Mark 2:22 Meaning and Explanation
“And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Jesus says new wine must go into new wineskins, or the old skins will burst.
What Does Mark 2:22 Mean?
A second picture follows. New wine, still fermenting, gives off gas and expands; poured into old, brittle wineskins, it bursts them, and both wine and skins are lost. New wine, Jesus says, must be put into new wineskins that can stretch and hold it. The container must match the life within.
Again the lesson is that the kingdom Jesus brings is too alive to be confined by old, rigid forms. His grace ferments and grows; it asks for hearts made new to contain it. To try to hold the new life of Christ in an unchanged heart is to lose both. The good news is not a refinement of the old self but a fresh wineskin—a renewed life ready to receive all that he pours in.
Mark 2:22 in the Original Language
oinos (οἶνος), 'wine' -- the fruit of the vine, here a picture of the new life Christ brings.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mark 2:22
What does Mark 2:22 mean?
Jesus says new wine must go into new wineskins, or the old skins will burst.