'Rather' in the Bible

And David said to Michal, It was before Jehovah, who chose me rather than thy father, and than all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of Jehovah, over Israel; and I played before Jehovah.

And his servants drew near, and spoke to him and said, My father, if the prophet had bidden thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he says to thee, Wash and be clean?

So that my soul chooseth strangling, death, rather than my bones.

Then was kindled the anger of Elihu the son of Barachel, the Buzite, of the family of Ram: against Job was his anger kindled, because he justified himself rather than God;

Take heed, turn not to iniquity; for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.

Thou hast loved evil rather than good, lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah.

For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God, than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold:

Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man rather than a fool in his folly.

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches; loving favour rather than silver and gold.

Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and draw near to hear, rather than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they know not that they do evil.

moreover it hath not seen nor known the sun: this hath rest rather than the other.

And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue that remain of this evil family, in all the places whither I have driven those that remain, saith Jehovah of hosts.

But if God so clothe the herbage of the field, which is to-day, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, will he not much rather you, O ye of little faith?

If therefore ye, being wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much rather shall your Father who is in the heavens give good things to them that ask of him?

but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

And be not afraid of those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul; but fear rather him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

And if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut it off and cast it from thee; it is good for thee to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into eternal fire.

And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee; it is good for thee to enter into life one-eyed, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the hell of fire.

But the prudent answered saying, We cannot, lest it might not suffice for us and for you. Go rather to those that sell, and buy for yourselves.

And Pilate, seeing that it availed nothing, but that rather a tumult was arising, having taken water, washed his hands before the crowd, saying, I am guiltless of the blood of this righteous one: see ye to it.

and had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent everything she had and had found no advantage from it, but had rather got worse,

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

But the chief priests stirred up the crowd that he might rather release Barabbas to them.

If therefore ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much rather shall the Father who is of heaven give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it.

But rather give alms of what ye have, and behold, all things are clean to you.

But if God thus clothe the grass, which to-day is in the field and to-morrow is cast into the oven, how much rather you, O ye of little faith?

Think ye that I have come to give peace in the earth? Nay, I say to you, but rather division:

I say unto you, This man went down to his house justified rather than that other. For every one who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he that humbles himself shall be exalted.

And this is the judgment, that light is come into the world, and men have loved darkness rather than light; for their works were evil.

for they loved glory from men rather than glory from God.

When Pilate therefore heard this word, he was the rather afraid,

But Peter and John answering said to them, If it be righteous before God to listen to you rather than to God, judge ye;

But Peter answering, and the apostles, said, God must be obeyed rather than men.

But the centurion believed rather the helmsman and the shipowner than what was said by Paul.

Much rather therefore, having been now justified in the power of his blood, we shall be saved by him from wrath.

For if, being enemies, we have been reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much rather, having been reconciled, we shall be saved in the power of his life.

But shall not the act of favour be as the offence? For if by the offence of one the many have died, much rather has the grace of God, and the free gift in grace, which is by the one man Jesus Christ, abounded unto the many.

For if by the offence of the one death reigned by the one, much rather shall those who receive the abundance of grace, and of the free gift of righteousness, reign in life by the one Jesus Christ:)

who is he that condemns? It is Christ who has died, but rather has been also raised up; who is also at the right hand of God; who also intercedes for us.

But if their fall be the world's wealth, and their loss the wealth of the nations, how much rather their fulness?

For if thou hast been cut out of the olive tree wild by nature, and, contrary to nature, hast been grafted into the good olive tree, how much rather shall they, who are according to nature be grafted into their own olive tree?

Let us no longer therefore judge one another; but judge ye this rather, not to put a stumbling-block or a fall-trap before his brother.

And ye are puffed up, and ye have not rather mourned, in order that he that has done this deed might be taken away out of the midst of you.

Already indeed then it is altogether a fault in you that ye have suits between yourselves. Why do ye not rather suffer wrong? why are ye not rather defrauded?

Hast thou been called being a bondman, let it not concern thee; but and if thou canst become free, use it rather.

If others partake of this right over you, should not rather we? But we have not used this right, but we bear all things, that we may put no hindrance in the way of the glad tidings of the Christ.

But I have used none of these things. Now I have not written these things that it should be thus in my case; for it were good for me rather to die than that any one should make vain my boast.

But much rather, the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary;

Follow after love, and be emulous of spiritual manifestations, but rather that ye may prophesy.

Now I desire that ye should all speak with tongues, but rather that ye should prophesy. But greater is he that prophesies than he that speaks with tongues, unless he interpret, that the assembly may receive edification.

but in the assembly I desire to speak five words with my understanding, that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.

so that on the contrary ye should rather shew grace and encourage, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with excessive grief.

how shall not rather the ministry of the Spirit subsist in glory?

For if the ministry of condemnation be glory, much rather the ministry of righteousness abounds in glory.

For if that annulled was introduced with glory, much rather that which abides subsists in glory.

we are confident, I say, and pleased rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord.

For this reason we have been encouraged. And we the rather rejoiced in our encouragement more abundantly by reason of the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all.

And he said to me, My grace suffices thee; for my power is perfected in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather boast in my weaknesses, that the power of the Christ may dwell upon me.

but now, knowing God, but rather being known by God, how do ye turn again to the weak and beggarly principles to which ye desire to be again anew in bondage?

Let the stealer steal no more, but rather let him toil, working what is honest with his hands, that he may have to distribute to him that has need.

and filthiness and foolish talking, or jesting, which are not convenient; but rather thanksgiving.

and do not have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather also reprove them,

But I would have you know, brethren, that the circumstances in which I am have turned out rather to the furtherance of the glad tidings,

So that, my beloved, even as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much rather in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,

Though I have my trust even in flesh; if any other think to trust in flesh, I rather:

nor to turn their minds to fables and interminable genealogies, which bring questionings rather than further God's dispensation, which is in faith.

And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren; but let them the rather serve them with subjection, because they are faithful and beloved, who profit by the good and ready service rendered. These things teach and exhort.

traitors, headlong, of vain pretensions, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God;

for love's sake I rather exhort, being such a one as Paul the aged, and now also prisoner of Jesus Christ.

not any longer as a bondman, but above a bondman, a beloved brother, specially to me, and how much rather to thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord?

how much rather shall the blood of the Christ, who by the eternal Spirit offered himself spotless to God, purify your conscience from dead works to worship the living God?

choosing rather to suffer affliction along with the people of God than to have the temporary pleasure of sin;

Moreover we have had the fathers of our flesh as chasteners, and we reverenced them; shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live?

and make straight paths for your feet, that that which is lame be not turned aside; but that rather it may be healed.

Wherefore the rather, brethren, use diligence to make your calling and election sure, for doing these things ye will never fall;