English Standard Version
Matthew 9:16
16No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made.
Matthew 9:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse.
- New International Version (NIV)“No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse.
- New King James Version (NKJV)No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before.
Context of Matthew 9:16
14Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?" 15And Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made. 17Neither 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." 18While he was saying these things to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, "My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live."
Read all of Matthew 9Matthew 9:16 word by word
οὐδεὶς δὲ ἐπιβάλλει ἐπίβλημα ῥάκους ἀγνάφου ἐπὶ ἱματίῳ παλαιῷ· αἴρει γὰρ τὸ πλήρωμα αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἱματίου, καὶ χεῖρον σχίσμα γίνεται.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- No manοὐδείςoudeis · noneG3762
- ·δέde · thenG1161
- puttethἐπιβάλλωepiballō · to put on/seizeG1911
- a pieceἐπίβλημαepiblēma · patchG1915
- of newἄγναφοςagnaphos · unshrunkG46
- clothῥάκοςrhakos · a clothG4470
- untoἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
- anἱμάτιονhimation · clothingG2440
- oldπαλαιόςpalaios · oldG3820
- forγάρgar · forG1063
- that which is put in to fillὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- that which is put in to fillπλήρωμαplērōma · fulfillmentG4138
- itαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- takethαἴρωairō · to take upG142
- fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- the rentσχίσμαschisma · splitG4978
- is madeγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
- worseχείρωνcheirōn · worse thanG5501
Cross-references for Matthew 9:16
- Genesis 33:14Let my lord pass on ahead of his servant, and I will lead on slowly, at the pace of the livestock that are ahead of me and at the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir."
- Psalms 125:3For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest on the land allotted to the righteous, lest the righteous stretch out their hands to do wrong.
- Isaiah 40:11He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.
- John 16:12"I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
- 1 Corinthians 3:1But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 13:13So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Commentaries on Matthew 9:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16No man putteth a piece of new cloth - . No man putteth a patch of unscoured cloth upon an old garment. This is the most literal translation I can give of this verse, to convey its meaning to those who cannot consult the original. is that cloth which has not been scoured, or which has not passed under the hand of the fuller, who is called in Greek: and signifies a piece put on, or what we commonly term a patch. It - taketh from the garment - Instead of…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14-17Verses 14-17 Then came the disciples of John - This narrative is found also in Mark 2:18-22; Luke 5:33-39. The reference here is to John the Baptist. It is probable that they had understood that John was the forerunner of the Messiah; and if such was the case, they could not account for the fact that there was such a difference between them and the disciples of Jesus. The Pharisees fasted often - regularly twice a week besides the great national days of…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-17Verses 14-17 John was at this time in prison; his circumstances, his character, and the nature of the message he was sent to deliver, led those who were peculiarly attached to him, to keep frequent fasts. Christ referred them to John's testimony of him, Joh 3:29. Though there is no doubt that Jesus and his disciples lived in a spare and frugal manner, it would be improper for his disciples to fast while they had the comfort of his presence. When he is…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-17These short parables compare the new covenant (the promises between God and his people) that Jesus began (Matthew 6:26–29) with the old covenant. The comparison focuses especially on religious ceremonies like fasting. Jesus completes the law, but he does not cancel it (5:17–20; see Galatians 2:21; 5:4). At the same time, the new covenant brings new practices.Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 9:16
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries