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.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The key insight here isn't just about needing fresh wineskins for new wine; it's that the skins themselves are what preserve the wine. Old, brittle skins burst and spill everything, ruining both the container and the precious new vintage. Jesus is showing that new life in Him requires new ways of living that can hold His truth without breaking.
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.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is using a common illustration to explain why his disciples aren't following the strict fasting practices of John the Baptist and the Pharisees. He uses the analogy of putting new wine into old wineskins, which would burst under the fermentation, ruining both the wine and the skins. This parable directly follows a conversation where Jesus defended his own disciples for not fasting, likening himself to a bridegroom present with his guests, implying a time of rejoicing rather than mourning.
Jesus uses a vivid image of wine and containers to explain a profound truth about His ministry. Why would putting new wine into old skins be a disaster?
In ancient times, wine containers were made from animal skins. New wine, when it ferments, expands and creates pressure.
Jesus is showing that His new way of life, His teachings, and His Spirit cannot be contained or understood within the rigid, outdated religious systems of the Pharisees. Trying to force the new into the old framework would lead to destruction for both.
Jesus distinguishes between 'new' wine and 'fresh' skins. What's the subtle but crucial difference, and why does it matter for understanding God's work?
Jesus doesn't just say 'new wine goes into new containers.' He uses two distinct words:
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This distinction is key. The Kingdom of God isn't just a slightly updated version of the old ways. It's a fundamentally different reality, requiring a completely renewed capacity to receive and embody it. Jesus' followers, and His teachings, were meant to be vessels fit for this entirely new work of God.
The goal in the parable is preservation. What does it mean for both the wine and the skins to be preserved, and what does this teach us about spiritual growth?
The ultimate outcome Jesus highlights is that both are preserved. This isn't just about avoiding a mess; it's about the successful continuation and flourishing of God's work.
When the new is placed in the fresh, there's a perfect fit. The integrity of God's message is maintained, and the capacity of believers to live it out is strengthened. This requires us to constantly allow God to make us 'fresh wineskins' – adaptable, renewed, and ready for His current work.
Understand the original words
oinos · Greek Noun
Wine symbolizes vitality, the joy of the Messianic age, and the transformative power of the Spirit. New wine represents the radical, expansive nature of the Gospel and the Kingdom of God that cannot be contained within the rigid structures of legalism.
askos · Greek Noun
Wineskins were animal skins used to hold wine; they symbolize the forms, traditions, or structures that contain religious life. Old skins, having lost their elasticity, represent the inability of the old religious establishment to accommodate the life and movement of the Gospel.
This parable highlights the incompatibility of Jesus' new teaching and the dynamic work of the Holy Spirit with the rigid, traditional framework of the Pharisees. Attempting to merge them would destroy both the new message and the old system.
c. 4th-2nd century BC
Widespread use of leather wineskins
Wineskins made from animal hides were the standard way to store and transport wine in the ancient Near East, including Judea. These skins, though durable, would weaken and become brittle with age and repeated use.
c. 2nd century BC - 1st century AD
Rise of Pharisaic tradition
The Pharisees developed a comprehensive system of religious law and tradition, emphasizing strict adherence to purity laws and rituals. This established system was deeply ingrained in Jewish society.
c. 27-30 AD
Jesus begins public ministry
Jesus commences his public ministry, teaching new principles and performing miracles. His message and methods challenged many established religious norms.
c. 27-30 AD— this verse
Disciples of John question Jesus' disciples
Followers of John the Baptist notice that Jesus' disciples do not observe the same fasting practices as they and the Pharisees do, prompting a question to Jesus.
c. 30-33 AD
Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit
Following Jesus' ascension, the Holy Spirit empowers the disciples at Pentecost, marking a new era of the church with fresh spiritual dynamism.
This passage presents the same teaching as Matthew 9:17, emphasizing that new wine (representing Jesus' new way) must go into fresh wineskins (representing new disciples or a renewed way of life), otherwise both will be ruined. It highlights the incompatibility of the old and the new.
Luke 5:37-38Luke's account includes the crucial detail that 'No one drinks old wine and immediately wants new, for he says, “The old is better.”' This adds depth by explaining the natural human resistance to change and the comfort found in familiar traditions, which Jesus' new teachings challenged.
Galatians 6:15Paul echoes the sentiment of 'newness' in Christ, stating 'For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any avail, but a new creation.' This connects the idea of new wine needing new skins to the profound spiritual transformation that defines Christian life, where the old ways are replaced by a new identity in Christ.
Romans 12:2This verse directly calls believers to 'not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.' It illustrates the concept of needing 'newness' by urging a transformation of the inner self, which is necessary to hold the new ways of God, just as new wine requires new skins.
vincentMatthew 9:17: "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."
Bottles (ἀσκούς)Rev., rightly, wine-skin,, though our word bottle originally carried the true meaning, being a bottle of leather. In Spanish, bota means a leather bottle, a boot, and a butt. In Spain wine is still brought to market in pig-skins. In the East, goat-skins are commonly used, with the…
barnesMatthew 9:17: "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."
Neither do men put new wine ... - The third illustration was taken from wine put into bottles. Bottles, in Eastern nations, were made, and are still made, of skins of beasts. Generally the skin was taken entire from a sheep or a goat, and, properly prepared, was filled with wine or water. Such bott…
The key insight here isn't just about needing fresh wineskins for new wine; it's that the skins themselves are what preserve the wine. Old, brittle skins burst and spill everything, ruining both the container and the precious new vintage. Jesus is showing that new life in Him requires new ways of living that can hold His truth without breaking.
Jesus is using a common illustration to explain why his disciples aren't following the strict fasting practices of John the Baptist and the Pharisees. He uses the analogy of putting new wine into old wineskins, which would burst under the fermentation, ruining both the wine and the skins. This parable directly follows a conversation where Jesus defended his own disciples for not fasting, likening himself to a bridegroom present with his guests, implying a time of rejoicing rather than mourning.
Jesus is using a common illustration to explain why his disciples aren't following the strict fasting practices of John the Baptist and the Pharisees. He uses the analogy of putting new wine into old wineskins, which would burst under the fermentation, ruining both the wine and the skins. This parable directly follows a conversation where Jesus defended his own disciples for not fasting, likening himself to a bridegroom present with his guests, implying a time of rejoicing rather than mourning.
"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.”" — The key insight here isn't just about needing fresh wineskins for new wine; it's that the skins themselves are what preserve the wine. Old, brittle skins burst and spill everything, ruining both th…
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Last reviewed October 2026