Devine Scripture

Matthew 9:17

What does Matthew 9:17 mean?

A plain-English look at Matthew 9:17 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Matthew 9:17 means

Jesus continues with a second parable, explaining that new wine, which is still fermenting and expanding, cannot be put into old, brittle wineskins, as they would burst. Instead, new wine requires fresh, pliable wineskins. This reinforces the previous parable's lesson: the dynamic, expansive truth of the new covenant Jesus ushers in cannot be contained within the rigid, unyielding structures of the old religious law. It demands a new way, a new order, that is capable of accommodating its powerful new life.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

Neither do men put new wine into old wine-skins: else the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins perish: but they put new wine into fresh wine-skins, and both are preserved.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

Neither do men put new wine into old wine-skins: else the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins perish: but they put new wine into fresh wine-skins, and both are preserved.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And men do not put new wine into old wine-skins; or the skins will be burst and the wine will come out, and the skins are of no more use: but they put new wine into new wine-skins, and so the two will be safe.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

`Nor do they put new wine into old skins, and if not--the skins burst, and the wine doth run out, and the skins are destroyed, but they put new wine into new skins, and both are preserved together.'

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

Neither do they put new wine into old bottles. Otherwise the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish. But new wine they put into new bottles: and both are preserved.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

Nor do men put new wine into old skins, otherwise the skins burst and the wine is poured out, and the skins will be destroyed; but they put new wine into new skins, and both are preserved together.

Context

This verse presents the second parable, a parallel illustration to the new patch on an old garment, further emphasizing the theme of renewal. It directly follows the first parable, reinforcing the necessity of adopting new practices that are suitable for Jesus' revolutionary teachings. Both parables collectively explain why Jesus' disciples' practices, such as not fasting, represent a fundamental shift from the established religious norms.

v.16And 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.

v.17This passage

v.18While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.

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