A verb with nuanced meanings from 'hold before' to 'excel' or 'have advantage.' Classical usage included holding something out for protection, putting forward as pretext, or surpassing others. In Romans 3:9, Paul asks a disputed question: 'Do we have any advantage?' or possibly 'Are we worse off?' The middle voice and context both affect interpretation. Most likely Paul is asking whether Jews have advantage over Gentiles, then answering that both are equally under sin—Jewish privilege doesn't translate to moral superiority.