The Greek verb dakno means to bite, gnaw, or wound with the teeth. Used metaphorically, it means to harm, injure, or consume another person through hostile action or contentious speech. It appears only once in the New Testament (Galatians 5:15), where Paul warns against Christians devouring one another.
Paul's use of dakno in Galatians 5:15 — 'If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other' — uses animal imagery to describe ungodly community conflict. The context is the misuse of Christian freedom as a license for selfish behavior (5:13). The teeth of envy, slander, and factionalism tear apart the body of Christ. The antidote Paul offers is walking by the Spirit (5:16), whose fruit includes love, gentleness, and self-control — the opposite of biting and devouring. Dakno is a warning that internal conflict can destroy what the gospel builds.