TRV
Translation
King James Version
And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.
Complete Jewish Bible
Also, no one puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the new wine will burst the skins and be spilled, and the skins too will be ruined.
Berean Standard Bible
And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will spill, and the wineskins will be ruined.
American Standard Version
And no man putteth new wine into old wine-skins; else the new wine will burst the skins, and itself will be spilled, and the skins will perish.
World English Bible Messianic
No one puts new wine into old wine skins, or else the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Also no man powreth newe wine into olde vessels: for then ye new wine wil breake the vessels, and it will runne out, and the vessels will perish:
Young's Literal Translation
`And no one doth put new wine into old skins, and if otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins, and itself will be poured out, and the skins will be destroyed;
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In the KJVVerse 25,145 of 31,102
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Commentary on Luke 5 verses 27–39
27 ¶ And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me.
28 And he left all, rose up, and followed him.
29 And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them.
30 But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?
31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.
32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
33 And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink?
34 And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?
35 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.
36 And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old.
37 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.
38 But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.
39 No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.
All this, except the last verse, we had before in Matthew and Mark; it is not the story of any miracle in nature wrought by our Lord Jesus, but it is an account of some of the wonders of his grace, which, to those who understand things aright, are no less cogent proofs of Christ's being sent of God than the other.
I. It was a wonder of his grace that he would call a publican, from the receipt of custom, to be his disciple and follower, Luk 5:27. It was wonderful condescension that he should admit poor fishermen to that honour, men of the lowest rank; but much more wonderful that he should admit publicans, men of the worst reputation, men of ill fame. In this Christ humbled himself, and appeared in the likeness of sinful flesh. By this he exposed himself, and got the invidious character of a friend of publicans and sinners.
II. It was a wonder of his grace that the call was made effectual, became immediately so, Luk 5:28. This publican, though those of that employment commonly had little inclination to religion, for his religion's sake left a good place in the custom-house (which, probably, was his livelihood, and where he stood fair for better preferment), and rose up, and followed Christ. There is no heart too hard for the Spirit and grace of Christ to work upon, nor any difficulties in the way of a sinner's conversion insuperable to his power.
III. It was a wonder of his grace that he would not only admit a converted publican into his family, but would keep company with unconverted publicans, that he might have an opportunity of doing their souls good; he justified himself in it, as agreeing with the great design of his coming into the world. Here is a wonder of grace indeed, that Christ undertakes to be the Physician of souls distempered by sin, and ready to die of the distemper (he is a Healer by office, Luk 5:31) - that he has a particular regard to the sick, to sinners as his patients, convinced awakened sinners, that see their need of the Physician - that he came to call sinners, the worst of sinners, to repentance, and to assure them of pardon, upon repentance, Luk 5:32. These are glad tidings of great joy indeed.
IV. It was a wonder of his grace that he did so patiently bear the contradiction of sinners against himself and his disciples, Luk 5:30. He did not express his resentment of the cavils of the scribes and Pharisees, as he justly might have done, but answered them with reason and meekness; and, instead of taking that occasion to show his displeasure against the Pharisees, as afterwards he did, or of recriminating upon them, he took that occasion to show his compassion to poor publicans, another sort of sinners, and to encourage them.
V. It was a wonder of his grace that, in the discipline under which he trained up his disciples, he considered their frame, and proportioned their services to their strength and standing, and to the circumstances they were in. It was objected, as a blemish upon his conduct, that he did not make his disciples to fast so often as those of the Pharisees and John Baptist did, Luk 5:33. He insisted most upon that which is the soul of fasting, the mortification of sin, the crucifying of the flesh, and the living of a life of self-denial, which is as much better than fasting and corporal penances as mercy is better than sacrifice.
VI. It was a wonder of his grace that Christ reserved the trials of his disciples for their latter times, when by his grace they were in some good measure better prepared and fitted for them than they were at first. Now they were as the children of the bride-chamber, when the bridegroom is with them, when they have plenty and joy, and every day is a festival. Christ was welcomed wherever he came, and they for his sake, and as yet they met with little or no opposition; but this will not last always. The days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, Luk 5:35. When Christ shall leave them with their hearts full of sorrow, their hands full of work, and the world full of enmity and rage against them, then shall they fast, shall not be so well fed as they are now. We both hunger and thirst and are naked, Co1 4:11. Then they shall keep many more religious fasts than they do now, for Providence will call them to it; they will then serve the Lord with fastings, Act 13:2.
VII. It was a wonder of his grace that he proportioned their exercises to their strength. He would not put new cloth upon an old garment (Luk 5:36), nor new wine into old bottles (Luk 5:37, Luk 5:38); he would not, as soon as ever he had called them out of the world, put them upon the strictnesses and austerities of discipleship, lest they should be tempted to fly off. When God brought Israel out of Egypt, he would not bring them by the way of the Philistines, lest they should repent, when they saw war, and return to Egypt, Exo 13:17. So Christ would train up his followers gradually to the discipline of his family; for no man, having drank old wine, will of a sudden, straightway, desire new, or relish it, but will say, The old is better, because he has been used to it, Luk 5:39. The disciples will be tempted to think their old way of living better, till they are by degrees trained up to this way whereunto they are called. Or, turn it the other way: "Let them be accustomed awhile to religious exercises, and then they will abound in them as much as you do: but we must not be too hasty with them." Calvin takes it as an admonition to the Pharisees not to boast of their fasting, and the noise and show they made with it, nor to despise his disciples because they did not in like manner signalize themselves; for the profession the Pharisees made was indeed pompous and gay, like new wine that is brisk and sparkling, whereas all wise men say, The old is better; for, though it does not give its colour so well in the cup, yet it is more warming in the stomach and more wholesome. Christ's disciples, though they had not so much of the form of godliness, had more of the power of it.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 27–39. Public domain.
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Basil of Caesarea (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 379
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
The children of the Bridegroom also cannot fast, i. e. refuse nourishment to the soul, but live on every word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Gregory of Nyssa (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 395
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
(Orat. de Deit. Filii et SS.) For wine newly drawn forth, evaporates on account of the natural heat in the liquor, throwing off from itself the scum by natural action. Such wine is the new covenant, which the old skins because of their unbelief contain not, and are therefore burst by the excellence of the doctrine, and cause the grace of the Spirit to flow in vain; because into an evil soul wisdom will not enter. (Sap. 1:4.)
Ambrose of Milan (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 397
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
At the same time also is shown the difference between those who are zealous for the law and those who are for grace, that they who follow the law shall suffer eternal hunger of soul, while they who have received the word into the inmost soul, refreshed with abundance of heavenly meat and drink, can neither hunger nor thirst. And so they who fasted in soul murmured.
Or, That fast is not given up whereby the flesh is mortified, and the desires of the body chastened. (For this fast commends us to God.) But we cannot fast who have Christ, and banquet on the flesh and blood of Christ.
But when are those days, in which Christ shall be taken away from us, since He has said, I will be with you alway, even unto the end of the world? But no one can take Christ away from you, unless you take yourself away from Him.
Lastly, it is spoken of the fast of the soul, as the context shows, for it follows, But he said, No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old. He calleth fasting an old garment, which the Apostle thought should be taken off, saying, Put off the old man with his deeds. (Col. 3:9.) In the same manner we have a series of precepts not to mix up the actions of the old and new man.
The weakness of man's condition is exposed when our bodies arc compared to the skins of dead animals.
John Chrysostom (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 407
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
(Hom. 30. in Matt.) As if He should say, The present time is one of joy and gladness, sorrow must not then be mixed up with it.
Augustine of Hippo (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 430
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
(ubi sup.) But the Apostles are compared to old skins, who are more easily burst with new wine, i. e. with spiritual precepts, than contain them. Hence it follows, Else the new wine will burst the skins, and the wine will be spilled. But they were new skins at that time, when after the ascension of the Lord they received the Holy Spirit, when from desire of His consolation they were renewed by prayer and hope. Hence it follows, But the new wine must be put into new bottles, and both are preserved.
Cyril of AlexandriaAD 444
COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILIES 21-22
Those who live according to the law cannot receive the institutions of Christ. These institutions cannot be admitted into the hearts of such as have not as yet received the renewing by the Holy Spirit. The Lord shows this by saying that a tattered patch cannot be put upon a new garment, nor can old skins hold new wine. The first covenant has grown old, nor was it free from fault. Those, therefore, who adhere to it and keep at heart the antiquated commandment have no share in the new order of things in Christ. In him all things are become new, but their mind being decayed, they have no harmony or point of mutual agreement with the ministers of the new covenant.
Bede (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 735
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
For as long as the Bridegroom is with us we both rejoice, and can neither fast nor mourn. But when He has gone away through our sins, then a fast must be declared and mourning be enjoined.
Inasmuch as wine refreshes us within, but garments cover us without, the garments are the good works which we do abroad, by which we shine before men; wine, the fervour of faith, hope, and charity. Or, The old skins are the Scribes and Pharisees, the new piece and the new wine the precepts of the Gospel.
But to every soul which is not yet renewed, but goes on still in the old way of wickedness, the sacraments of new mysteries ought not to be given. They also who wish to mix the precepts of the Law with the Gospel, as the Galatians did, put new wine into old bottles. It follows, No man also having drank old wine straightway desireth new, for he saith, the old is better. For the Jews, imbued with the taste of their old life, despised the precepts of the new grace, and being defiled with the traditions of their ancestors, were not able to perceive the sweetness of spiritual words.
BedeAD 735
On the Gospel of Luke
And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined. But new wine must be put into new skins, and both are preserved. He also compares them to old wineskins, which, with new wine—that is, spiritual precepts—would burst more easily than they could contain it. But they will be like new wineskins, when after the Lord's ascension, they are renewed with the desire for his consolation by praying and hoping. Then they received the Holy Spirit, which filled them to speak in all tongues; from the Jews who did not understand, it was truthfully attested: These men are full of new wine. For new wine in new wineskins meant the fervor of the Holy Spirit filling spiritual hearts. Alternatively. A teacher must beware not to commit the secrets of the new mysteries to souls not yet renewed, but persisting in the old malice.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Luke 5:37 presents a profound parable from Jesus, illustrating the inherent incompatibility between His radical, life-transforming message and ministry—the "new wine"—and the rigid, worn-out religious systems and traditions of His day, represented by "old bottles" or wineskins. This teaching emphasizes that the dynamic, expansive nature of the Gospel cannot be contained or preserved within brittle, inflexible structures without causing destruction to both the message and the vessel.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Luke 5:37 is a Parable, a short, illustrative story or analogy used by Jesus to convey a moral or spiritual truth. This particular parable employs a powerful Metaphor where "new wine" represents the transformative message, spirit, and ministry of Jesus, including the new covenant and the Kingdom of God, while "old bottles" (wineskins) symbolize the rigid, established religious traditions, laws, and systems of Judaism that had become dry and inflexible. The bursting of the wineskins and the spilling of the wine serve as Symbolism for the destructive consequences of attempting to contain the dynamic, expansive truth of the Gospel within outdated or unyielding forms. The imagery is vivid and concrete, making the abstract theological principle of the incompatibility of the old covenant's legalism with the new covenant's grace profoundly clear.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This parable is a foundational statement about the nature of God's redemptive work and the radical newness inaugurated by Jesus Christ. It teaches that the Gospel is not merely an amendment or an addition to the old covenant system, but a fundamentally new reality that requires a new framework for understanding and living. The "new wine" represents the Spirit-filled life, the grace-based relationship with God, and the transformative power of Christ's finished work, which cannot be contained by the rigid, legalistic structures of the old covenant or human traditions built upon it. To attempt to do so would inevitably lead to the destruction of both the old forms and the precious new life. This parable calls for a fundamental reorientation of religious thought and practice, prioritizing the living, dynamic truth of Christ over dead rituals and inflexible traditions.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The parable of the new wine and old wineskins holds profound and enduring relevance for believers and the church today. It serves as a powerful call to spiritual flexibility and discernment, urging us not to cling rigidly to traditions, methods, or structures that, while perhaps once useful, may now hinder the dynamic work of the Holy Spirit and the expansion of God's Kingdom. We are challenged to prioritize the living, transformative truth of the Gospel—the "new wine"—over the external forms or familiar practices that may have become brittle and restrictive—the "old wineskins." This means being open to fresh expressions of worship, innovative approaches to ministry, and a willingness to shed legalistic mindsets that stifle grace and genuine spiritual growth. The core message is to embrace the liberating freedom found in Christ, as Paul eloquently states in Galatians 5:1, ensuring that our faith is characterized by vibrant life and adaptability, rather than by a rigid adherence to outdated forms that could ultimately cause the precious message of Christ to be lost or diminished.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What exactly are "bottles" in this context, and why is their condition so important?
Answer: In the ancient world, "bottles" (Greek: askoi) were not glass containers but wineskins, typically made from animal hides like goatskins. Their condition is crucial because new wineskins were pliable and elastic, able to stretch and expand as new wine fermented and produced gases. Old wineskins, however, would become dry, rigid, and brittle from repeated use, losing their elasticity. If new, still-fermenting wine was poured into these old, inflexible skins, the pressure from the fermentation gases would inevitably cause the old skins to burst, resulting in the loss of both the wine and the container. This physical reality serves as a powerful metaphor for the incompatibility Jesus describes.
Does this parable mean that all old traditions or laws are bad and should be discarded?
Answer: Not necessarily. The parable highlights the incompatibility of the dynamic, expanding "new wine" (Jesus' message and the new covenant) with rigid, unyielding "old wineskins" (the legalistic, inflexible interpretations and traditions of the old covenant system). It's not a blanket condemnation of all tradition, but a warning against clinging to forms that have become brittle and incapable of containing new life. Jesus himself affirmed that He came not to abolish the Law but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17). The issue is when the form overshadows the spirit, or when traditions become a barrier to God's fresh work.
How does this parable apply to the church today?
Answer: For the church today, this parable is a call to constant self-assessment and spiritual adaptability. It challenges us to ensure that our structures, programs, and traditions remain pliable and open to the Holy Spirit's leading, rather than becoming rigid and resistant to change. It reminds us that the "new wine" of the Gospel—its transformative power, grace, and emphasis on relationship with God—must always take precedence over the "old wineskins" of human-made rules, institutional inertia, or outdated methods. A church that becomes too rigid risks bursting, losing the precious message it is meant to contain and share. It encourages innovation and spiritual vitality over mere preservation of the status quo.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The parable of the new wine and old wineskins finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Himself. Jesus is the "new wine," the embodiment of the new covenant and the dynamic, life-giving reality of God's Kingdom. He did not come to merely patch up or reform the old covenant system, but to inaugurate a fundamentally new way of relating to God, characterized by grace, truth, and the indwelling Spirit (John 1:17). His life, death, and resurrection represent a radical departure from the limitations of the Law and its associated traditions, establishing a superior covenant mediated by His blood (Hebrews 9:15). He is the "new and living way" (Hebrews 10:20) that renders the old sacrificial system obsolete. Through Him, believers are made "new creations" (2 Corinthians 5:17), receiving a new spirit and a new heart, enabling them to walk in the freedom of the Spirit rather than the bondage of the Law (Romans 8:1-4). Thus, Jesus is not just the bringer of the new wine; He is the new wine, and through Him, God provides the "new wineskins"—the new covenant and the Spirit-empowered life—capable of containing and expanding His glorious truth.