Mark 2:18-22Matt. 9:14-17Luke 5:33-39
18 And John's
disciples and the
Pharisees were fasting:
and they come and say
unto him, Why do
John's disciples and
the disciples of the
Pharisees fast, but
thy disciples fast not?
19 And Jesus said unto
them, Can the sons of
the bride-chamber 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 they
will fast in that day.
21 No
man seweth a piece
of undressed cloth on
an old garment: else
that which should
fill it up taketh from
it, the new from the
old, and a worse rent
is made. 22 And no
man putteth new wine
into old 2wine-skins:
else the wine
will burst the skins,
and the wine perisheth,
and the skins:
but they put new wine
into fresh wine-skins.
14 Then come to him
the disciples of John,
saying, Why do we
and the Pharisees fast
1oft, but thy disciples
fast not? 15 And Jesus
said unto them, Can
the sons of the bride-
chamber mourn, as
long as the bridegroom
is with them?
but the days will come,
when the bridegroom
shall be taken
away from them, and
then will they fast.
16 And no
man putteth a piece
of undressed cloth
upon an old garment;
for that which should
fill it up taketh from
the garment, and a
worse rent is made.
17 Neither do men put
new wine into old
2wine-skins: else the
skins burst, and the
wine is spilled, and
the skins perish: but
they put new wine
into fresh wine-skins,
and both are
preserved.
33 And they said unto
him, The disciples
of John fast often, and
make supplications;
likewise also
the disciples of the
Pharisees; but thine
eat and drink. 34 And
Jesus said unto them,
Can ye make the sons
of the bride-chamber
fast while
the bridegroom is
with them?
35 But the days will
come; and when the
bridegroom shall be
taken away from
them, then will they
fast in those days.
36 And he spake
also a parableb unto
them; No man rendeth
a piece from a new
garment and putteth
it upon an old
garment; else he will
rend the new, and
also the piece from
the new will not agree
with the old. 37 And
no man putteth new
wine into old 2wine-
skins; else the new
wine will burst the
skins, and itself will
be spilled, and the
skins will perish.
38 But new wine must
be put into fresh
wine-skins. 39 And no
man having drunk
old wine desireth new:
for he saith, The old
is 3good.

1 Some ancient authorities omit oft.

2 That is, skins used as bottles.

3 Many ancient authorities read better.

a It was probably the presence of the disciples of Christ at Matthew's feast on one of the Jewish fast days that occasioned the complaint of John's disciples and the Pharisees. It is sad to see disciples of John aligned with the Pharisees against Jesus.

b Note the use of the term parable in Luke. There are three parables (the sons of the bride-chamber, the new patch on an old garment, the new wine in old wine-skins) here together. A few isolated ones have already occurred as in [John 2:19].

In sections 49 to 51 we see the Pharisees attacking Jesus both in Jerusalem and in Galilee with great hostility and with the purpose of killing him because of violation of the Pharisaic regulations about the Sabbath. Jesus defends himself and his disciples by various arguments and personal claims.

§ 49. AT A FEAST IN JERUSALEM (POSSIBLY THE PASSOVER) JESUS HEALS A LAME MAN ON THE SABBATH AND DEFENDS THIS ACTION TO THE PHARISEES IN A GREAT DISCOURSE

John 5:1-47