Luke 5:38 kjv
But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.
Luke 5:38 nkjv
But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved.
Luke 5:38 niv
No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins.
Luke 5:38 esv
But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins.
Luke 5:38 nlt
New wine must be stored in new wineskins.
Luke 5 38 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| Jer 31:31-34 | “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant... | Prophecy of the New Covenant |
| Ezek 36:26-27 | “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you... | New heart for New Covenant |
| Mt 9:16-17 | "No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment... Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins..." | Parallel passage emphasizing incompatibility |
| Mk 2:21-22 | "No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment... Nor does anyone pour new wine into old wineskins..." | Parallel passage highlighting fundamental differences |
| 2 Cor 3:6 | "who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit..." | Ministers of the new covenant |
| Heb 8:7-13 | "For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second." | Old covenant becoming obsolete |
| Heb 9:15 | "Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance..." | Christ as mediator of the new |
| 2 Cor 5:17 | "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." | Radical newness in Christ |
| Rom 12:2 | "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind..." | Need for renewed mind |
| Eph 4:22-24 | "...to put off your old self... and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God..." | Shedding the old, putting on the new |
| Gal 2:21 | "I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose." | Grace vs. law |
| Gal 3:10-14 | "...for all who rely on works of the law are under a curse..." | Law's curse contrasted with Christ's redemption |
| Gal 5:1-4 | "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." | Freedom in Christ vs. legalism |
| Rom 7:6 | "But now we are released from the law, having died to what held us captive..." | Released from the law |
| Prov 4:23 | "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life." | Importance of the heart (wineskin) |
| Mt 13:15 | "For this people's heart has grown dull... lest they should understand with their heart..." | Unreceptive hearts |
| Jas 1:21 | "...receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls." | Receptive spirit |
| Acts 2:13-18 | "...Others scoffed, saying, “They are filled with new wine.” But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give ear to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you suppose..." | Holy Spirit's "new wine" dynamic |
| Jn 1:17 | "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." | Law vs. grace |
| Lk 16:16 | "The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached..." | Shift in eras |
| Mt 11:28-30 | "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest... For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." | Contrast with heavy legalistic burdens |
Luke 5 verses
Luke 5 38 Meaning
Luke 5:38 proclaims that the transformative truth and liberating power of the Kingdom of God, represented as "new wine," cannot be confined or harmonized with the rigid, outmoded legalistic frameworks and spiritual dispositions of the past, symbolized by "old wineskins." This verse signifies the necessity of spiritual renewal and open-hearted receptivity to embrace Christ's dynamic message fully. If new spiritual life is placed into a new, adaptable vessel, both the message and the receiver are preserved and enabled to flourish.
Luke 5 38 Context
Luke 5:38 is a key part of Jesus' teaching after He has called Levi and shared a meal with tax collectors and sinners, prompting criticism from the Pharisees about His association with such people and His disciples' lack of fasting. Jesus responds with three analogies: the bridegroom (Lk 5:34-35), the old garment and new patch (Lk 5:36), and the new wine and old wineskins (Lk 5:37-39). This particular verse, following the explanation of what happens if new wine is put into old skins (they burst), succinctly states the positive requirement and outcome. The entire discourse illustrates that Jesus' coming marks a decisive new epoch that fundamentally differs from the traditional Jewish religious system, emphasizing a break from rigid legalism and a move towards dynamic, spiritual transformation.
Luke 5 38 Word analysis
- But: (δέ, de) Functions as a strong conjunction, introducing a contrast and setting up the crucial conclusion after explaining the detrimental effect of putting new wine into old skins in Lk 5:37. It shifts from what not to do to what must be done.
- new: (καινός, kainos) This is a critical term, distinguishing from neos (new in time or recent). Kainos means new in kind, fresh, unprecedented, qualitatively superior. It refers to the new nature of Jesus' teachings, the Gospel message, the new covenant, and the spiritual life in the Holy Spirit, which is distinct from and transcends the previous Mosaic legal system.
- wine: (οἶνος, oinos) In this context, it metaphorically represents Jesus' teachings, the gospel of the Kingdom, the vibrant spiritual life that flows from God's grace, or the dynamic outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Its fermentation process symbolizes the expansive, energetic, and life-giving nature of Christ's truth.
- must be put: (βλητέον, blēteon) This is a verbal adjective indicating necessity or obligation. It conveys a divine imperative, not merely a suggestion. The newness of Christ's message demands a proper, suitable vessel for its containment and expression; it is not optional.
- into: (εἰς, eis) A preposition denoting movement into a suitable recipient, signifying that the "new wine" must enter a vessel capable of holding its power and expansion.
- new wineskins: (ἀσκοὺς καινούς, askous kainous) "Wineskins" (askoi) were made from animal hides. "New" (kainous) again signifies quality—supple, elastic skins that had not previously expanded from fermentation. These symbolize hearts, minds, and spiritual dispositions renewed by God, able to receive, stretch with, and genuinely contain the expansive, dynamic truth of the Gospel without being destroyed or destroying the message. They represent a receptivity and transformation aligned with Christ's new way.
- and: (καί, kai) A simple conjunction connecting the preceding necessary action with its positive outcome.
- both are preserved: (ἀμφότεροι συντηρηθήσονται, amphoteroi syntērēthēsontai) This phrase implies that if the new wine is correctly placed into new wineskins, both the wine (Jesus' message/Kingdom principles) and the wineskins (the renewed hearts, transformed lives, or new expressions of faith) will be kept safe, preserved, and allowed to endure effectively. It underscores the harmony and successful flourishing when Christ's new way is genuinely embraced.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "But new wine must be put into new wineskins": This clause establishes a divine mandate and logical necessity. The profound, qualitatively new reality brought by Jesus requires a fundamentally new container. It means that His life-giving Gospel, spiritual power, and Kingdom principles are incompatible with—and indeed, cannot safely be poured into—the old, rigid, unyielding forms of legalistic adherence or unregenerated hearts. It calls for radical transformation.
- "and both are preserved": This is the positive outcome of adhering to the principle. When Christ's new way is received by those with renewed hearts and spiritual pliability, both the vibrant truth of the Gospel and the lives of those who embrace it are protected from rupture and loss. They endure and thrive together, demonstrating the successful union of the new message with its proper vessel.
Luke 5 38 Bonus section
The concept of "new wine" extends beyond Jesus' immediate teaching to symbolize the exhilarating, expanding power of the Holy Spirit, as witnessed at Pentecost when disciples were mistakenly thought to be drunk with "new wine" (Acts 2:13). This further illustrates the dynamic and irrepressible nature of God's new work. The principle in Luke 5:38 is not about devaluing the old covenant, which served God's purposes for a time (Gal 3:24), but acknowledging that with the advent of Christ, a superior covenant has arrived (Heb 8:7-13). It is about God's progressive revelation and the necessity of personal and communal transformation to genuinely embrace the fuller light and life of Christ, moving from rigid observance to spiritual vitality.
Luke 5 38 Commentary
Luke 5:38 encapsulates Jesus' revolutionary teaching: His mission introduces a fundamentally new spiritual reality—a dynamic covenant of grace—that cannot merely patch up or fit into the antiquated and rigid frameworks of religious tradition or unregenerated human hearts. To truly experience and contain the expanding, vital truth of Christ ("new wine"), one must be transformed with a renewed spirit and pliable receptivity ("new wineskins"). This isn't a call for reform of the old system but for a spiritual re-creation. Only then can both the life-giving message of the Gospel and the receptive individual be fully preserved and flourish.
- Practical example 1: A believer who experiences a profound spiritual awakening finds traditional, rote religious practices insufficient for their new-found passion, seeking deeper, Spirit-led worship.
- Practical example 2: A person who grasps salvation by grace alone may find the previous focus on earning God's favor through rigid rules now meaningless, shifting their devotion to love-motivated obedience.
- Practical example 3: A Christian community might shed outdated, unbiblical traditions to make space for the vibrant work of the Holy Spirit, embracing new ministries and expressions of faith.