Galatians 5:9 (KJV)

Passage

A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

Nearby Context

Galatians 5:7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?

Galatians 5:8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.

Galatians 5:9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

Galatians 5:10 I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.

Galatians 5:11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "little", "leaven", "leaveneth", "whole", and "lump". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "little" and "leaven", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 8's "This persuasion cometh not of him that..." into verse 10's "I have confidence in you through the...", so "little" and "leaven" belong inside that flow. In Galatians context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "little" and "leaven" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.