Matthew 9:16 kjv

No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse.

Matthew 9:16 nkjv

No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse.

Matthew 9:16 niv

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

Matthew 9:16 esv

No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made.

Matthew 9:16 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.

Matthew 9 verses

Matthew 9 16 Meaning

Matthew 9:16 illustrates, through a vivid analogy, the fundamental incompatibility between the new way of life and truth inaugurated by Jesus and the old system it transcends. It conveys that Christ's teaching is not merely an addition or a patch to the existing religious framework of His time but rather a completely new paradigm that requires a holistic embrace, lest both the old and the new be destroyed. Trying to force new wine into old wineskins, or an unfulled cloth patch onto an old garment, results in rupture and worsening the situation. This implies that the transformative power of the Gospel cannot be confined or accommodated by rigid, outmoded structures; it necessitates a radical shift and renewed understanding.

Matthew 9 16 Context

Matthew 9:16 is part of a series of stories demonstrating Jesus' authority and the newness of His ministry. Immediately preceding this verse (Mt 9:14-15), John's disciples question Jesus about why His disciples do not fast, unlike themselves and the Pharisees. Jesus responds with the "bridegroom" analogy, indicating a time of joy not mourning for His disciples while He is with them. Verses 16 and 17, the parables of the new cloth/old garment and new wine/old wineskins, directly follow as further explanations for why His ministry and teachings cannot simply be reconciled with the established religious practices and expectations of traditional Judaism. These parables articulate the incompatibility of trying to merely patch up or contain the transformative "newness" that Jesus brings within an old, rigid system without fundamental change. It signifies a decisive break and the introduction of a new order rather than an amendment to the old.

Matthew 9 16 Word analysis

• No man puts (οὐδεὶς ἐπιβάλλει - oudeis epiballei):
  • οὐδεὶς (oudeis): "no one," "no man." Emphatic negation. It underscores the impossibility or illogic of the action being described, setting the stage for a universally applicable truth.
  • ἐπιβάλλει (epiballei): From epiballo, meaning "to cast upon," "to throw on," or "to sew on." Implies an action of joining or applying one thing to another. The verb is in the present tense, denoting a customary or universally applicable action.
• a piece of new cloth (ἐπὶ ῥάκους ἀγνάφου - epi rakous agnaphos):
  • ῥάκους (rakous): From rhakos, meaning "a piece of cloth," "a rag," often specifically a torn piece or a patch. Here, it refers to the material for mending.
  • ἀγνάφου (agnaphos): Crucial word meaning "unshrunk," "unfulled," or "new." Fulled cloth has been treated (washed, pounded, shrunk) to make it dense and durable. Unfulled cloth would shrink significantly when wet, making it unsuitable for patching an old garment. This highlights the inherent problem.
• on an old garment (ἐπὶ ἱμάτιον παλαιόν - epi himation palaion):
  • ἱμάτιον (himation): Refers to an "outer garment," a cloak, the primary piece of clothing in that culture, which would often be old and worn before being patched.
  • παλαιόν (palaion): "Old," "ancient," "worn out." Describes something that has deteriorated or served its purpose. Here, it signifies the worn-out, traditional religious system of Judaism.
• for (γὰρ - gar): "For," "because." Introduces the explanation or reason for the preceding statement, confirming its logic.
• that which is put in (τὸ πλήρωμα αὐτοῦ - to plērōma autou): Literally "its fulfillment," or "that which fills it." Refers to the patch itself, indicating its intended purpose to complete or repair.
• tapes (σχίσει - schisei): From schizō, meaning "to tear," "to split," "to divide." The future tense indicates the inevitable outcome of such an unwise action. This tearing is a violent, destructive act.
• from the garment (ἀπὸ τοῦ ἱματίου - apo tou himatiou): "Away from the garment," emphasizing the separation and damage.
• and a worse tear is made (καὶ χεῖρον σχίσμα γίνεται - kai cheiron schisma ginetai):
  • χεῖρον (cheiron): Comparative adjective, meaning "worse." Not just a tear, but a worse one than the original damage.
  • σχίσμα (schisma): "A rent," "a split," "a tear," "a division." The source of the English word "schism." It emphasizes the division and irreparable damage.
  • γίνεται (ginetai): "It comes into being," "it becomes." Implying the inevitable outcome of the incompatible attempt.

Matthew 9 16 Bonus section

The analogies in Matthew 9:16-17 reflect Jesus' gentle yet firm pushback against the prevalent religious mentality of His day, particularly that of the Pharisees, who were deeply invested in maintaining and patching the Mosaic Law with their traditions. Jesus’ teaching was not an expansion of rabbinic law; it was a revelation of a deeper reality that made the ceremonial aspects of the old covenant obsolete for the new spiritual dispensation. This was a direct polemic against syncretism – the blending of old religious practices with the transformative demands of His Gospel. Jesus emphasized that a truly repentant and regenerated heart is essential; merely adding Jesus to one's existing religious framework would cause inevitable conflict and damage. It signals that spiritual growth under the new covenant demands an inward change that resonates outwardly, rather than simply appending new behaviors to an unchanged internal state. The "new cloth" requires a "new garment"—a new nature—which is given through Christ.

Matthew 9 16 Commentary

Matthew 9:16 is a foundational statement about the radical nature of Jesus' ministry. It unequivocally declares that His teachings and the kingdom He inaugurates are not designed to merely renovate or reform the established religious order, but rather to replace it with something entirely new. The analogy of the unfulled (unshrunk) cloth on an old garment is deeply practical and culturally insightful. A new, untreated piece of fabric, when washed and inevitably shrinking, would pull on the weaker, pre-shrunk threads of the old garment, creating a larger and more destructive tear. This imagery forcefully conveys the idea that combining Jesus' vibrant, transformative truth with rigid, exhausted forms of religious legalism and tradition is not only ineffective but ultimately destructive to both. The Spirit-driven life offered by Christ (the "new cloth") cannot be contained or augmented by adherence to a lifeless system of external rituals (the "old garment"). Attempts to do so would inevitably lead to division, disillusionment, and a far worse spiritual condition than the original problem. The verse champions the necessity of embracing a complete paradigm shift—the New Covenant over the Old, grace over strict law, Spirit over letter—underscoring that true faith requires a genuine embrace of newness, not a patchwork attempt at piety.

• Example 1: A church that attempts to embrace modern worship styles (new cloth) while retaining a strict, legalistic theology (old garment) may experience internal conflict and division rather than spiritual growth.
• Example 2: An individual trying to live by the grace of Christ (new cloth) while simultaneously clinging to the performance-based acceptance of their past (old garment) will experience spiritual frustration and likely "tear" their peace.