Luke 5 · Verse 39

Luke 5:39

No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.
Luke 5:39, King James Version

Luke 5:39 in other translations

BSBAnd no one after drinking old wine wants new, for he says, ‘The old is better.’”
WEBNo man having drunk old wine immediately desires new, for he says, ‘The old is better.’”
ASVAnd no man having drunk old wine desireth new; for he saith, The old is good.
YLTand no one having drunk old wine, doth immediately wish new, for he saith, The old is better.'
DARBYAnd no one having drunk old wine straightway wishes for new, for he says, The old is better.
BBEAnd no man, having had old wine, has any desire for new, for he says, The old is better.
WebsterNo man also having drank old wine, immediately desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.

What does Luke 5:39 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 39. Having drunk old wine, &c. Wine increases its strength and flavour, and its mildness and mellowness, by age, and the old is therefore preferable. They who had tasted such mild and mellow wine would not readily drink the comparatively sour and astringent juice of the grape as it came from the press. The meaning of this proverb in this place seems to be this: You Pharisees wish to draw my disciples to the austere and rigid duties of the ceremonial law--to fasting and painful rites; but they have come under a milder system. They have tasted the gentle and tender blessings of the gospel; they have no relish for your stern and harsh requirements. To insist now on their observing them would be like telling a man who had tasted of good, ripe, and mild wine to partake of that which is sour and unpalatable. At the proper time all the sterner duties of religion will be properly regarded; but at present, to teach them to fast when they see no occasion for it--when they are full of joy at the presence of their Master--would be like putting a piece of new cloth on an old garment, or new wine into old bottles, or drinking unpleasant wine after one had tasted that which was pleasanter. It would be ill-timed, inappropriate, and incongruous.

(z) "The old is better" Jer 6:16

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 39 The old is better - ΧρηϚοτερος - Is more agreeable to the taste or palate. Herodotus, the scholiast on Aristophanes, and Homer, use the word in this sense. See Raphelius. The old wine, among the rabbins, was the wine of three leaves; that is, wine three years old; because, from the time that the vine had produced that wine, it had put forth its leaves three times. See Lightfoot. 1. The miraculous draught of fishes, the cleansing of the leper, the healing of the paralytic person, the calling of Levi, and the parable of the old and new bottles, and the old and new wine - all related in this chapter, make it not only very entertaining, but highly instructive. There are few chapters in the New Testament from which a preacher of the Gospel can derive more lessons of instruction; and the reader would naturally expect a more particular explanation of its several parts, had not this been anticipated in the notes and observations on Matthew 9, to which chapter it will be well to refer. 2. The conduct as well as the preaching of our Lord is highly edifying. His manner of teaching made every thing he spoke interesting and impressive. He had many prejudices to remove, and he used admirable address in order to meet and take them out of the way. There is as much to be observed in the manner of speaking the truth, as in the truth itself, in order to make it effectual to the salvation of them who hear it. A harsh, unfeeling method of preaching the promises of the Gospel, and a smiling manner of producing the terrors of the Lord, are equally reprehensible. Some preachers are always severe and magisterial: others are always mild and insinuating: neither of these can do God's work; and it would take two such to make one Preacher.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 5:27-39

It was a wonder of Christ's grace, that he would call a publican to be his disciple and follower. It was a wonder of his grace, that the call was made so effectual. It was a wonder of his grace, that he came to call sinners to repentance, and to assure them of pardon. It was a wonder of his grace, that he so patiently bore the contradiction of sinners against himself and his disciples. It was a wonder of his grace…

Read the full comment on Luke 5:27-39 →

Luke 5:39 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiAndG2532
οὐδεὶςoudeisno [one]G3762
πιὼνpiōnhaving drunkG4095
παλαιὸνpalaionold [wine]G3820
εὐθέωςeutheōsimmediatelyG2112
θέλειtheleidesiresG2309
νέον,neonnew,G3501
λέγειlegeihe saysG3004
γάρ·garfor;G1063
ὁhoTheG3588
παλαιὸςpalaiosoldG3820
χρηστόςchrēstosgoodG5543
ἐστιν.¶estinis.G1510

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Luke 5:39

  • Hebrews 11:39

    And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

  • Jeremiah 6:16

    Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

  • Romans 4:11-12

    And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.

  • Mark 7:7-13

    Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: …

  • Hebrews 11:1-2

    Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 6:16; Mr 7:7-13; Ro 4:11,12; Heb 11:1,2,39

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Luke 5:38

    But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.

  • Luke 5:39

    No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.

Read all of Luke 5

Luke 5:39 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y ninguno que bebiere del añejo, quiere luego el nuevo; porque dice: El añejo es mejor.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il n’y a personne qui ait bu du vieux, qui veuille aussitôt du nouveau; car il dit: Le vieux est meilleur.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und niemand will, wenn er alten getrunken hat, alsbald neuen, denn er spricht: Der alte ist besser.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et nemo bibens vetus, statim vult novum: dicit enim: Vetus melius est.