'Better' in the Bible

“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.”

If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to go into hell!

Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

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.

be not therefore afraid, than many sparrows ye are better.

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 then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

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 whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.

And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

His disciples said to Him, “If the relationship of a man with his wife is like this, it’s better not to marry!”

"But the wise ones replied, "No! There will never be enough for us and for you. You'd better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.'

The Son of Man will go just as it is written about Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he 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!"

She had endured a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet instead of getting better, she 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 is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

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

And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:

and To love Him with all one's heart, with all one's understanding, and with all one's strength, and to love one's fellow man no less than oneself, is far better than all our whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices."

For the Son of Man will go just as it is written about Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”

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].”

No man also having drunk old wine straightway 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.

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 there's only one thing you need. Mary has chosen what is better, and it is not to be taken away from her."

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.

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.”

He asked them at what time he got better. “Yesterday at seven in the morning the fever left him,” they answered.

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.

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."

'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.

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.

Now these people were more noble and open-minded than those in Thessalonica, so they received the message [of salvation through faith in the Christ] with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

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.

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,

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

What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under 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:

do not brag that you are better than those branches. But if you do brag—you do not sustain the root, but the root sustains you.

One person regards one day as better [or more important] than another, while another regards every day [the same as any other]. Let everyone be fully convinced (assured, satisfied) in his own mind.

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

But the natural [unbelieving] man does not accept the things [the teachings and revelations] of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness [absurd and illogical] to him; and he is incapable of understanding them, because they are spiritually discerned and appreciated, [and he is unqualified to judge spiritual matters].

For who made you better than your brother? or what have you that has not been given to you? but if it has been given to you, what cause have you for pride, as if it had not been given to you?

Do not keep back from one another what is right, but only for a short time, and by agreement, so that you may give yourselves to prayer, and come together again; so that Satan may not get the better of you through your loss of self-control.

But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.

But it will be better for her to keep as she is, in my opinion: and it seems to me that I have the Spirit of God.

But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.

For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you, who know better, eating in an idol's temple, he will be encouraged to eat what has been offered to idols, won't he?

If others share in this rightful claim over you, do not we even more? However, we did not exercise this right, but we put up with everything so that we will not hinder [the spread of] the good news of Christ.

But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.

Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.

And those parts of the body that we think to be less honorable, we clothe these with greater honor, and our unpresentable parts have a better presentation.

But desire the greater gifts. And I will show you an even better way.

But in the church it would be better for me to make use of five words of which the sense was clear, so that others might have profit, than ten thousand words in a strange tongue.

and last of all, as to one untimely (prematurely, traumatically) born, He appeared to me also.

So that Satan may not get the better of us: for we are not without knowledge of his designs.

Are they servants of Christ?I’m talking like a madman—I’m a better one:with far more labors,many more imprisonments,far worse beatings, near death many times.

But be that as it may, I did not burden you [with my support]. But [some say that] I was sly and took you by trickery.

Now what I am saying is this: As long as an heir is a child, he is no better off than a slave, even though he owns everything.

Worship of images, use of strange powers, hates, fighting, desire for what another has, angry feelings, attempts to get the better of others, divisions, false teachings,

with that new and better self which has been created to resemble God in the righteousness and holiness which come from the truth.

Some, it is true, are [actually] preaching Christ out of envy and rivalry [toward me—for no better reason than a competitive spirit or misguided ambition], but others out of goodwill and a loyal spirit [toward me].

For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:

But for your sake it is better that I remain alive.

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.