Mark 2 21

Mark 2:21 kjv

No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse.

Mark 2:21 nkjv

No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse.

Mark 2:21 niv

"No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse.

Mark 2:21 esv

No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made.

Mark 2:21 nlt

"Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before.

Mark 2 verses

Mark 2 21 Meaning

Mark 2:21 metaphorically illustrates the fundamental incompatibility of Jesus's new teaching, his radical Gospel of grace and transformed life, with the old, rigid, and traditional Jewish system of external religious observance, represented by the Mosaic Law as interpreted by the Pharisees and scribes. Attempting to integrate the powerful new reality of Christ's kingdom into the old, worn-out framework would not result in improvement but rather a tearing apart, rendering both the new message ineffective and the old system even more broken. It speaks to the impossibility of patching a system in decline with something fundamentally new and expansive, without leading to total disruption and ruin of the older form.

Mark 2 21 Context

Mark 2:21 is part of a larger discussion about Jesus's authority and approach to religious life, specifically following a challenge regarding fasting (Mk 2:18). This verse, along with the parable of new wine and old wineskins (Mk 2:22), serves as Jesus's answer to why His disciples do not fast in the same manner as John's disciples or the Pharisees. It implies that Jesus's ministry brings a revolutionary new reality, one of joy and divine presence, rather than sorrow and old ritualistic practices. The context positions Jesus's message not as a reform of existing Judaism, but as something distinct and superior that cannot be simply integrated without destroying the existing framework and its own essence. This challenge implicitly rejects the traditional interpretation and application of the Mosaic Law prevalent among the religious leaders of the time.

Mark 2 21 Word analysis

• No one sews: Greek Oudeis epirhaptei (Οὐδεὶς ἐπιράπτει). The double negative (οὐδείς = "no one") emphasizes an absolute prohibition or impossibility. It's a statement of an unworkable truth, not just a suggestion. It signifies a divine reality.

• a patch of unshrunk cloth: Greek rakos agnaphon (ῥάκος ἀγνάφου).

  • rakos: refers to a torn piece of cloth, a rag. Here, a "patch."
  • agnaphon: "unfulled," "unshrunk," "newly made." Cloth at this stage had not been washed or processed (fulled) to remove natural oils or fibers, meaning it would significantly shrink when first wet. This "new" patch is dynamic and unyielding.

• on an old garment: Greek epi himation palaion (ἐπὶ ἱμάτιον παλαιόν).

  • himation: a long outer cloak or tunic, often representing one's outward identity or long-standing practices.
  • palaion: "old," "worn-out," "ancient." It refers to something no longer in its original, vibrant state, representing an established, often rigid, religious system that had become worn out by external traditions.

• otherwise, the new patch pulls away from the old: Greek ei de me, airei to pleroma apo autou to kainon tou palaiou (εἰ δὲ μή, αἴρει τὸ πλήρωμα ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ τὸ καινὸν τοῦ παλαιοῦ).

  • ei de me: "otherwise," indicating the inevitable negative consequence.
  • airei: "lifts," "takes away," "carries off," implying a forceful action. The "new" doesn't just attach; it actively tears away from the "old" due to its inherent nature (shrinking).
  • to pleroma: "the fullness" or "that which fills." It means the full part of the patch. The full effect of the new material, upon shrinking, causes the tear.
  • kainon: "new in kind," "fresh," "unprecedented," as opposed to neos ("new in time" or "recent"). It points to a qualitative newness, a different order.

• making the tear worse: Greek kai schisma cheiron ginetai (καὶ σχίσμα χεῖρον γίνεται).

  • schisma: "a tear," "a rent," "a division." This word is also used to describe divisions in the church (1 Cor 1:10).
  • cheiron: "worse," "more evil," "more difficult."
  • ginetai: "becomes," "happens," implying a destructive outcome. The attempt to blend leads to a greater destruction than the original problem.

• "patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment": This phrase symbolizes the futile attempt to apply Jesus's radical new teachings (grace, spirit, new life) to the rigid, legalistic framework of established Judaism, or any external religious system resistant to change, without fundamentally changing the old system itself. The old is not merely damaged, but unable to bear the force of the new.

• "the new patch pulls away from the old, making the tear worse": This group of words emphasizes the destructive outcome. It means that attempting such a blend won't improve the situation; it will exacerbate the original flaw, resulting in a deeper, more severe break or conflict. The new system is designed to supplant, not simply mend, the old.

Mark 2 21 Bonus section

The metaphor carries a direct polemic against the scribes and Pharisees, who prioritized their oral traditions and strict interpretations of the Law over its spirit, and who resisted Jesus's teachings that liberated people from burdensome regulations. It challenges the assumption that existing religious structures were sufficient or merely needed minor adjustments. Furthermore, this verse underscores the radical and foundational nature of Jesus's mission. He wasn't offering an extension course to Judaism; He was introducing a new spiritual economy. The parable stresses that the incompatibility isn't merely stylistic but foundational, rooted in the very nature of what is being brought forth and what it seeks to replace or fulfill. This principle also applies to individuals: one cannot embrace Christ fully while clinging tightly to their former self-centered desires and old patterns of living without experiencing inner turmoil and ultimately, a breakdown.

Mark 2 21 Commentary

Mark 2:21 encapsulates a critical aspect of Jesus's ministry: He did not come to merely repair or update the existing religious framework, but to introduce an entirely new covenant. The "old garment" represents the Mosaic Law as it had been burdened and externalized by traditions, legalism, and human interpretations that had obscured its true spiritual intent. The "unshrunk cloth" signifies Jesus's radical Gospel: His person, teachings, and kingdom reality – a dynamic, unyielding, and Spirit-empowered way of life. Attempting to force the "new" and potent truths of Christ's kingdom onto the brittle structure of the "old" legalistic system, where faith was reduced to external observances, inevitably leads to a tear that is "worse." This is because the new principles (grace, inner transformation, Spirit-led living) are incompatible with old principles (works-based righteousness, rigid ritualism, external performance). Trying to hold onto both at the same time results in destruction, for the inherent nature of the new cannot be contained by the old.

For example, trying to blend a deep, personal relationship with God through Jesus (the new) with a rigid adherence to empty rituals and outward displays without genuine faith (the old) often results in hypocrisy or spiritual exhaustion. One cannot cling to self-righteousness while embracing divine grace. It signifies that embracing Christ requires a fundamental shift in perspective and practice, not just adding Jesus to an existing framework of one's own making.