount of faith a person has depends on the amount of charity there is in him, and while a person is being regenerated charity offers itself to faith, or what amounts to the same, good offers itself to truth, and implants and accommodates itself in every part of it, and also in so doing causes faith to be faith. This being so, charity is really the firstborn of the Church, though to man it seems to be otherwise; see also 352, 367. But because these matters are the subject in many places after this, more in the Lord's Divine mercy will be said when those places are reached.
Latin(1748-1756) 2435
2435. Quod `non evertam urbem de qua locutus [es] significet quod sic non periret, nempe homo apud quem verum in quo intus est bonum, constat a significatione `urbis' quod sit verum, de qua n. 402, 2268, 2428. Ab antiquissimis temporibus controversum est quid primogenitum Ecclesiae, an charitas vel an fides, ex causa quia per vera fidei regeneratur homo et fit Ecclesia; sed qui praetulerunt fidem, et eam primogenitum fecerunt, lapsi sunt omnes in haereses et falsitates, et tandem charitatem prorsus exstinxerunt; sicut legitur de `Caino' per quem talis fides significatur, quod tandem `occiderit fratrem Habelem' per quem significatur charitas; similiter post {1} de `Reubene,' filio primogenito Jacobi, per quem quoque significatur fides, sed `is polluit patris sui cubile,' Gen. xxxv 22, xlix 4, quare indignus factus, et primogenitura data [est] Josepho, Gen. (x)xlviii 5; 1 Chron. v 1. [2] Inde lites omnes, tum leges, de primogenitum in Verbo. Causa quod ita controversum fuerit, erat quia nesciebant, sicut (t)hodie etiam nescitur, quod tantum fidei sit homini quantum charitatis, et dum regeneratur homo quod charitas occurrat fidei, seu quod idem, bonum occurrat vero, et singulis ejus se insinuet et inaptet, ac faciat quod fides sit fides; et sic quod charitas sit ipsum primogenitum Ecclesiae, tametsi coram homine aliter apparet, videatur etiam n. 352, 367. Sed quia de his agitur multum in sequentibus, plura, ex Divina Domini Misericordia, ibi. @1 postea.$