Christian Standard Bible
Galatians 5:15
15But if you bite and devour one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.
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 were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love. 14For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself. But if you bite and devour one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another. 16I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want.
Read all of Galatians 5Galatians 5:15 word by word
εἰ δὲ ἀλλήλους δάκνετε καὶ κατεσθίετε, βλέπετε μὴ ὑπ᾽ ἀλλήλων ἀναλωθῆτε.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Galatians 5:15
- Galatians 5:26Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
- 2 Samuel 2:26Then Abner called out to Joab, “Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize this will only end in bitterness? How long before you tell the troops to stop pursuing their brothers?”
- Isaiah 9:20They carve meat on the right, but they are still hungry; they have eaten on the left, but they are still not satisfied. Each one eats the flesh of his arm.
- Isaiah 11:5Righteousness will be a belt around his hips; faithfulness will be a belt around his waist.
- 1 Corinthians 3:3because you are still worldly. For since there is envy and strife among you, are you not worldly and behaving like mere humans?
- 1 Corinthians 6:6Instead, brother goes to court against brother, and that before unbelievers!
- 2 Corinthians 11:20In fact, you put up with it if someone enslaves you, if someone exploits you, if someone takes advantage of you, if someone is arrogant toward you, if someone slaps you in the face.
- 2 Corinthians 12:20For I fear that perhaps when I come I will not find you to be what I want, and you may not find me to be what you want. Perhaps there will be quarreling, jealousy, angry outbursts, selfish ambitions, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder.
- James 3:14But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and deny the truth.
- James 4:1What is the source of wars and fights among you? Don’t they come from your passions that wage 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
In the dictionaries
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
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