Mark 2:21 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Jesus illustrates that unshrunk new cloth sewn onto an old garment only tears it worse.
What Does Mark 2:21 Mean?
Jesus offers a homely illustration. No one patches an old, worn garment with a piece of new, unshrunk cloth; when the patch shrinks, it pulls away from the weak fabric and the tear grows worse. The new and the old cannot simply be stitched together without ruin.
The point reaches past sewing to the new thing God is doing in Christ. The freshness of the kingdom cannot be reduced to a patch on the old religious forms; it is larger than the framework people want to keep. Jesus is not mending the past but bringing something new and whole. To receive him is not to add a little novelty to an old life, but to be made new throughout.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mark 2:21
What does Mark 2:21 mean?
Jesus illustrates that unshrunk new cloth sewn onto an old garment only tears it worse.