Galatians 5:15
What does Galatians 5:15 mean?
A plain-English look at Galatians 5:15 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Galatians 5:15 means
Without love, communities turn predatory: believers begin to “bite and devour” one another with words, attitudes, and actions, eventually consuming each other. Paul warns that a church pursuing law-based superiority or self-indulgent freedom will collapse into conflict. The image is deliberately vivid to alarm and awaken. The antidote is not tighter rules but the love described in verse 14, flowing from faith in Christ. Mutual care, patience, and humility prevent the spiral of destruction. Paul calls the Galatians to see where their path leads and to choose the way of love before damage becomes irreparable.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
KJV
King James Version · 1611But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949But if you are given to fighting with one another, take care that you are not the cause of destruction one to another.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and if one another ye do bite and devour, see--that ye may not by one another be consumed.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752But if you bite and devour one another: take heed you be not consumed one of another.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890but if ye bite and devour one another, see that ye are not consumed one of another.
Context
Following the law’s summary in love (v.14), verse 15 shows the ruin that comes when love is lacking. This warning sets up the question of power: how can believers actually live out love? Verses 16–18 answer by pointing to the Spirit as the way to resist the flesh and to live beyond the law’s condemnation. Then verses 19–21 and 22–23 will contrast the products of flesh and Spirit, making clear what each path yields.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Philippians 3:2
Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the concision:
- 1 Corinthians 6:6
but brother goeth to law with brother, and that before unbelievers?
- Isaiah 9:20
And one shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm:
- 2 Corinthians 12:20
For I fear, lest by any means, when I come, I should find you not such as I would, and should myself be found of you such as ye would not; lest by any means there should be strife, jealousy, wraths, factions, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults;
- Isaiah 11:5
And righteousness shall be the girdle of his waist, and faithfulness the girdle of his loins.
- James 3:14
But if ye have bitter jealousy and faction in your heart, glory not and lie not against the truth.
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