Luke 5:36
What does Luke 5:36 mean?
A plain-English look at Luke 5:36 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Luke 5:36 means
Jesus tells a parable: no one tears a piece from a new garment to patch an old one, because the patch will make matters worse. The imagery conveys the incompatibility of old and new—joining them leads to mutual ruin. In his context, Jesus contrasts his new teaching and way with the old religious practices; attempts to graft newness onto old forms without transforming the whole will damage both. The parable warns against hybridizing Jesus’ fresh work with stale forms expecting them to fit seamlessly. It calls for a new framework to receive new revelation.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And he spake also a parable unto them: No man rendeth a piece from a new garment and putteth it upon an old garment; else he will rend the new, and also the piece from the new will not agree with the old.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And he spake also a parable unto them: No man rendeth a piece from a new garment and putteth it upon an old garment; else he will rend the new, and also the piece from the new will not agree with the old.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And he said to them, in a story, No man takes a bit of cloth from a new coat and puts it on to an old coat, for so the new coat would be damaged and the bit from the new would not go well with the old.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862And he spake also a simile unto them--`No one a patch of new clothing doth put on old clothing, and if otherwise, the new also doth make a rent, and with the old the patch doth not agree, that <FI>is<Fi> from the new.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And he spoke also a similitude to them: That no man putteth a piece from a new garment upon an old garment: otherwise he both rendeth the new, and the piece taken from the new agreeth not with the old.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And he spoke also a parable to them: No one puts a piece of a new garment upon an old garment, otherwise he will both rend the new, and the piece which is from the new will not suit with the old.
Context
This parable begins Jesus’ twofold illustration of incompatibility that follows his explanation about fasting. It responds to critics who assume Jesus’ ministry should fit existing religious categories. The parable about cloth moves into the second about wine-skins, both underscoring that Jesus inaugurates a new covenant reality. The scene continues the theme of newness and the need for appropriate structures to receive Jesus’ teaching and mission.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Deuteronomy 22:11
Thou shalt not wear a mingled stuff, wool and linen together.
- Leviticus 19:19
Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with two kinds of seed: neither shall there come upon thee a garment of two kinds of stuff mingled together.
- 2 Corinthians 6:16
And what agreement hath a temple of God with idols? for we are a temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
- Mark 2:21
No man seweth a piece of undressed cloth on an old garment: else that which should fill it up taketh from it, the new from the old, and a worse rent is made.
- Matthew 9:16
And no man putteth a piece of undressed cloth upon an old garment; for that which should fill it up taketh from the garment, and a worse rent is made.
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