Go ¹  instead to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

The fact that you have lawsuits among yourselves demonstrates that you have already been defeated. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?

Receive my instruction ¹  rather than ²  silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold.

But Peter and the apostles replied, ¹  “We must obey ²  God rather than people. ³ 

so that I ¹  would prefer ²  strangling, ³  and ⁴  death ⁵  more ⁶  than life. ⁷ 

choosing rather to be ill-treated with the people of God than to enjoy sin’s fleeting pleasure.

treacherous, reckless, conceited, loving pleasure rather than loving God.

Certainly ¹  spending just one day in your temple courts is better than spending a thousand elsewhere. ²  I would rather stand at the entrance ³  to the temple of my God than live ⁴  in the tents of the wicked.

Thus we are full of courage and would prefer to be away ¹  from the body and at home with the Lord.

but in the church I want to speak five words with my mind to instruct others, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.

How much better it is to acquire ¹  wisdom than gold; to acquire understanding is more desirable ²  than silver.

But he replied, ¹  “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey ²  it!”

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

But Peter and John replied, ¹  “Whether it is right before God to obey ²  you rather than God, you decide,

They ¹  exchanged the truth of God for a lie ²  and worshiped and served the creation ³  rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

nor to occupy themselves with myths and interminable genealogies. ¹  Such things promote useless speculations rather than God’s redemptive plan ²  that operates by faith.

You love evil more than good, lies more than speaking the truth. ¹  (Selah)

It is better for a person to meet ¹  a mother bear being robbed of her cubs, than ²  to encounter ³  a fool in his folly. ⁴ 

For I delight in faithfulness, not simply in sacrifice; I delight ¹  in acknowledging God, not simply in whole burnt offerings. ² 

Then Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very angry. ¹  He was angry ²  with Job for justifying ³  himself rather than God. ⁴