'Rather' in the Bible

and said, “My lords, turn aside to your servant’s house, wash your feet, and spend the night. Then you can get up early and go on your way.”“No,” they said. “We would rather spend the night in the square.”

Suppose my father touches me. Then I will be revealed to him as a deceiver and bring a curse rather than a blessing on myself.”

Moses said to Pharaoh, “You make the choice rather than me. When should I ask on behalf of you, your officials, and your people, that the frogs be taken away from you and your houses, and remain only in the Nile?”

The Gibeonites were not Israelites but rather a remnant of the Amorites. The Israelites had taken an oath concerning them, but Saul had tried to kill them in his zeal for the Israelites and Judah. So David summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them.

so that I prefer strangling—death rather than life in this body.

Then Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite from the family of Ram became angry. He was angry at Job because he had justified himself rather than God.

Better a day in Your courtsthan a thousand anywhere else.I would rather be at the door of the house of my Godthan to live in the tents of wicked people.

Accept my instruction instead of silver,and knowledge rather than pure gold.

Again I saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, or the battle to the strong, or bread to the wise, or riches to the discerning, or favor to the skillful; rather, time and chance happen to all of them.

If they fast, I will not hear their cry of despair. If they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. Rather, I will finish them off by sword, famine, and plague.”

Therefore, this is what the Lord says:If you return, I will restore you;you will stand in My presence.And if you speak noble words,rather than worthless ones,you will be My spokesman.It is they who must return to you;you must not return to them.

but rather, ‘As the Lord lives who brought the Israelites from the land of the north and from all the other lands where He had banished them.’ For I will return them to their land that I gave to their ancestors.

Rather, each will die for his own wrongdoing. Anyone who eats sour grapes—his own teeth will be set on edge.

You must not build a house or sow seed or plant a vineyard. Those things are not for you. Rather, you must live in tents your whole life, so you may live a long time on the soil where you stay as a temporary resident.’

Rather, Baruch son of Neriah is inciting you against us to hand us over to the Chaldeans to put us to death or to deport us to Babylon!”

You will know that I am Yahweh, house of Israel, when I have dealt with you because of My name rather than according to your evil ways and corrupt acts.” This is the declaration of the Lord God.

Tell them: As I live”—the declaration of the Lord God—“I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked person should turn from his way and live. Repent, repent of your evil ways! Why will you die, house of Israel?

As I live”—the declaration of the Lord God—“because My flock has become prey and food for every wild animal since they lack a shepherd, for My shepherds do not search for My flock, and because the shepherds feed themselves rather than My flock,

Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent His angel and rescued His servants who trusted in Him. They violated the king’s command and risked their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.

For I desire loyalty and not sacrifice,the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

They do not cry to Me from their hearts;rather, they wail on their beds.They slash themselves for grain and new wine;they turn away from Me.

Won’t the Day of the Lordbe darkness rather than light,even gloom without any brightness in it?

So Amos answered Amaziah, “I was not a prophet or the son of a prophet; rather, I was a herdsman, and I took care of sycamore figs.

No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house.

Don’t fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; rather, fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

And if your eye causes your downfall, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, rather than to have two eyes and be thrown into hellfire!

Do you think that I came here to give peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!

I tell you, this one went down to his house justified rather than the other; because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

“This, then, is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil.

Stop judging according to outward appearances; rather judge according to righteous judgment.”

You’re not considering that it is to your advantage that one man should die for the people rather than the whole nation perish.”

But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it’s right in the sight of God for us to listen to you rather than to God, you decide;

But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men.

But the centurion paid attention to the captain and the owner of the ship rather than to what Paul said.

Therefore, to have legal disputes against one another is already a moral failure for you. Why not rather put up with injustice? Why not rather be cheated?

yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, in order to teach others also, than 10,000 words in another language.

We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you may have a reply for those who take pride in the outward appearance rather than in the heart.

I am not saying this as a command. Rather, by means of the diligence of others, I am testing the genuineness of your love.

But now, since you know God, or rather have become known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and bankrupt elemental forces? Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again?

Coarse and foolish talking or crude joking are not suitable, but rather giving thanks.

Instead, just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please men, but rather God, who examines our hearts.

or to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies. These promote empty speculations rather than God’s plan, which operates by faith.

But have nothing to do with irreverent and silly myths. Rather, train yourself in godliness,

traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

You have loved righteousnessand hated lawlessness;this is why God, Your God,has anointed Youwith the oil of joyrather than Your companions.

and chose to suffer with the people of God rather than to enjoy the short-lived pleasure of sin.