“As for me, I baptize you with water because of [your] repentance [that is, because you are willing to change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret your sin and live a changed life], but He (the Messiah) who is coming after me is mightier [more powerful, more noble] than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to remove [even as His slave]; He will baptize you [who truly repent] with the Holy Spirit and [you who remain unrepentant] with fire (judgment).

From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God’s purpose for your life], for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

And if your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw [it] from you! For it is better for you that one of your members be destroyed than your whole body be thrown into hell.

And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw [it] from you! For it is better for you that one of your limbs be destroyed than your whole body go into hell.

Observe intently, the birds of the heaven, - that they neither sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns, and yet, your heavenly Father, feedeth, them: Are no, ye, much better than, they?

Are ye not much better than they? And which of you by taking thought can add to his age the smallest measure?

Now if that is the way God clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and thrown into an oven tomorrow, won't he clothe you much better you who have little faith?

Truly I say to you, It will be better for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of God's judging than for that town.

No pupil is better than his teacher, and no slave is better than his master.

Have no fear of those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul. You had better be afraid of one who can destroy both soul and body in the pit.

Fear not therefore; ye are better than many sparrows.

The one who has ears had better listen!

But I say to you, It will be better for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judging, than for you.

But I say to you that it will be better for the land of Sodom in the day of judging, than for you.

How much better then is a man than a sheep! So that it is lawful to do well on the sabbath.

The one who has ears had better listen!"

Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. The one who has ears had better listen!

But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him that {a large millstone} be hung on his neck and he be drowned in the depths of the sea.

And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw [it] from you! It is better for you to enter into life crippled or lame than, having two hands or two feet, to be thrown into the eternal fire!

And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw [it] from you! It is better for you to enter into life one-eyed than, having two eyes, to be thrown into fiery hell!

The disciples said to him, "If this is the case of a man with his wife, it would be better not to marry!"

But the sensible replied, 'No, there may not be enough for us and for you. Better go to the dealers and buy for yourselves.'

The Son of Man is going just as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for him if that man had not been born."

John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins [that is, requiring a change of one’s old way of thinking, turning away from sin and seeking God and His righteousness].

and saying, “The [appointed period of] time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God’s purpose for your life] and believe [with a deep, abiding trust] in the good news [regarding salvation].”

And he said, "Whoever has ears to hear had better listen!"

If anyone has ears to hear, he had better listen!"

And there was a woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years ??26 she had suffered a great deal under a number of doctors and had spent all her means but was none the better; in fact she was rather worse.

and had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, but was no better; on the contrary, rather grew worse.

So they went out and preached that men should repent [that is, think differently, recognize sin, turn away from it, and live changed lives].

And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones, that believe in me: it were better for him, that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were cast into the sea.

Wherefore, if thy hand offend thee, cut him off. It is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than to go, having two hands, into hell: into fire that never shall be quenched,

45 If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off.[note: idiom meaning to stop doing a sin] It is better for you to enter into life lame, rather than having your two feet to be cast into hell.

Likewise, if thy foot offend thee, cut him off. For it is better for thee to go halt into life, than, having two feet, to be cast into hell: into fire that never shall be quenched,

47 If your eye causes you to stumble, cast it out.[note: idiom meaning to stop doing a sin] It is better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell,

Even so, if thine eye offend thee, pluck him out. It is better for thee to go into the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire:

but shall receive at present in this age, what will be a hundred times better to him, than houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, tho' with persecution: and in the age to come eternal life.

and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength; and to love his neighbour as himself, is better than all burnt offerings, and sacrifices.

True, the Son of Man must go, as Scripture says of him, yet alas for that man by whom the Son of Man is being betrayed! For that man 'it would be better never to have been born!'"

that you may better know the certainty of those things that you have been taught.

I did not come to call the [self-proclaimed] righteous [who see no need to repent], but sinners to repentance [to change their old way of thinking, to turn from sin and to seek God and His righteousness].”

And no one that has been drinking old wine, immediately desireth new; for he saith, the old is better.

A disciple is not better than his teacher. But everyone who is fully-trained will be like his teacher.

For this reason, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven, for she has loved much. [Note: This suggests that her forgiveness was the result of her loving, but the point Jesus makes better fits the idea that her forgiveness produced love]. But the person who is forgiven of little [i.e., of only a few sins], loves [only] a little bit."

But other seed fell on good soil and grew, and it produced a hundred times as much grain." As he said this, he called out, "The one who has ears to hear had better listen!"

I say to you, It will be better in that day for Sodom than for that town.

But it will be better for Tyre and Sidon, in the day of judging, than for you.

But few [things] are necessary, or [only] one [thing], for Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her."

But He said, "Yes, but better still, blessed are those who listen to God's message and practice it!"

Better cleanse what is within; then nothing will be unclean for you.

But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore, ye are better than many sparrows.

Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?

I tell you, no; but unless you repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways and live changed lives], you will all likewise perish.

I tell you, no; but unless you repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways and live changed lives], you will all likewise perish.”

And if indeed it produces fruit in the coming [year], [so much the better], but if not, you can cut it down.'"

But when you are invited, go and take the least important place, so that when your host approaches he will say to you, 'Friend, move up here to a better place.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all who share the meal with you.

It is of no value for the soil or for the manure pile; it is to be thrown out. The one who has ears to hear had better listen!"

I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.

In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents [that is, changes his inner self—his old way of thinking, regrets past sins, lives his life in a way that proves repentance; and seeks God’s purpose for his life].”

He would have gladly eaten the [carob] pods that the pigs were eating [but they could not satisfy his hunger], and no one was giving anything to him.

and this unfaithful steward was commended by his master for being so provident. for they who look to this world, manage their affairs with more prudence, than those who have a prospect of a better.

He replied, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent [they will change their old way of thinking and seek God and His righteousness].’

It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.

For I will give you words and wisdom, so that not one of those who are against you will be able to get the better of you, or to put you in the wrong.

A third time he said to them, “Why, what wrong has He done? I have found no guilt [no crime, no offense] in Him demanding death; therefore I will punish Him [to teach Him a lesson] and release Him.”

Then he inquired of them the hour in which he became better. Then they said to him, The fever left him yesterday, at the seventh hour.

But the testimony which I have is far greater than the testimony of John; for the works that the Father has given Me to finish—the very same works [that is, the miracles and proofs of My deity] that I am [now] doing—testify about Me, [by providing evidence] that the Father has sent Me.

"Lord," said the disciples, "if he has fallen asleep, he will get better."

You don't realize that it is better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed."

"Remember what I told you, 'A slave is not better than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you. If they have obeyed my word, they will obey yours also.

'But I tell you the truth; it is better for you that I go away, for if I may not go away, the Comforter will not come unto you, and if I go on, I will send Him unto you;

Caiaphas was the person who had advised the Jews that it was better to have one man die for the people.

if we are being cross-examined to-day upon a benefit rendered to a cripple, upon how this man got better,

However, to keep things from going any further with the people, we had better threaten them that they are not to tell anyone in future about this Name."

But they were not able to get the better of him, for his words were full of wisdom and of the Spirit.

He said to them, "You know better than most that a Jew is strictly forbidden to associate with a Gentile or visit him; but God has taught me to call no one unholy or unclean.

He heard Paul speaking, and Paul, gazing steadily at him and noticing that he had faith enough to make him better,

The Governor of the Jail told Paul of his instructions. "The Magistrates have sent an order for your discharge," he said, "so you had better leave the place at once and go quietly away."

The Jews there were better disposed than those in Thessalonica, for they welcomed the message with all eagerness and carried on a daily study of the Scriptures to see if Paul's message was true.

Therefore God overlooked and disregarded the former ages of ignorance; but now He commands all people everywhere to repent [that is, to change their old way of thinking, to regret their past sins, and to seek God’s purpose for their lives],

Then the man with the evil spirit jumped on them, got the better of them, and so violently overpowered all of them that they fled out of the house naked and bruised.

So then, because these things may not be doubted, it would be better for you to be quiet, and do nothing unwise.

And he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will, [and to progressively understand His plan with clarity and power] and to see the Righteous One [Jesus Christ, the Messiah] and to hear a message from His [own] mouth.

And it would have been better if they had come here to make a statement, if they have anything against me.

Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you also very well know.

Neverthelater, the under-captain believed the governor, and the master, better than those things which were spoken of Paul.

And when they had been without food for a long time, Paul got up among them and said, Friends, it would have been better if you had given attention to me and not gone sailing out from Crete, to undergo this damage and loss.

and [if you claim to] know His will and approve the things that are essential or have a sense of what is excellent, based on your instruction from the Law,

Now circumcision benefits you only if you practice the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision is no better than uncircumcision.

How then is the Jew better off? or what profit is there in circumcision?

But if our unrighteousness causes God's plan of justifying men to be better known, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous, who inflicts punishment? I speak as a man.

What is our conclusion then? Is it that we Jews are better than they? Not at all! For we have already charged that Jews and Greeks alike are all under the sway of sin,

And not being feeble in faith though his body seemed to him little better than dead (he being about a hundred years old) and Sarah was no longer able to have children:

For in accordance with my better inner nature I approve God's law,

Has not the potter absolute power over his clay, so that out of the same lump he makes one thing for better, and another for common, use?

do not boast about being better than the other branches. If you boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.

Do not let evil get the better of you; get the better of evil by doing good.

One judges one day to be better than another, but another judges every day [to be alike]. Let each one be fully persuaded in his mind.

It is better not to take meat or wine or to do anything which might be a cause of trouble to your brother.

I add, we that are better inform'd ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not study our own pleasure.