ἀσκός (askos)
askos
wineskin
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The Greek word askos refers to a container made from animal skin, typically used for storing wine or water. In the ancient world, these vessels were flexible and durable, designed to hold liquids without breaking under pressure. The term appears in the Synoptic Gospels, where it serves as a practical metaphor in Jesus’ teaching about new and old things.
Its meaning is concrete: a leather bag that stretches when filled with fresh wine but becomes brittle over time. The sources highlight its use in three parallel passages (Matthew 9:17, Mark 2:22, Luke 5:37–38), where Jesus contrasts old wineskins with new wine. The image relies on physical reality—new wine ferments and expands, which would burst an aged, hardened skin. This distinction underscores the incompatibility of rigid traditions with the dynamic nature of the gospel message.
The word itself derives from a root related to stretching or expanding, reflecting the material’s property. Translators consistently render it as "wineskin" or "leather bottle," preserving the tangible quality of the metaphor. The occurrence count is low—only four verses—but its theological weight is significant, illustrating how new spiritual realities cannot be contained by outdated forms.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
A wineskin in the ancient world was a practical vessel made from animal hide, designed to hold liquids while allowing for some flexibility. When new wine was placed inside, the fermentation process created gas that expanded the container. An old skin, having stretched and hardened over time, could not accommodate this growth and would tear apart. This image appears in Jesus’ teaching to explain why His message did not fit into rigid religious structures.
This metaphor invites us to consider how we hold onto our faith. It suggests that spiritual vitality requires room for growth rather than clinging to forms that have lost their flexibility. When we encounter new understanding or fresh grace, it may challenge the ways we have always done things. The goal is not destruction but preservation, ensuring that both the message and the vessel remain intact.
You might find comfort in knowing that this teaching highlights God’s desire for wholeness rather than brokenness. It encourages a heart that is open to change and willing to adapt. This perspective helps us navigate seasons of transition with hope, trusting that new beginnings are meant to be sustained and cherished.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- wineskins11×
- wineskins,1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἀσκοὺς7×
- ἀσκοὶ2×
- ἀσκούς,1×
- ἀσκοί,1×
- ἀσκοί1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 9:17
Neither do people put new wine into old wineskins, or else the skins would burst, and the wine be spilled, and the skins ruined. No, they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”
This verse explicitly states the consequence of mixing old and new, emphasizing that both the wine and the skin are preserved only when kept separate.
-
Mark 2:22
No one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the skins, and the wine pours out, and the skins will be destroyed; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins.”
Mark’s account highlights the destructive outcome for the skins if they are forced to hold new wine, underscoring the incompatibility of the two states.
-
Luke 5:38
But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.
Luke provides the positive instruction that new wine must go into fresh skins, focusing on the necessity of using appropriate vessels for new spiritual realities.