The term "outweigh" is not directly found in the text of the Bible; however, the concept is present in various passages where the value, importance, or significance of one thing is considered greater than another. In a biblical context, this often relates to spiritual truths, eternal values, and the priorities of God's kingdom over worldly concerns.

Eternal Glory vs. Earthly Suffering

One of the clearest biblical illustrations of the concept of outweighing is found in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18. The Apostle Paul writes, "For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." Here, Paul contrasts the temporary nature of earthly suffering with the eternal weight of glory that believers will experience. The eternal glory is portrayed as far surpassing any present trials, encouraging believers to maintain a heavenly perspective.

Wisdom and Understanding

In Proverbs, the value of wisdom and understanding is depicted as outweighing material wealth. Proverbs 3:13-15 states, "Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who acquires understanding, for she is more profitable than silver, and her gain is better than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire compares with her." This passage emphasizes that the pursuit of wisdom and understanding is of greater worth than the pursuit of riches, highlighting the superior value of spiritual insight.

Love and Spiritual Gifts

In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul discusses the supremacy of love over spiritual gifts. He writes, "And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:13) While spiritual gifts are important for the edification of the church, love is described as the greatest virtue, outweighing all other gifts and actions. This underscores the preeminence of love in the Christian life.

Sacrifice and Obedience

The concept of outweighing is also evident in the biblical principle that obedience to God is more valuable than ritual sacrifice. In 1 Samuel 15:22, Samuel tells King Saul, "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams." This passage highlights that God values a heart of obedience over mere ritualistic practices, indicating that the former outweighs the latter in God's eyes.

Heavenly Treasures vs. Earthly Treasures

Jesus teaches about the superiority of heavenly treasures over earthly ones in Matthew 6:19-21: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." This teaching encourages believers to prioritize eternal investments over temporal possessions, as the former holds greater and lasting value.

In summary, the biblical concept of outweighing often involves a comparison between temporal and eternal, material and spiritual, or ritual and relational aspects of faith. The Scriptures consistently point believers toward valuing what is eternal, spiritual, and aligned with God's will above all else.(v. t.) To exceed in weight, value, or importance.

Fourth Sunday after Easter Second Sermon.
... lights.". OUR BLESSINGS OUTWEIGH OUR ILLS. 6. If you carefully balance our
gifts and trials against each other and weigh them carefully ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol ii/fourth sunday after easter second.htm

John Chapter i. 34-51
... If the blood of a woman was sufficiently weighty to outweigh the gold, what power
to outweigh the world has the blood of the Lamb by whom the world was made? ...
/.../augustine/homilies on the gospel of john/tractate vii john chapter i.htm

Causes of Corruption Chiefly Intentional.
... 'BL are not ordinary MSS. but first-class authorities, of sufficient
importance to outweigh any number of the later cursive MSS. ...
/.../chapter x causes of corruption.htm

The Right to the Ordinary Safeguards of Good Health
... are faithful servants, they will find in Christ and in His Word a fulness, a meetness,
a preciousness, a joy and strength, that will far outweigh any sacrifice ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/williamson/have we no rights/chapter 3 the right to.htm

The Epistle to the Hebrews
... High Priest) in which Jesus figures here. But here again the differences
outweigh the resemblances. The Son of God does exercise ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/denney/the death of christ/chapter 4 the epistle to.htm

Fifteen Thousand Useful Phrases
... that which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think. "Byron. A good phrase
may outweigh a poor library. "Thomas W. Higginson. ...
/.../kleiser/fifteen thousand useful phrases/fifteen thousand useful phrases.htm

Song of Songs
... of Jamnia, which settled other similar questions; and about 120 AD we find a
distinguished rabbi maintaining that "the whole world does not outweigh the day ...
/.../mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/song of songs.htm

Both Things are Specially Worthy of Notice. ...
... us to disburden our cares into his bosom, the less excusable we are if this admirable
and incomparable blessing does not in our estimation outweigh all other ...
/.../calvin/of prayer--a perpetual exercise of faith/chapter 5 both things are.htm

The Good Man's Life and Death
... upon him in life." We add to that"Call no man happy until he is dead; because the
life that is to come, if that be miserable, shall far outweigh the highest ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 3 1857/the good mans life and.htm

The King in his Beauty
... the point. The dangers of knowing would more than outweigh the advantages.
A similar indefiniteness attaches to the when. Are we ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture b/the king in his beauty.htm

Outweigh (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Outweigh (2 Occurrences). Job 6:3 For now it would be
heavier than the sand of the seas, therefore have my words been rash. (See NIV). ...
/o/outweigh.htm - 7k

Outweighs (3 Occurrences)
... Ecclesiastes 10:1 Dead flies make the ointment of the perfumer fetid and putrid;
so doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honour. (See RSV NIV). ...
/o/outweighs.htm - 7k

Flies (16 Occurrences)
... word, zebhubh, occurs in Ecclesiastes 10:1, "Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer
to send forth an evil odor; so doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and ...
/f/flies.htm - 15k

Outwardly (7 Occurrences)

/o/outwardly.htm - 8k

Fetid (1 Occurrence)
... Fetid (1 Occurrence). Ecclesiastes 10:1 Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer
to send forth an evil odor;'so doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor. ...
/f/fetid.htm - 6k

Putrid (3 Occurrences)
... Putrid (3 Occurrences). Ecclesiastes 10:1 Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer
to send forth an evil odor;'so doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor. ...
/p/putrid.htm - 7k

Perfumer (4 Occurrences)
... Ecclesiastes 10:1 Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to send forth an
evil odor; so does a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor. ...
/p/perfumer.htm - 11k

Songs (100 Occurrences)
... choicest of all songs, in keeping with the dictum of Rabbi `Aqiba (90-135 AD) that
"the entire world, from the beginning until now, does not outweigh the day ...
/s/songs.htm - 62k

Sephar (1 Occurrence)
... The appropriateness of the site seems to outweigh the discrepancy between Arabic
"z" and Hebrew "s". But two important towns in South Arabia bear this name. ...
/s/sephar.htm - 7k

Song (207 Occurrences)
... choicest of all songs, in keeping with the dictum of Rabbi `Aqiba (90-135 AD) that
"the entire world, from the beginning until now, does not outweigh the day ...
/s/song.htm - 78k

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