Meaning
used (a) transitively, means "to carry through" or "about" (dia, "through," phero, "to carry"), Mar 11:16 ("carry ... through"); Act 13:49, Act 27:27 ("driven to and fro"); (b) intransitively, (1) "to differ," Rom 2:18, Gal 2:6, Phi 1:10; (2) "to excel, be better," e.g., Mat 6:26, Mat 10:31 ("of more value"); Mat 12:12, Luk 12:7, Luk 12:24, 1Co 15:41, Gal 4:1; some would put Rom 2:18 and Phi 1:10 here (see marg.). See CARRY, DIFFER, DRIVE, EXCELLENT, MATTER (make), PUBLISH.
<2,,4052, perisseuo>
"to be over or above (a number), to be more than enough, to be pre-eminent, superior," Mat 5:20, is translated "are we the better," in 1Co 8:8 (cp. 1Co 15:58, Rom 15:13, 2Co 3:9, 2Co 8:7, Phi 1:9, Col 2:7, 1Th 4:1, 1Th 4:10). See ABOUND.
<3,,3081, lusiteleo>
signifies "to indemnify, pay expenses, pay taxes" (from luo, "to loose," telos, "toll, custom"); hence, "to be useful, advantageous, to be better," Luk 17:2.
<4,,5242, huperecho>
lit. means "to hold or have above" (huper, "above," echo, "to hold"); hence, metaphorically, to be superior to, to be better than, Phi 2:3, 1Pe 2:13, "supreme," in reference to kings; in Rom 13:1, "higher;" Phi 3:8, "excellency," more strictly "the surpassing thing, (namely, the knowledge of Christ);" in Phi 4:7 "passeth." See EXCELLENCY, HIGHER, PASS, SUPREME.
Notes: (1) In Rom 3:9 the RV rightly translates proecho (which there is used in the Passive Voice, not the Middle) "are we in worse case than ...?," i.e., "are we surpassed?" "are we at a disadvantage?" The question is, are the Jews, so far from being better off than the Gentiles, in such a position that their very privileges bring them into a greater disadvantage or condemnation than the Gentiles? The AV "are we better" does not convey the meaning.
(2) Sumphero, in Mat 18:6, AV, is translated "it were better for him," RV, "profitable." See Mat 1:5-30 etc. See BRING, EXPEDIENT, GOOD, D, Note (2), PROFITABLE.
