'Rather' in the Bible

Laban replied, "I'd rather give her to you than to another man. Stay with me."

Rather you must destroy their altars, smash their images, and cut down their Asherah poles.

Rather it is because of his love for you and his faithfulness to the promise he solemnly vowed to your ancestors that the Lord brought you out with great power, redeeming you from the place of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

Rather, he must acknowledge the son of the less loved wife as firstborn and give him the double portion of all he has, for that son is the beginning of his father's procreative power -- to him should go the right of the firstborn.

But Hannah replied, "That's not the way it is, my lord! I am under a great deal of stress. I have drunk neither wine nor beer. Rather, I have poured out my soul to the Lord.

But keep an eye on it. If it should go up by the way of its own border to Beth Shemesh, then he has brought this great calamity on us. But if that is not the case, then we will know that it was not his hand that struck us; rather, it just happened to us by accident."

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

For they did not conquer the land by their swords, and they did not prevail by their strength, but rather by your power, strength and good favor, for you were partial to them.

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

Give me a desire for your rules, rather than for wealth gained unjustly.

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

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

Do not let your heart envy sinners, but rather be zealous in fearing the Lord all the time.

Be careful what you do when you go to the temple of God; draw near to listen rather than to offer a sacrifice like fools, for they do not realize that they are doing wrong.

You must observe the Sabbath rather than doing anything you please on my holy day. You must look forward to the Sabbath and treat the Lord's holy day with respect. You must treat it with respect by refraining from your normal activities, and by refraining from your selfish pursuits and from making business deals.

But I am not really the one being troubled!" says the Lord. "Rather they are bringing trouble on themselves to their own shame!

However, I will leave some of these wicked people alive and banish them to other places. But wherever these people who survive may go, they will wish they had died rather than lived," says the Lord who rules over all.

Rather, each person will die for his own sins. The teeth of the person who eats the sour grapes will themselves grow numb.

Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, "Praised be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent forth his angel and has rescued his servants who trusted in him, ignoring the edict of the king and giving up their bodies rather than serve or pay homage to any god other than their God!

So now, Lord, kill me instead, because I would rather die than live!"

When the sun began to shine, God sent a hot east wind. So the sun beat down on Jonah's head, and he grew faint. So he despaired of life, and said, "I would rather die than live!"

Rather, I will sweep them away in a storm into all the nations they are not familiar with.' Thus the land had become desolate because of them, with no one crossing through or returning, for they had made the fruitful land a waste."

He told them, "You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right and at my left is not mine to give. Rather, it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."

There is nothing outside of a person that can defile him by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles him."

But he replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it!"

Do you think I have come to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!

I tell you that this man went down to his home justified rather than the Pharisee. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Now this is the basis for judging: that the light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil.

You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but rather, 'I have been sent before him.'

Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The king of the Jews,' but rather, 'This man said, I am king of the Jews.'"

So the saying circulated among the brothers and sisters that this disciple was not going to die. But Jesus did not say to him that he was not going to die, but rather, "If I want him to live until I come back, what concern is that of yours?"

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

But Peter and the apostles replied, "We must obey God rather than people.

Rather they had several points of disagreement with him about their own religion and about a man named Jesus who was dead, whom Paul claimed to be alive.

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

nor are all the children Abraham's true descendants; rather "through Isaac will your descendants be counted."

This means it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God; rather, the children of promise are counted as descendants.

Rather, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head.

Therefore we must not pass judgment on one another, but rather determine never to place an obstacle or a trap before a brother or sister.

When any of you has a legal dispute with another, does he dare go to court before the unrighteous rather than before the saints?

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?

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

the women should be silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak. Rather, let them be in submission, as in fact the law says.

so that now instead you should rather forgive and comfort him. This will keep him from being overwhelmed by excessive grief to the point of despair.

But now that you have come to know God (or rather to be known by God), how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless basic forces? Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again?

The one who steals must steal no longer; rather he must labor, doing good with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with the one who has need.

Neither should there be vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting -- all of which are out of character -- but rather thanksgiving.

Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

I do not say this because I am seeking a gift. Rather, I seek the credit that abounds to your account.

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

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

I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love -- I, Paul, an old man and even now a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus --

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

for no prophecy was ever borne of human impulse; rather, men carried along by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.