for the law made nothing perfect. On the other hand a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.

So it was necessary for the sketches ¹  of the things in heaven to be purified with these sacrifices, ²  but the heavenly things themselves required ³  better sacrifices than these.

Then Samuel said, “Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as he does in obedience? ¹  Certainly, ²  obedience ³  is better than sacrifice; paying attention is better than ⁴  the fat of rams.

That will please the Lord more than an ox or a bull with horns and hooves.

Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Arkite sounds better than the advice of Ahithophel.” Now the Lord had decided ¹  to frustrate the sound advice of Ahithophel, so that the Lord could bring disaster on Absalom.

Laban replied, “I’d rather give her to you than to another man. ¹  Stay with me.”

Why has the Lord brought us into this land only to be killed by the sword, that our wives and our children should become plunder? Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt?”

A good name ¹  is to be chosen ²  rather than great wealth, good favor ³  more than silver or gold.

I will set up within my temple and my walls a monument ¹  that will be better than sons and daughters. I will set up a permanent monument ²  for them that will remain.

ט (Tet) Those who died by the sword ¹  are better off than those who die of hunger, ²  those who ³  waste away, ⁴  struck down ⁵  from lack of ⁶  food. ⁷ 

At the end of the ten days their appearance was better and their bodies were healthier ¹  than all the young men who had been eating the royal delicacies.

So now, Lord, kill me instead, ¹  because I would rather die than live!” ² 

You are no more secure ¹  than Thebes ²  – she was located on the banks of the Nile; the waters surrounded her, her ³  rampart ⁴  was the sea, the water ⁵  was her wall.

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.

If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off! It is better to enter life lame than to have ¹  two feet and be thrown into hell. ² 

If your eye causes you to sin, tear it out! ¹  It is better to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than to have ²  two eyes and be thrown into hell,

It would be better for him to have a millstone ¹  tied around his neck and be thrown into the sea ²  than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. ³ 

Now food will not bring us close to God. We are no worse if we do not eat and no better if we do.

and to Jesus, the mediator ¹  of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks of something better than Abel’s does. ² 

Isn’t this what we told you ¹  in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone so that we can serve the Egyptians, ²  because it is better for us to serve ³  the Egyptians than to die in the desert!’” ⁴