Galatians 5:9 kjv
A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
Galatians 5:9 nkjv
A little leaven leavens the whole lump.
Galatians 5:9 niv
"A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough."
Galatians 5:9 esv
A little leaven leavens the whole lump.
Galatians 5:9 nlt
This false teaching is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough!
Galatians 5 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gal 5:9 | “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” | Paul's teaching on influence |
| 1 Cor 5:6 | “Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole batch of dough?” | Warning against immorality |
| Matt 13:33 | “He told them another parable. The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.” | Kingdom's pervasive nature |
| Luke 13:20-21 | “Again Jesus asked, ‘What shall I compare the kingdom of God to?...It is like yeast that a woman used in three measures of flour until the whole batch was leavened.’” | Kingdom's pervasive nature |
| 1 Cor 15:33 | “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’” | Influence of wrong associations |
| Gal 2:4 | “Even though there were those who posed as believers...they slipped in to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to enslave us.” | False brethren |
| Acts 15:1 | "Some men came down from Judea and began to teach the brothers, 'Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.'” | Judaizing controversy |
| Gal 5:2-4 | Warning against reliance on circumcision | Rejection of circumcision |
| 1 Cor 8:8 | “But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.” | Dietary laws |
| Col 2:16 | “Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.” | Shadow vs. substance |
| Titus 1:11 | “They are men who corrupt the teaching for wicked gain, silencing the truth because they do not have regard for God.” | Corrupting influence of teachers |
| 2 Pet 2:1 | “But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them...” | False teachers' subtle danger |
| 1 Tim 6:10 | “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” | Motivation for corrupting truth |
| John 15:18-19 | "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world—that is why the world hates you." | Separation from the world |
| Rom 16:17 | "I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put stumbling blocks in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them." | Avoiding divisive influences |
| Eph 4:14 | “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.” | Steadfastness in doctrine |
| Prov 22:24-25 | "Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one who is irate, or you may learn their ways and get ensnared." | Associating with wrong people |
| 1 Cor 11:16 | “If anyone wants to be contentious, we have no such practice—nor do the churches of God.” | Order in the church |
| Heb 12:15 | "See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many." | Importance of spiritual purity |
| Matt 7:15 | "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves." | Warning against deceptive leaders |
Galatians 5 verses
Galatians 5 9 Meaning
Leaven signifies corrupting influence. A small amount of something bad can spoil the whole. This refers to the pervasive nature of false teachings or sinful attitudes that can undermine the integrity of the community of faith.
Galatians 5 9 Context
In Galatians chapter 5, Paul is addressing the Galatian churches about the dangers of mixing the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ with the requirements of the Mosaic Law, specifically circumcision, for salvation. The preceding verses (Galatians 5:7-8) speak of the Galatians running well but being hindered by someone who turned them away from obedience to the truth. This verse (Galatians 5:9) serves as a potent analogy to illustrate the insidious and pervasive nature of such hindering influences. The context is a polemic against those (likely Judaizers) who were subtly corrupting the Gospel message and the Galatians' understanding of it.
Galatians 5 9 Word Analysis
μικρά (mikra): Little. Small in quantity or degree.
ζύμη (zymē): Leaven or yeast. A substance that causes fermentation and makes dough rise. Figuratively, it represents something that permeates and transforms a whole mass.
ζυμοῖ (zymoi): Leavens or causes to rise. It implies a process of spreading and affecting the whole.
ὅλον (holon): Whole. Complete, entire, all of it.
ζύρισμα (zyrismatos): Dough. A mass of flour mixed with water, ready for baking.
Group analysis - "μικρὰ ζύμη ὅλον τὸ φύραμα ζυμοῖ" (mikra zymē holon to phyrrma zymoi): A small leaven leavens the whole lump. This idiom, familiar in Jewish culture from Passover unleavened bread practices (Exodus 12:15, 19), powerfully illustrates how a minor doctrinal deviation or persistent sinful practice can corrupt the entirety of a community’s spiritual life or a believer’s character.
Galatians 5 9 Bonus Section
The use of "leaven" (ζύμη) in Scripture often carries a negative connotation, representing corruption, malice, or false teaching, particularly in contrast to the unleavened bread used during Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The contrast is between purity and corruption. Jesus Himself uses leaven as a metaphor for the “teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (Matthew 16:6, 11-12), highlighting its corrupting power. The Old Testament commands to eat unleavened bread for seven days during Passover (Exodus 12:15) signify eating with sincerity and truth, free from the leaven of malice and wickedness, pointing to Christ, our Passover Lamb, who is without blemish.
Galatians 5 9 Commentary
Paul uses the common imagery of leaven to warn the Galatians. Just as a small amount of yeast contaminates an entire batch of dough, a seemingly minor deviation from the pure Gospel of grace can corrupt the whole of Christian belief and practice. This could refer to the false teaching of the Judaizers, who insisted on circumcision and adherence to the Law for salvation. Their subtle addition to the faith would spoil the pure message of salvation by grace through faith alone. The influence spreads, and if not dealt with, the entire "lump" (the church or the believer) becomes corrupted.
- Practical usage:
- Be vigilant about teachings that subtly add works or conditions to salvation by grace alone.
- Address divisive attitudes or ungodly practices in the church promptly, as they can spread.
- Guard your own life and doctrine from subtle compromises.