Verse Lens · Expanded explanation
Galatians 5:15 Explained in Context
Use this verse as a doorway into the larger passage—not as an isolated saying.
Verse 15. 15But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
King James Version — public domain in the United States · Bible text and permissions
Quick Meaning
This verse warns that mutual biting and devouring can end in mutual consumption.
Freedom is a summons to serve, not a vacancy for the flesh.
This verse is one part of that explanation in Galatians 5:13–15. The complete section carries the connected meaning and how it should shape life.
Read It With
- Galatians 5:13–15
Read Galatians 5:15 with 5:13–15. This verse warns that mutual biting and devouring can end in mutual consumption. The complete unit establishes this movement: The call to freedom is not an opening for flesh but a summons to serve one another through love; the neighbor command fulfills the law's aim, while biting and devouring one another threatens the community with mutual destruction.
Why This Verse Appears Here
The paragraph prevents Paul's anti-compulsion argument from being misread as libertinism and provides the ethical bridge from faith-working-through-love to Spirit-walking. Within that movement, this verse warns that mutual biting and devouring can end in mutual consumption.
Follow the Context
- The community is called to freedom.
- Freedom must not become an opportunity or operating base for flesh.
- Through love they are to serve one another.
- The whole law is fulfilled in loving one's neighbor as oneself.
- Mutual biting and devouring can consume the community.
Phrase-by-Phrase Explanation
“bite and devour”
In plain language: Predatory imagery depicts community conflict becoming self-destruction.
warns that mutual biting and devouring can end in mutual consumption. Unrestrained conflict destroys the very community freedom is meant to serve.
Why it matters: The wording carries interpretive or ethical risk that requires the full unit and its stated limits.
How certain? probableWhat This Verse Is Not Saying
The mutual wording does not require equal blame when one party abuses power.
What Remains True
Unrestrained conflict destroys the very community freedom is meant to serve.
How It Can Shape Life
- De-escalate reciprocal harm while identifying asymmetrical power and protecting targets.
Teach It Back
Explain how Galatians 5:15 contributes to Galatians 5:13–15. Show how the surrounding movement controls the verse, name the stated uncertainty, and identify what the verse does not authorize.
Your explanation stays in this browser. It is not sent or saved.
Continue in Context
Read the complete section for the connected explanation and how it should shape life. This verse is a doorway into that passage, not a saying that stands alone.
Read Galatians 5:13–15 — Freedom Takes the Form of Loving ServiceSources used for this Verse Lens
How certain is this explanation? probable
Where care is needed
The concrete conflict is not described; it may involve the law dispute and wider rivalries.
These are the sources used directly for this lens. Language, grammar, disagreements, and the complete source shelf remain attached to the full thought-unit research record.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Exact reader-facing Scripture wording, paragraph markers, supplied-word markup, and complete verse coverage.
Exact location: Galatians 5:13–15, pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM corpus
Open source ↗Greek textual evidence
The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition
Michael W. Holmes, editor; Society of Biblical Literature and Logos
Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software, 2010
Supports: Greek wording, clause relationships, repeated terms, and original-language discussion.
Exact location: SBLGNT official text file Gal.txt, 5:13–15
Open the Galatians Greek text file ↗Translation and textual notes
NET Bible - Galatians with translators' and textual notes
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, 2005-2026 online edition
Supports: Verse-level Greek, syntax, KJV-era wording, textual variants, and interpretive alternatives.
Exact location: NET Bible Galatians chapter print views, 5:13–15, including attached translator, study, and textual notes
Open NET Galatians 5 notesmodern open commentary
Galatians
Matthew S. Harmon and John Sloat
The Gospel Coalition Bible Commentary, 2023
Supports: South-Galatian early-date case, whole-letter flow, Greek observations, traditional Protestant synthesis, and verse-level interpretation.
Exact location: Harmon and Sloat, Galatians, introduction and commentary on 5:13–15, with bibliography and endnotes
Open source ↗modern annotated new testament
Galatians introduction and annotations in The Jewish Annotated New Testament
Shaye J. D. Cohen; edited by Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Zvi Brettler
Oxford University Press, 2011
Supports: Jewish historical orientation, rhetoric about Torah and circumcision, reception risks, and verse-level alternatives.
Exact location: Cohen, Jewish Annotated New Testament, print pp. 332–344, introduction and annotations on 5:13–15
Open source ↗Lexical and grammatical evidence
STEP Bible Data
Tyndale House Cambridge
Tyndale House Cambridge, repository snapshot verified 2026
Supports: Independent morphology, form, and lexical-range cross-check for material Greek claims.
Exact location: STEP Bible Data repository, Greek morphology and lexical records for Galatians 5:13–15
Open source ↗