And no one after drinking old wine wants new, for he says, ‘The old is better.’”
Parallel translations
- WEB No man having drunk old wine immediately desires new, for he says, ‘The old is better.’”
- KJV No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.
- NKJV And no one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, ‘The old is better.’ ”
- NASB And no one, after drinking old wine wants new; for he says, ‘The old is fine.’ ”
- NLT But no one who drinks the old wine seems to want the new wine. ‘The old is just fine,’ they say.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus notes that those used to old wine resist the new. People comfortable with the familiar are slow to embrace his newness.
Overview
This realistic observation acknowledges human reluctance to change: those accustomed to 'old wine' prefer it and dismiss the new. It explains the resistance Jesus meets from the religiously settled. The verse gently warns against complacency that prefers familiar tradition over the fresh work of God in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Heb 11:39These were all commended for their faith, yet they did not receive what was promised.
- Jer 6:16This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look. Ask for the ancient paths: ‘Where is the good way?’ Then walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it!’
- Mark 7:7–13They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’
- Rom 4:11–12And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but are not circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them.
- Heb 11:1–2Now faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 5:39 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.