17Neither is new wine put into old wineskins; otherwise, the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins are ruined, but new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.”
The Greek that is translated as “wineskins” in most English translations is translated in Guhu-Samane as “gourds.”
“Wineskins” caused “puzzlement [because] why would one put wine or any liquid into the skin of an animal since the skins just rot quickly? [But] it is conceded that a person wishing to store a liquid (wine or other) would not choose an old, but a new gourd. The people here are familiar with wine in the Eucharist and can readily conceive of how wine (literally ‘strong water’) could burst an old gourd and as such the argument is not lost.” (Source: Ernest L. Richert in Notes on Translation December 1963: p. 4-7; reprinted in The Bible Translator 1965, p. 198ff. .)
In Matumbi it is also translated as “gourd” (mapu’tu’), which just like wineskins become less flexible the older they are, and the verb associated with its breaking (“rip” in English) was translated as “burst.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)
In the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) it is rendered as Lederschläuche or “skins.”
The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that are translated as “wine” in English is translated into Pass Valley Yali as “grape juice pressed long ago (= fermented)” or “strong water” (source: Daud Soesilo). In Guhu-Samane it is also translated as “strong water” (source: Ernest L. Richert in The Bible Translator 1965, p. 198ff. ), in Noongar as “liquor” (verbatim: “strong water”) (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang), in Hausa as ruwan inabi or “water of grapes” (with no indication whether it’s alcoholic or not — source: Mark A. Gaddis), in sar as kasə nduú or “grape drink” (source: Andy Warren-Rothlin), or in Papantla Totonac and Coyutla Totonac as “a drink like Pulque” (for “Pulque,” see here ) (source: Jacob Loewen in The Bible Translator 1971, p. 169ff. ).
In Swahili, Bible translations try to avoid local words for alcoholic drinks, because “drinking of any alcohol at all was one of the sins most denounced by early missionaries. Hence translators are uncomfortable by the occurrences of wine in the Bible. Some of the established churches which use wine prefer to see church wine as holy, and would not refer to it by the local names used for alcoholic drinks. Instead church wine is often referred to by terms borrowed from other languages, divai (from German, der Wein) or vini/mvinyo (from ltalian/Latin vino/vinum). Several translations done by Protestants have adapted the Swahili divai for ‘wine,’ while those done by Catholics use vini or mvinyo.” (Source: Rachel Konyoro in The Bible Translator 1985, p. 221ff. )
The Swahili divai was in turn borrowed by Sabaot and was turned into tifaayiik and is used as such in the Bible. Kupsabiny, on the other hand, borrowed mvinyo from Swahili and turned it into Finyonik. (Source: Iver Larsen)
In Nyamwezi, two terms are used. Malwa ga muzabibu is a kind of alcohol that people specifically use to get drunk (such as in Genesis 9:21) and ki’neneko is used for a wine made from grapes (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext).
In some Hindi translations (such as the Common Language version, publ. 2015 ), one term (dākharasa दाखरस — grape juice) is used when that particular drink is in the focus (such as in John 2) and another term (madirā मदिरा — “alcohol” or “liquor”) when drunkenness is in the focus (such as in Eph. 5:18).
In Mandarin Chinese, the generic term jiǔ (酒) or “alcohol(ic drink)” is typically used. Exceptions are Leviticus 10:9, Numbers 6:3, Deuteronomy 29:6, Judges 13:4 et al., 1 Samuel 1:15, and Luke 1:15 where a differentiation between weak and strong alcohol is needed. The Mandarin Chinese Union Version (2010) translates that as qīngjiǔ lièjiǔ (清酒烈酒) and dànjiǔ lièjiǔ (淡酒烈酒), both in the form of a Chinese proverb and meaning “light alcohol and strong drink.” (Source: Zetzsche)
Click or tap here to see a short video clip about wine in biblical times (source: Bible Lands 2012)
Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 9:17:
Uma: “So also it is not good to pour new wine into an old putting-place. Because when it bubbles [word used of fermenting], that old putting-place will break, with the result that the wine just spills, and the putting-place also is wasted. New wine must be poured into a new putting-place, so that all is good.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Isa also compared his teaching with fresh grape juice/water put in bags of goat skin. He said, ‘Nobody also puts fresh grape water which still bubbles/ferments into an old bag. Because if he does that, the bag will tear. So-then the grape water will be spilled and the bag is destroyed. Instead fresh grape water should be put in new bags. Then both will not be destroyed.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “In the same way also, wine which is just newly made and is placed in a goatskin container, it is not possible to put it into an old container because the container will burst, and the wine will spill out, and the container also will be ruined. It is necessary for wine which has just been made to be put into a new container. In that way, neither the wine nor the container is not ruined.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Neither of course does anyone put recently-yeasted grape juice in a dried-up leather bag for rice-wine, because when it ferments, the leather will crack-open and the bag will be ruined while-simultaneously the grape juice will also be thrown-away. Recently-yeasted grape juice then, it must be a new leather in which it is placed so that nothing will be ruined or thrown-away.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Also no-one puts new drink into an already old container made of skin which no longer gives/stretches. For if one does like that, as (the drink) develops/ferments (the container) will of course burst. Well isn’t it so that the drink put in will be spilt and the container destroyed as well. Of course what is fitting to put new drink in is indeed a new skin container. Well isn’t it so that both will last a long time.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “It is like new wine cannot be put into an old wineskin to ferment. Because the new wine will split the wineskin when it ferments, and be lost. Therefore the new wine is put in new wineskins in order that neither will be lost.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Living Water is produced for the Bible translation movement in association with Lutheran Bible Translators. Lyrics derived from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®).
Neither is (Good News Translation “Nor does anyone”) translates a Greek impersonal construction (“Neither do they”) which New English Bible represents as “Neither do you.” All three translations are here aiming toward a natural equivalent. The parallels in Mark (2.22) and Luke (5.37) use the singular (“no one…”).
No matter how this impersonal construction is translated at the beginning of this verse, whether “they,” “you,” or “anyone,” the rest of the verse should use a similar form to be grammatical and cohesive.
Whereas the situation described in verse 16 is fairly well universal, the situation described in this verse has a somewhat limited cultural setting. Wineskins were usually made from whole goat hides with the neck and feet tied. Wine would then be stored in these skins. As the wine fermented, gases would be produced, causing the skin to expand. An old skin would burst under this pressure, because it had become dry and brittle and would already have expanded to its maximum. A new skin, on the other hand, would expand without bursting as the wine fermented.
There are two key pieces of cultural information that must be clear if this proverb is to be understood. First is the fact that the process of fermentation is clearly being referred to. New wine is unfermented wine or wine that is not fully fermented yet. It can be translated as “wine that is becoming fermented” or “fruit juice that hasn’t fermented yet.” Fermenting is almost universally known in one form or another. Some cultures say the wine “boils” or “cooks,” for example.
In addition to calling the new wine “unfermented wine,” it may be necessary to show it is the fermenting process that causes wine in the old wineskins to expand. One can say, for example, “No one puts unfermented wine into old wineskins. If he does, when the wine ferments, the skins burst.”
A second relevant fact in this proverb is that new leather is slightly elastic. It has the power to expand. Old wineskins are already stretched to capacity and can only burst when put under pressure. This is a good reason not to use “bottles” or “calabashes” to translate wineskins. It would be better to say “container made from skins” or “container made from leather.” Even if these are not known, the phrase is descriptive enough to make sense to readers.
The wine and the wineskins are preserved. This can be rendered “will not be destroyed” or “will not be lost.”
Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will spill, and the wineskins will be ruined. Instead, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved: This verse is also an extended metaphor. This metaphor teaches the same thing as the metaphor in 9:16. It teaches that Jesus’ new teaching cannot fit with the old Jewish customs.
man carrying a wineskin
In this metaphor Jesus used an illustration from wine making. The Jews made wine in a container that was a whole goat skin whose legs had been tied shut. (See the illustration above.) After they poured the grape juice into the skin, they then tied shut the neck. When the wine fermented, it expanded. A new skin stretches to hold the wine. But an old skin is brittle and does not stretch. An old skin would break or split and all the wine would spill out.
Jesus compared his teaching to new wine and new wineskins. Jewish traditions were like old wineskins. Jesus’ new teaching was too different to fit into the old traditions of the Jews.
Here are some other ways to translate this extended metaphor:
• Keep the metaphor and add a footnote to explain the meaning. Here is a sample footnote:
In this parable, Jesus compared his teaching to new wine and a new wineskin. He compared the traditions of the Jews to an old wineskin. No one pours new wine into an old wineskin. In the same way, people should not add his teaching to their old customs.
• Add some words of introduction before the metaphor to explain it. For example:
⌊Jesus told another parable to explain that his new teachings cannot fit into the old teachings. He said,⌋ “Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins….”
-or-
⌊Jesus compared his teaching with new wine. He said,⌋ “Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins….”
• Make explicit some of the meaning within the metaphor. For example:
No one pours new wine into old wineskins…. ⌊My teaching is like new wine. It cannot fit into the old customs.⌋
-or-
⌊If my teaching is mixed with the old traditions,⌋ it will be like someone pouring new wine into old wineskins. No one does that. If they do, the skins burst….
9:17a
Neither do men: The word Neither indicates that what follows is similar to 9:16. People do not sew a new patch on an old garment, and they do not pour new wine into old wineskins.
Here are some other ways to translate this:
And no one (NET Bible)
-or-
Also, people never (New Century Version)
-or-
Similarly
new wine: The phrase new wine refers to the juice of grapes that have been recently squeezed. The juice is not yet fermented or is just beginning to ferment.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
• Use your word for an alcoholic drink made from the juice of a fruit.
• Use a phrase to describe what wine is. For example:
fresh juice of grapes ⌊ready to bubble/ferment⌋
-or-
new juice of vine fruit ⌊called grapes⌋ ⌊about to ferment/mature⌋
• Use a local word for an alcoholic drink. For example:
new beer
old wineskins: As mentioned above, a “wineskin” is a container usually made of a whole goat skin. It was used like a pot to store liquids. People tied shut the legs, and after pouring liquid into it, would also tie shut the neck to keep in the liquid. Jews made wine in this type of container.
An old wineskin was one in which wine had already been made. It had already stretched. An old wineskin is stiff and can easily crack.
Here are some other ways to translate old wineskins:
old goatskin containers/bags
-or-
old containers made of skin/leather
-or-
dried leather/skin gourds
9:17b
If they do: This phrase indicates that the following words are a result of doing what was not normally done. In this case, it indicates what would happen if someone did pour new wine into old wineskins.
Here are some other ways to translate this expression:
otherwise (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
If someone were to ⌊pour new wine into old wineskins⌋
the skins will burst: When wine ferments, it creates bubbles that cause the skins to expand. An old skin has already stretched, and so it will break. In some languages, it may be necessary to include some of this implied information. For example:
⌊the wine will ferment and⌋ the containers will burst
-or-
⌊the wine will bubble and⌋ the bags will ⌊expand and⌋ break
9:17c
the wine will spill: This clause refers to the wine pouring out of the torn wineskins.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
the wine will pour out (Good News Translation)
-or-
the juice will come/run out on the ground
the wineskins will be ruined: This clause refers to the wineskins becoming useless.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
the skins are destroyed (English Standard Version)
-or-
the bags will not be good for anything
9:17d
Instead: There is a contrast here. The contrast is between the thing that people do not do (in 9:17a–c) and the thing that they do (in 9:17d). The Berean Standard Bible indicates this contrast with the conjunction Instead.
Here are some other ways to show this contrast:
No (New International Version)
-or-
But (English Standard Version)
-or-
Rather (God’s Word)
Several English versions do not translate this Greek word and let the context indicate the negative-positive contrast.
new wineskins: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as new wineskins can also be translated as “fresh wineskins.” For example:
fresh wineskins (English Standard Version)
These are wineskins that have not yet been used.
9:17e
and both are preserved: This clause means that both the new wine and the new wineskins remain good and are not ruined.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
and both are saved (God’s Word)
-or-
Then both will continue to be good (New Century Version)
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