Matthew 9:17 kjv

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.

Matthew 9:17 nkjv

Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved."

Matthew 9:17 niv

Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved."

Matthew 9:17 esv

Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved."

Matthew 9:17 nlt

"And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved."

Matthew 9 verses

Matthew 9 17 Meaning

Matthew 9:17 illustrates that the radical, life-transforming message and reality of Jesus's Kingdom (the "new wine") cannot be contained or integrated into the rigid, established religious forms and practices of the Old Covenant system (the "old wineskins"). Just as fermenting new wine would burst brittle old skins, the expansive and dynamic new spiritual life brought by Christ is incompatible with an unyielding adherence to outward legalistic rituals, which would only lead to the destruction of both the new message and the old system trying to contain it. For the "new wine" of grace, joy, and freedom in Christ to flourish, it requires new spiritual receptiveness and transformed hearts—new "wineskins."

Matthew 9 17 Context

Matthew 9:17 is part of a series of events demonstrating Jesus' authority and challenging the prevailing religious norms. Directly preceding this verse, John the Baptist's disciples questioned Jesus about why His disciples did not fast, unlike themselves and the Pharisees (Mt 9:14). Jesus first responded with the parable of the wedding guests (Mt 9:15), signifying His presence as the bridegroom changes the need for mourning (fasting). He then immediately offers two further analogies in 9:16-17: the new patch on an old garment and new wine in old wineskins. These parables collectively explain the fundamental incompatibility between His radical new message—one of grace, fulfillment, and inner transformation—and the rigid, externalistic practices and legalistic mindset of traditional Judaism of His time. They convey that the Kingdom he inaugurated demanded a profound shift, not mere superficial adjustments or additions to old systems.

Matthew 9 17 Word analysis

• Nor do people put: Implies a universally understood truth, a natural wisdom about incompatibility. It's a statement of inherent impracticality.
• new wine (οἶνος νέος, oinos neos): Refers to wine that is still fermenting. During fermentation, gases are produced, causing the wine to expand. Biblically, "wine" often symbolizes joy, newness, the Holy Spirit, or blessings. Here, it signifies the fresh, dynamic, expansive reality of God's Kingdom, His grace, and the Spirit-filled life that Jesus brings. It is vital and active.
• into old wineskins (ἀσκοὺς παλαιοὺς, askous palaious): "Wineskins" were containers typically made from animal hides. "Old wineskins" had already been stretched and hardened by previous fermentation. They had lost their elasticity and became brittle, unable to expand further. These symbolize the rigid, established, legalistic, and tradition-bound religious forms and structures of first-century Judaism (especially Pharisaism), which lacked the flexibility to accommodate God's new work in Christ.
• otherwise the wineskins burst (ῥήγνυνται, rhēgnuntai): If new, fermenting wine is placed into inflexible old wineskins, the pressure from the fermentation gases would cause the old skins to tear open. This illustrates that forcing the vibrant, expanding truth of Christ's new covenant into an unyielding, outdated legalistic system would lead to a destructive rupture. The old form would be shattered.
• the wine spills out: When the wineskins burst, the precious new wine is lost and wasted. This signifies that the power, truth, and blessings of Jesus's new spiritual reality would be diminished, lost, or rendered ineffective if confined to the old, unyielding structures.
• and the wineskins are ruined (ἀπόλλυνται, apollyntai): The old system itself would also be destroyed, unable to serve its original or new purpose. It emphasizes a complete destruction of the old vessel.
• But they put new wine into new wineskins (ἀσκοὺς καινοὺς, askous kainous): "New wineskins" refer to skins that are fresh, pliable, and capable of stretching and expanding with the pressure of fermentation. These represent hearts transformed by grace, open to the Spirit's leading, willing to shed old religious rigidities, and ready to embrace the dynamic new life in Christ. They signify the spiritual readiness and adaptability needed for God's new covenant.
• and both are preserved (ἀμφότεροι συντηροῦνται, amphoterō synterountai): When the appropriate vessel holds the new wine, both the wine (new truth/life) and the wineskin (new spiritual structure/receptiveness) are saved and can effectively fulfill their purpose. This highlights the harmonious relationship and mutual benefit when new spiritual reality is received by a transformed spirit and appropriate (Spirit-led) forms.

Word Groups / Phrases analysis

• New wine into old wineskins: This central contrast encapsulates the incompatibility. The new, vibrant life of the Gospel cannot be forced into old, unyielding forms. This highlights that the radical nature of Christ's teaching necessitates a fundamental paradigm shift.
• The wineskins burst, the wine spills out, and the wineskins are ruined: This describes the destructive outcome of attempting to mix the old and new incompatibly. It's not just that the old system cannot hold the new; it actively destroys both itself and the new life it tries to contain.
• But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved: This shows the divine wisdom and natural progression for receiving the new. The new life (wine) finds its proper context and sustainability in renewed spiritual forms and receptive hearts (new wineskins), resulting in preservation and flourishing for both.

Matthew 9 17 Bonus section

While Luke 5:37-38 provides a direct parallel to Matthew 9:17, Luke adds verse 39: "No one after drinking old wine wants new, for he says, ‘The old is better.’" This insightful addition highlights the natural human resistance to change and the preference for familiar ways. It explains why some would cling to the "old wineskins" even when presented with the superior "new wine." This preference can stem from comfort, tradition, or a perception that the known (the Law or old forms) is safer or more reliable than the radical freedom and grace offered by Christ. It underlines the challenge of spiritual renovation: human hearts often prefer the familiar and comfortable, even when it is ultimately insufficient or inferior. Overcoming this natural inclination requires a Spirit-led transformation and an honest assessment of what God is truly doing.

Matthew 9 17 Commentary

Matthew 9:17 presents a profound theological truth using a simple agricultural analogy. Jesus emphasizes that His ministry and the Kingdom He inaugurates are not a mere modification or extension of the Mosaic Law or existing Jewish traditions. They represent a fundamental spiritual shift, a "new wine" that is so potent and expansive that it demands an entirely "new wineskin"—a transformed heart and a flexible, Spirit-led framework.

The "old wineskins" symbolize the external rituals, legalistic interpretations, and rigid systems of first-century Judaism, particularly the Pharisaic emphasis on rule-keeping and tradition, which had become hard and unyielding. The "new wine" is the essence of Christ's Gospel: grace, the Holy Spirit, righteousness by faith, freedom, joy, inner transformation, and direct access to God. Trying to force this dynamic new spiritual reality into the brittle, old structures would inevitably lead to conflict, rupture, and destruction for both the message and the old system. The grace of the new covenant cannot be understood or lived out within the constraints of strict legalism or a dependence on external works.

Therefore, true discipleship requires a fundamental change in allegiance and mindset. It's not about adding Jesus to existing religious practices but undergoing an inner spiritual renewal. This means an openness to God's Spirit, a willingness to shed inherited rigidities, and a focus on the internal transformation Christ offers rather than external adherence. When "new wine" meets "new wineskins," both flourish, resulting in a vibrant, authentic faith that glorifies God.