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class="vheadingv"><b>Verse</b><a href="/bsb/galatians/5.htm" class="clickchap" style="color:#001320" title="Click any translation name for full chapter">  (Click for Chapter)</a></div><div id="par"><span class="versiontext"><a href="/niv/galatians/5.htm">New International Version</a></span><br />&#8220A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.&#8221<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nlt/galatians/5.htm">New Living Translation</a></span><br />This false teaching is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough!<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/esv/galatians/5.htm">English Standard Version</a></span><br />A little leaven leavens the whole lump.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/bsb/galatians/5.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a></span><br />A little leaven works through the whole batch of dough.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/blb/galatians/5.htm">Berean Literal Bible</a></span><br />A little leaven leavens the whole lump.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/kjv/galatians/5.htm">King James Bible</a></span><br />A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nkjv/galatians/5.htm">New King James Version</a></span><br />A little leaven leavens the whole lump.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb_/galatians/5.htm">New American Standard Bible</a></span><br />A little leaven leavens the whole lump <i>of dough.</i><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb/galatians/5.htm">NASB 1995</a></span><br />A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb77/galatians/5.htm">NASB 1977 </a></span><br />A little leaven leavens the whole lump <i>of dough.</i><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsb/galatians/5.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a></span><br />A little leaven leavens the whole lump.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/amp/galatians/5.htm">Amplified Bible</a></span><br />A little leaven [a slight inclination to error, or a few false teachers] leavens the whole batch [it perverts the concept of faith and misleads the church].<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/csb/galatians/5.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />A little leaven leavens the whole batch of dough.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hcsb/galatians/5.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />A little yeast leavens the whole lump of dough. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/asv/galatians/5.htm">American Standard Version</a></span><br />A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cev/galatians/5.htm">Contemporary English Version</a></span><br />A little yeast can change a whole batch of dough, <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/erv/galatians/5.htm">English Revised Version</a></span><br />A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gwt/galatians/5.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a></span><br />A little yeast spreads through the whole batch of dough.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gnt/galatians/5.htm">Good News Translation</a></span><br />"It takes only a little yeast to make the whole batch of dough rise," as they say. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/isv/galatians/5.htm">International Standard Version</a></span><br />A little yeast spreads through the whole batch of dough. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/msb/galatians/5.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a></span><br />A little leaven works through the whole batch of dough.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/net/galatians/5.htm">NET Bible</a></span><br />A little yeast makes the whole batch of dough rise!<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nheb/galatians/5.htm">New Heart English Bible</a></span><br />A little yeast grows through the whole lump.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wbt/galatians/5.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a></span><br />A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wey/galatians/5.htm">Weymouth New Testament</a></span><br />A little yeast corrupts the whole of the dough.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/web/galatians/5.htm">World English Bible</a></span><br />A little yeast grows through the whole lump. <div class="vheading2"><b>Literal Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsv/galatians/5.htm">Literal Standard Version</a></span><br />A little leaven leavens the whole lump;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/blb/galatians/5.htm">Berean Literal Bible</a></span><br />A little leaven leavens the whole lump.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/ylt/galatians/5.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a></span><br /> a little leaven the whole lump doth leaven;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/slt/galatians/5.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a></span><br />A little leaven leavens the whole mixture.<div class="vheading2"><b>Catholic Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/drb/galatians/5.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a></span><br />A little leaven corrupteth the whole lump. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cpdv/galatians/5.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a></span><br />A little leaven corrupts the whole mass.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nabre/galatians/5.htm">New American Bible</a></span><br />A little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nrsvce/galatians/5.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a></span><br />A little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough.<div class="vheading2"><b>Translations from Aramaic</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lamsa/galatians/5.htm">Lamsa Bible</a></span><br />A little leaven leavens the whole lump.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/aramaic-plain-english/galatians/5.htm">Aramaic Bible in Plain English</a></span><br />A little leaven ferments the entire lump.<div class="vheading2"><b>NT Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/anderson/galatians/5.htm">Anderson New Testament</a></span><br />A little leaven leavens the whole mass.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/godbey/galatians/5.htm">Godbey New Testament</a></span><br />A little leaven leavens the whole lump.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/haweis/galatians/5.htm">Haweis New Testament</a></span><br />A little leaven leaveneth the whole mass.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/mace/galatians/5.htm">Mace New Testament</a></span><br />a little leaven affects the whole mass.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wey/galatians/5.htm">Weymouth New Testament</a></span><br />A little yeast corrupts the whole of the dough.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/worrell/galatians/5.htm">Worrell New Testament</a></span><br />A little leaven leavens the whole lump.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/worsley/galatians/5.htm">Worsley New Testament</a></span><br />I have confidence in you <i>however</i> through the Lord,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/parallel/galatians/5-9.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></span></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv"><b>Audio Bible</b></div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Jv8Ri4CeT34?start=1039" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="vheadingv"><b>Context</b></div><span class="hdg"><a href="/bsb/galatians/5.htm">Freedom in Christ</a></span><br>…<span class="reftext">8</span>Such persuasion does not come from the One who calls you. <span class="reftext">9</span><span class="highl"><a href="/greek/3398.htm" title="3398: mikra (Adj-NFS) -- Little, small. Including the comparative mikroteros apparently a primary word; small (figuratively) dignity).">A little</a> <a href="/greek/2219.htm" title="2219: zymē (N-NFS) -- Leaven, ferment, both lit. and met. Probably from zeo; ferment.">leaven</a> <a href="/greek/2220.htm" title="2220: zymoi (V-PIA-3S) -- To leaven, ferment. From zume; to cause to ferment.">works through</a> <a href="/greek/3588.htm" title="3588: to (Art-ANS) -- The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.">the</a> <a href="/greek/3650.htm" title="3650: holon (Adj-ANS) -- All, the whole, entire, complete. A primary word; whole or all, i.e. Complete, especially as noun or adverb.">whole</a> <a href="/greek/5445.htm" title="5445: phyrama (N-ANS) -- A mass or lump, as of bread dough. From a prolonged form of phuro, mean to knead; a mass of dough.">batch of dough.</a> </span> <span class="reftext">10</span>I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is troubling you will bear the judgment, whoever he may be.…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><span class="crossverse"><a href="/1_corinthians/5-6.htm">1 Corinthians 5:6</a></span><br />Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven works through the whole batch of dough?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/matthew/16-6.htm">Matthew 16:6</a></span><br />“Watch out!” Jesus told them. “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/mark/8-15.htm">Mark 8:15</a></span><br />“Watch out!” He cautioned them. “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/luke/12-1.htm">Luke 12:1</a></span><br />In the meantime, a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling one another. Jesus began to speak first to His disciples: “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/1_corinthians/15-33.htm">1 Corinthians 15:33</a></span><br />Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/2_timothy/2-17.htm">2 Timothy 2:17</a></span><br />and the talk of such men will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/hebrews/12-15.htm">Hebrews 12:15</a></span><br />See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God, and that no root of bitterness springs up to cause trouble and defile many.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/1_corinthians/5-7.htm">1 Corinthians 5:7-8</a></span><br />Get rid of the old leaven, that you may be a new unleavened batch, as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. / Therefore let us keep the feast, not with the old bread, leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and of truth.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/matthew/13-33.htm">Matthew 13:33</a></span><br />He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and mixed into three measures of flour, until all of it was leavened.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/exodus/12-15.htm">Exodus 12:15</a></span><br />For seven days you must eat unleavened bread. On the first day you are to remove the leaven from your houses. Whoever eats anything leavened from the first day through the seventh must be cut off from Israel.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/leviticus/2-11.htm">Leviticus 2:11</a></span><br />No grain offering that you present to the LORD may be made with leaven, for you are not to burn any leaven or honey as a food offering to the LORD.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/deuteronomy/16-3.htm">Deuteronomy 16:3-4</a></span><br />You must not eat leavened bread with it; for seven days you are to eat with it unleavened bread, the bread of affliction, because you left the land of Egypt in haste—so that you may remember for the rest of your life the day you left the land of Egypt. / No leaven is to be found in all your land for seven days, and none of the meat you sacrifice in the evening of the first day shall remain until morning.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/hosea/7-4.htm">Hosea 7:4</a></span><br />They are all adulterers, like an oven heated by a baker who needs not stoke the fire from the kneading to the rising of the dough.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/amos/4-5.htm">Amos 4:5</a></span><br />Offer leavened bread as a thank offering, and loudly proclaim your freewill offerings. For that is what you children of Israel love to do,” declares the Lord GOD.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/zechariah/5-8.htm">Zechariah 5:8</a></span><br />“This is Wickedness,” he said. And he shoved her down into the basket, pushing down the lead cover over its opening.</div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div><p class="tsk2">A little leaven leavens the whole lump.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/matthew/23-33.htm">Matthew 23:33</a></b></br> <i>Ye</i> serpents, <i>ye</i> generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/matthew/16-6.htm">Matthew 16:6-12</a></b></br> Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees… </p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/mark/8-15.htm">Mark 8:15</a></b></br> And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and <i>of</i> the leaven of Herod.</p><div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/1_corinthians/5-7.htm">Batch</a> <a href="/galatians/4-20.htm">Change</a> <a href="/1_corinthians/15-33.htm">Corrupts</a> <a href="/1_corinthians/5-7.htm">Dough</a> <a href="/2_corinthians/10-15.htm">Grows</a> <a href="/galatians/4-19.htm">Little</a> <a href="/galatians/3-15.htm">Makes</a> <a href="/1_corinthians/5-7.htm">Mass</a> <a href="/galatians/5-3.htm">Whole</a> <a href="/galatians/3-10.htm">Works</a> <a href="/1_corinthians/5-8.htm">Yeast</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/romans/11-16.htm">Batch</a> <a href="/philippians/3-21.htm">Change</a> <a href="/ephesians/4-22.htm">Corrupts</a> <a href="/exodus/12-34.htm">Dough</a> <a href="/ephesians/2-21.htm">Grows</a> <a href="/1_thessalonians/2-7.htm">Little</a> <a href="/ephesians/4-16.htm">Makes</a> <a href="/hebrews/6-8.htm">Mass</a> <a href="/galatians/5-12.htm">Whole</a> <a href="/galatians/5-19.htm">Works</a> <a href="/genesis/19-3.htm">Yeast</a><div class="vheading2">Galatians 5</div><span class="reftext">1. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/galatians/5-1.htm">He wills them to stand in their liberty,</a></span><br><span class="reftext">3. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/galatians/5-3.htm">and not to observe circumcision;</a></span><br><span class="reftext">13. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/galatians/5-13.htm">but rather love, which is the sum of the law.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">19. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/galatians/5-19.htm">He lists the works of the flesh,</a></span><br><span class="reftext">22. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/galatians/5-22.htm">and the fruits of the Spirit,</a></span><br><span class="reftext">25. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/galatians/5-25.htm">and exhorts to walk in the Spirit.</a></span><br></div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <br /><br /> </div> </td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="combox"><div class="padcom"><a name="study" id="study"></a><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top"><a href="/study/galatians/5.htm">Study Bible</a></td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/study/galatians/" title="Book Summary and Study">Book ◦</a> <a href="/study/chapters/galatians/5.htm" title="Chapter summary and Study">Chapter </a></tr></table></div><b>A little leaven</b><br>In biblical times, leaven, or yeast, was a common metaphor for influence, often with a negative connotation. In the context of Galatians, Paul uses "leaven" to represent false teachings or corrupting influences. The Jewish audience would understand this metaphor, as leaven was removed during Passover to symbolize purity and the removal of sin (<a href="/exodus/12-15.htm">Exodus 12:15</a>). Jesus also used leaven to describe the corrupting influence of the Pharisees and Sadducees (<a href="/matthew/16-6.htm">Matthew 16:6</a>).<p><b>works through</b><br>The phrase "works through" suggests a process of permeation and influence. In the context of the Galatian church, Paul warns that even a small amount of false teaching can spread and affect the entire community. This reflects the idea that sin or false doctrine, if not addressed, can gradually infiltrate and corrupt the whole body of believers. This concept is echoed in <a href="/1_corinthians/5-6.htm">1 Corinthians 5:6</a>, where Paul similarly warns about the influence of sin within the church.<p><b>the whole batch of dough</b><br>The "whole batch of dough" symbolizes the entire community of believers. Just as a small amount of leaven affects the entire dough, so can false teachings or sinful behavior impact the entire church. This imagery emphasizes the importance of maintaining doctrinal purity and vigilance against false teachings. The metaphor also highlights the communal nature of the church, where the actions and beliefs of individuals can have widespread effects. This principle is consistent with the teachings found in other parts of the New Testament, such as <a href="/ephesians/4-14.htm">Ephesians 4:14</a>, which encourages believers to remain steadfast in sound doctrine.<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <b><a href="/topical/p/paul_the_apostle.htm">Paul the Apostle</a></b><br>The author of the letter to the Galatians, addressing the churches in Galatia with concerns about false teachings and the importance of faith in Christ.<br><br>2. <b><a href="/topical/g/galatian_churches.htm">Galatian Churches</a></b><br>The recipients of the letter, who were being influenced by Judaizers to adopt Jewish laws and customs, including circumcision, as necessary for salvation.<br><br>3. <b><a href="/topical/j/judaizers.htm">Judaizers</a></b><br>A group of Jewish Christians who insisted that Gentile converts must adhere to Jewish law, particularly circumcision, to be true Christians.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><b><a href="/topical/t/the_power_of_influence.htm">The Power of Influence</a></b><br>Just as a small amount of leaven affects the whole batch of dough, a small false teaching can influence an entire community. Christians must be vigilant about the teachings they accept and promote.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/g/guarding_against_false_teachings.htm">Guarding Against False Teachings</a></b><br>Believers are called to discernment, ensuring that their faith is rooted in the truth of the Gospel and not swayed by teachings that deviate from Scripture.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/t/the_importance_of_purity_in_doctrine.htm">The Importance of Purity in Doctrine</a></b><br>Maintaining doctrinal purity is crucial for the health of the church. This requires a commitment to studying Scripture and understanding its truths deeply.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/c/community_responsibility.htm">Community Responsibility</a></b><br>The church community must work together to address and correct false teachings, supporting one another in maintaining the integrity of the Gospel message.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/p/personal_reflection_and_repentance.htm">Personal Reflection and Repentance</a></b><br>Individuals should regularly examine their beliefs and practices, repenting of any falsehoods and aligning themselves with biblical truth.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_galatians_5.htm">Top 10 Lessons from Galatians 5</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/what_does_'a_little_leaven'_mean.htm">What does "a little leaven leavens the whole lump" mean?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/who_was_agag_in_the_bible's_narrative.htm">What does 'a little leaven leavens the whole lump' mean?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/what_does_the_bible_say_about_white_lies.htm">What does the Bible say about telling white lies?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/what_are_the_laws_in_the_covenant_code.htm">What does leaven symbolize in the Bible?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/galatians/5.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(9) <span class= "bld">A little leaven . . .</span>--A pregnant expression, which leaves a good deal to the reader to supply. The proverb is true which says that <span class= "ital">a little leaven leavens the whole mass of dough.</span> And so, in your case, the malcontents may be few, but they will soon ruin the whole Church. It seems decidedly more in accordance with the context to take the "little leaven" as referring rather to <span class= "ital">a few seceders</span> than to <span class= "ital">a little bad doctrine.</span><p><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/galatians/5.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 9.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump</span> (<span class="greek">μικρὰ ζύμη ὅλον τὸ φύραμα</span> <span class="greek">ζυμοῖ</span>); <span class="accented">a little leaven leaveneth the whole kneading.</span> This proverb is cited again in precisely the same words in <a href="/1_corinthians/5-6.htm">1 Corinthians 5:6</a>, with the words prefixed, "know ye not that." In both passages the leaven is an element of evil, and so also in <a href="/matthew/16-11.htm">Matthew 16:11</a>; but our Lord applied it also to an element of good, which was to penetrate (apparently) the whole mass of humanity (<a href="/matthew/13-33.htm">Matthew 13:33</a>). What has the apostle precisely in his view as the leaven in the present instance? In <a href="/1_corinthians/5-6.htm">1 Corinthians 5:6</a> it is unchastity, which, if once tolerated in a Church, especially amid so licentious a population as that of Corinth, would be but too likely to impregnate balefully the sentiment of the whole community. And here likewise, as there, the leaven does not appear to denote, as some have supposed, the individuals in whom some noxious element was conspicuous, but that noxious element itself; namely, to judge from the colouring of the immediate context, the "readiness to hearken" to" another gospel," which was promising comfort and sense of acceptance, more or less, in the practice of at least some of the outward ordinances of Judaism. This leaven had already begun to work, embodying itself in the observance, pedantically and ostentatiously, of the days and feasts of the Jewish calendar (<a href="/galatians/4-10.htm">Galatians 4:10</a>). Now, a movement of mind manifesting itself in some form of external religionism, when once it begins to show itself in a Christian community, has a great tendency to spread. For always, in every Church, there are unstable souls, too often not a few, never able to come to the knowledge of the truth; which have never truly discerned Christ's all-sufficiency for their spiritual needs, or have lost any superficial persuasion of it once enjoyed; and which, consciously unsatisfied with what they as yet possess, and nevertheless only toying with spiritual things, are ready to adopt almost any novelty of religious behaviour offering itself for their acceptance. The particular form in which the external religionism of seekers after another gospel clothes itself varies according to varying tastes or circumstances. Among the Galatian Christians such persons were now beginning to feel attracted by that venerable kind of outward piety exhibited by devout or professedly devout Jews; but in their own practice committing the fatal blunder of mistaking the external shows of saintliness for the reality of saintliness, and but too willing to make the former serve in lieu of the latter. The danger of the leaven spreading was, in the present case, increased by the instability of character and the quick impulsiveness belonging to the Celtic temperament. The true antidote to this "leaven" is in every age the same; namely, that which the apostle in this Epistle strives to administer - the gospel of the righteousness and Spirit of Christ crucified. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/commentaries/galatians/5-9.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a></span><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Greek</div><span class="word">A little</span><br /><span class="grk">μικρὰ</span> <span class="translit">(mikra)</span><br /><span class="parse">Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_3398.htm">Strong's 3398: </a> </span><span class="str2">Little, small. Including the comparative mikroteros apparently a primary word; small (figuratively) dignity).</span><br /><br /><span class="word">yeast</span><br /><span class="grk">ζύμη</span> <span class="translit">(zymē)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_2219.htm">Strong's 2219: </a> </span><span class="str2">Leaven, ferment, both lit. and met. Probably from zeo; ferment.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">leavens</span><br /><span class="grk">ζυμοῖ</span> <span class="translit">(zymoi)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_2220.htm">Strong's 2220: </a> </span><span class="str2">To leaven, ferment. From zume; to cause to ferment.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">the</span><br /><span class="grk">τὸ</span> <span class="translit">(to)</span><br /><span class="parse">Article - Accusative Neuter Singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_3588.htm">Strong's 3588: </a> </span><span class="str2">The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">whole</span><br /><span class="grk">ὅλον</span> <span class="translit">(holon)</span><br /><span class="parse">Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_3650.htm">Strong's 3650: </a> </span><span class="str2">All, the whole, entire, complete. A primary word; 'whole' or 'all', i.e. Complete, especially as noun or adverb.</span><br /><br /><span class="word">batch [of dough].</span><br /><span class="grk">φύραμα</span> <span class="translit">(phyrama)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/greek/strongs_5445.htm">Strong's 5445: </a> </span><span class="str2">A mass or lump, as of bread dough. From a prolonged form of phuro, mean to knead; a mass of dough.</span><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/galatians/5-9.htm">Galatians 5:9 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/galatians/5-9.htm">Galatians 5:9 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/galatians/5-9.htm">Galatians 5:9 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/galatians/5-9.htm">Galatians 5:9 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/galatians/5-9.htm">Galatians 5:9 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="//bibleapps.com/galatians/5-9.htm">Galatians 5:9 BibleApps.com</a><br /><a href="//bibliaparalela.com/galatians/5-9.htm">Galatians 5:9 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="//holybible.com.cn/galatians/5-9.htm">Galatians 5:9 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="//saintebible.com/galatians/5-9.htm">Galatians 5:9 French Bible</a><br /><a href="/catholic/galatians/5-9.htm">Galatians 5:9 Catholic Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/galatians/5-9.htm">NT Letters: Galatians 5:9 A little yeast grows through the whole (Gal. 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