Galatians 5:15

Galatians 5:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
• New International Version (NIV)If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!

Context of Galatians 5:15

13For you, brothers, were called to freedom; but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Rather, serve one another in love. 14The entire law is fulfilled in a single decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you keep on biting and devouring one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another. 16So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want.

Galatians 5:15 word by word

εἰ δὲ ἀλλήλους δάκνετε καὶ κατεσθίετε, βλέπετε μὴ ὑπ᾽ ἀλλήλων ἀναλωθῆτε.¶Read the interlinear

• Butδέde · thenG1161
• ifεἰei · ifG1487
• you keep on bitingδάκνωdaknō · to biteG1143
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• devouringκατεσθίωkatesthiō · to devourG2719
• one anotherἀλλήλωνallēlōn · one anotherG240
• watch outβλέπωblepō · to seeG991
• ·μήmē · notG3361
• you will be consumedἀναλίσκωanaliskō · to consumeG355
• byὑπόhupo · by/under: byG5259

Cross-references for Galatians 5:15

• Galatians 5:26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying one another.
• 2 Samuel 2:26Then Abner called out to Joab: “Must the sword devour forever? Do you not realize that this will only end in bitterness? How long before you tell the troops to stop pursuing their brothers?”
• Isaiah 9:20They carve out what is on the right, but they are still hungry; they eat what is on the left, but they are still not satisfied. Each one devours the flesh of his own offspring.
• Isaiah 11:5Righteousness will be the belt around His hips, and faithfulness the sash around His waist.
• 1 Corinthians 3:3for you are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and dissension among you, are you not worldly? Are you not walking in the way of man?
• 1 Corinthians 6:6Instead, one brother goes to law against another, and this in front of unbelievers!
• 2 Corinthians 11:20In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or exalts himself or strikes you in the face.
• 2 Corinthians 12:20For I am afraid that when I come, I may not find you as I wish, and you may not find me as you wish. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, rage, rivalry, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder.
• James 3:14But if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth.
• James 4:1What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you?

Commentaries on Galatians 5:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15If ye bite and devour one another - These Churches seem to have been in a state of great distraction; there were continual altercations among them. They had fallen from the grace of the Gospel; and, as Christ no longer dwelt in their hearts by faith, pride, anger, ill-will, and all unkind and uncharitable tempers, took possession of their souls, and they were in consequence alternately destroying each other. Nothing is so destructive to the peace of man…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15But if ye bite - The word used here ( ́ daknō), means, properly, to bite, to sting; and here seems to be used in the sense of contending and striving - a metaphor not improbably taken from dogs and wild beasts. And devour one another - As wild beasts do. The sense is, “if you contend with each other;” and the reference is, probably, to the strifes which would arise between the two parties in the churches - the Jewish and the Gentile converts. Take heed…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-15Verses 13-15 The gospel is a doctrine according to godliness, 1Ti 6:3, and is so far from giving the least countenance to sin, that it lays us under the strongest obligation to avoid and subdue it. The apostle urges that all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. If Christians, who should help one another, and rejoice one another, quarrel, what can be expected but that the God of love should deny his…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15The opposite of love is when people hurt and attack each other (see Psalm 35:25; Proverbs 30:14; Jeremiah 8:17). People who lack love are often bitter and fight with one another. They will eventually harm each other. In contrast, love brings life to others (see John 3:16; 15:12–13).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. bite--backbite the character. devour--the substance by injuring, extortion, &c. (Ha 1:13; Mt 23:14; 2Co 11:20). consumed, &c.--Strength of soul, health of body, character, and resources, are all consumed by broils [Bengel].Read the comment

Topics related to Galatians 5:15

• Strife

In the dictionaries

• Affection
• Bite
• Contrary
• Cross
• Crucify
• Debtor
• Flesh
• Gentleness
• Goodness
• Meekness

Commentaries on Galatians 5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings