Mark 2:21

Jesus wanted to show that those who desire to live in accordance with his new message should not try to continue to obey the old religious traditions like fasting. So he also said to them, “People do not sew a patch of unshrunken cloth on an old garment in order to mend a hole. If they did that, when they washed the garment, the patch would shrink and the new piece of cloth would tear off more of the old cloth. As a result, the hole would become bigger!

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

20But some day, he will be taken away {his enemies will take him away} from them. Then, in those days, they will abstain from food, because they will be sad.”

22Similarly, people do not put newly squeezed grape juice into old skin bags to store it. If they did that, that juice will burst the skin bags because they would not stretch when the wine ferments and expands. As a result both the wine and the skin bags would be ruined! On the contrary, people must put new wine into new skin bags!” [MET]

Read all of Mark 2

Cross References

Psalms 103:13Just like parents act mercifully toward their children, Yahweh is kind to those who revere him.

Matthew 9:16Jesus wanted to show them that people who desire to live in accordance with his new message should not try to continue to obey the old religious traditions like ◄ abstaining from food/fasting► [MET]. So he said to them, “People do not sew a patch of unshrunken cloth on an old garment to mend a hole. If they did that, when they washed the garment, the patch would shrink and tear the garment, and the hole would become bigger.

1 Corinthians 10:13Remember that your desires to sin are the same desires that other people have. But when you are tempted to sin, you can trust God to help you. He will not permit you to be tempted {anything to tempt you} more than you are able to resist. Instead, when you are tempted {things tempt you}, he will also provide a way for you to endure it without sinning.

Matthew Henry on Mark 2:19-28

The Hypocritical Rigour of the Pharisees. 18 And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not? 19 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. 21 No… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Mark 2:21