60 Bible Verses about Fasting

And Jonathan rose from the table in fierce anger, and did not eat food on the second day of the new moon. For he was grieved for David, because his father had put him to shame.

And David prayed to God for the child. And David fasted, and went in and lay all night upon the earth.

And all the people came to cause David to eat food while it was still day; David swore, saying, So let God do to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else until the sun is down.

And they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh. And they fasted seven days.

And they were gathered to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured out before Jehovah, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against Jehovah. And Samuel judged the sons of Israel in Mizpeh.

And Jesus said to them, Can the sons of the bridechamber 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 they shall fast.

But when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my soul with fastings; and my prayer returned into my own bosom.

When I humbled my soul with fasting, it turned to my reproach.

They say, Why have we fasted, and You do not see? Why have we afflicted our soul, and You take no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and crush all your laborers.

When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and a grain offering, I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the plague.

Yet even now, says Jehovah, turn to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.

But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to fast, but to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret shall reward you openly.

Set apart a fast; call a solemn gathering; gather the elders and all the people of the land into the house of Jehovah your God, and cry to the Lord,

However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.

Do not deprive one another, unless it is with consent for a time, so that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer. And come together again so that Satan does not tempt you for your incontinence.

Then I called a fast there at the river Ahava, so that we might humble ourselves before our God, in order to seek from Him a right way for us and for our little ones, and for all our goods.

And in every province, wherever the king's command and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping and wailing. And many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me, and do not eat nor drink three days, night or day. My maidservants and I will also fast in the same way. And so I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law. And if I perish, I perish.

And all the sons of Israel, and all the people, went up and came into the house of God, and wept, and sat there before Jehovah and fasted that day until evening, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Jehovah.

And it happened when Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth and walked softly.

And he arose, and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God.

And all the mighty men arose and took away the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh. And they buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.

And he was there with Jehovah forty days and forty nights. He neither ate bread, nor drank water. And He wrote upon the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.

When I had gone up into the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant which Jehovah made with you, then I stayed in the mountain forty days and forty nights. I neither ate bread nor drank water.

And I fell down before Jehovah, as at the first, forty days and forty nights. I neither ate bread nor drank water, because of all your sins which you sinned in doing wickedly in the sight of Jehovah to provoke Him to anger.

Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God and went into the room of Johanan the son of Eliashib. And he went there, and he ate no bread nor drank water. For he mourned because of the sin of those who had been exiled.

Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting. And diversions were not brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.

And in the twenty-fourth day of this month, the sons of Israel were gathered with fasting and with sackcloth, and with earth upon them.

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit up into the wilderness, to be tempted by the Devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterwards hungry.

And immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan. And He was with the wild beasts, and the angels ministered to Him.

And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness forty days, being tempted by the Devil. And in those days He ate nothing. And they being ended, He afterward was hungry.

And I fell down before Jehovah, as at the first, forty days and forty nights. I neither ate bread nor drank water, because of all your sins which you sinned in doing wickedly in the sight of Jehovah to provoke Him to anger.

And in the twenty-fourth day of this month, the sons of Israel were gathered with fasting and with sackcloth, and with earth upon them.

And they were gathered to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured out before Jehovah, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against Jehovah. And Samuel judged the sons of Israel in Mizpeh.

And in the twenty-fourth day of this month, the sons of Israel were gathered with fasting and with sackcloth, and with earth upon them. And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins and the sins of their fathers.

so that you do not appear to men to fast, but to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret shall reward you openly.

Then shall your light break out as the dawn, and your health shall spring out quickly; and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of Jehovah shall gather you. Then you shall call, and Jehovah shall answer; you shall cry, and He shall say, Here I am. If you take the yoke away from among you, the pointing of the finger, and speaking vanity; and if you draw out your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall your light rise in darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday. read more.
And Jehovah shall always guide you and satisfy your soul in dry places, and make your bones fat; and you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters fail not. And those who come of you shall build the old ruins; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.

And David prayed to God for the child. And David fasted, and went in and lay all night upon the earth.

My knees stumble from fasting; and my flesh is losing its fatness.

They say, Why have we fasted, and You do not see? Why have we afflicted our soul, and You take no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and crush all your laborers.

When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and a grain offering, I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the plague.

so that you do not appear to men to fast, but to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret shall reward you openly.

Speak to all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months, even those seventy years, did you truly fast to Me, even to Me?

And he was there with Jehovah forty days and forty nights. He neither ate bread, nor drank water. And He wrote upon the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.

And all the sons of Israel, and all the people, went up and came into the house of God, and wept, and sat there before Jehovah and fasted that day until evening, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Jehovah.

And he was there with Jehovah forty days and forty nights. He neither ate bread, nor drank water. And He wrote upon the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.

When I had gone up into the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant which Jehovah made with you, then I stayed in the mountain forty days and forty nights. I neither ate bread nor drank water.

And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and went up into the mountain. And Moses was in the mountain forty days and forty nights.

And I fell down before Jehovah, as at the first, forty days and forty nights. I neither ate bread nor drank water, because of all your sins which you sinned in doing wickedly in the sight of Jehovah to provoke Him to anger.

Then the disciples of John came to Him saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?

The disciples of John and those of the Pharisees were fasting. And they came and said to Him, Why do John's disciples and those of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?

I fast twice on the Sabbath, I give tithes of all that I possess.

And it happened when Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth and walked softly.

And they pitched over against one another seven days. And it happened in the seventh day, and the battle came up. And the sons of Israel struck Syria, a hundred thousand footmen in one day.

But when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my soul with fastings; and my prayer returned into my own bosom.

Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting. And diversions were not brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.

I ate no food for delight, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, until three whole weeks were fulfilled.

And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterwards hungry.

And having hand-picked elders for them in every church, and had prayed with fastings, they commended them to the Lord into whom they believed.

And until day was about to come, Paul begged all to take food, saying, This is the fourteenth day that you continued waiting without food, having taken nothing.

I fast twice on the Sabbath, I give tithes of all that I possess.

And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness forty days, being tempted by the Devil. And in those days He ate nothing. And they being ended, He afterward was hungry.

And having hand-picked elders for them in every church, and had prayed with fastings, they commended them to the Lord into whom they believed.

Then having fasted and prayed and laid hands on them, they let them go.

And I set my face toward the Lord God, to seek by prayer and holy desires, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.

So we fasted and prayed to our God for good. And He was pleased to hear us.

Yet even now, says Jehovah, turn to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.

Set apart a fast; call a solemn gathering; gather the elders and all the people of the land into the house of Jehovah your God, and cry to the Lord,

And they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh. And they fasted seven days.

And all the mighty men arose and took away the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh. And they buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.

And he was three days not seeing, and did not eat or drink.

And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour. And at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing.

I have been in hardship and toil; often in watchings; in hunger and thirst; often in fastings; in cold and nakedness;

And they were gathered to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured out before Jehovah, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against Jehovah. And Samuel judged the sons of Israel in Mizpeh.

And in the twenty-fourth day of this month, the sons of Israel were gathered with fasting and with sackcloth, and with earth upon them. And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins and the sins of their fathers.

But when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my soul with fastings; and my prayer returned into my own bosom.

Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting. And diversions were not brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.

And when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, of a sad face. For they disfigure their faces so that they may appear to men to fast. Truly I say to you, They have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to fast, but to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret shall reward you openly.

And when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, of a sad face. For they disfigure their faces so that they may appear to men to fast. Truly I say to you, They have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to fast, but to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret shall reward you openly.

And I fell down before Jehovah, as at the first, forty days and forty nights. I neither ate bread nor drank water, because of all your sins which you sinned in doing wickedly in the sight of Jehovah to provoke Him to anger.

And in the twenty-fourth day of this month, the sons of Israel were gathered with fasting and with sackcloth, and with earth upon them.

And when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, of a sad face. For they disfigure their faces so that they may appear to men to fast. Truly I say to you, They have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to fast, but to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret shall reward you openly.

And David prayed to God for the child. And David fasted, and went in and lay all night upon the earth.

And they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh. And they fasted seven days.

in stripes, in imprisonments, in riots, in labors, in watchings, in fastings;

I have been in hardship and toil; often in watchings; in hunger and thirst; often in fastings; in cold and nakedness;

And having hand-picked elders for them in every church, and had prayed with fastings, they commended them to the Lord into whom they believed.

Then having fasted and prayed and laid hands on them, they let them go.

They proclaimed a fast and set Naboth on high among the people.

And it happened when Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth and walked softly.

And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening, for Saul, and for his son Jonathan, and for the people of Jehovah, and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

Behold, you fast for strife and debate, and to strike with the fist of wickedness; you shall not fast as you do today, to make your voice to be heard on high. Is it such a fast that I have chosen? A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast and a day pleasing to Jehovah?

Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed ones go free, and that you break every yoke? Is it not to break your bread to the hungry, and that you should bring home the wandering poor? When will you see the naked and cover him; and you will not hide yourself from your own flesh?

And he arose, and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God.

And they said to Him, Why do John's disciples fast often and make prayers, and also the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink? But He said to them, Can you make the sons of the bridechamber fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then they shall fast in those days.

Then the disciples of John came to Him saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?

And it happened when I heard these words, I sat down and wept. And I mourned for days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of Heaven.

And when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, of a sad face. For they disfigure their faces so that they may appear to men to fast. Truly I say to you, They have their reward.

And David prayed to God for the child. And David fasted, and went in and lay all night upon the earth. And the elders of his house rose up toward him, to raise him up from the earth. But he would not, neither did he eat bread with them. And it happened on the seventh day, the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead. For they said, Behold, while the child was still alive we spoke to him, and he would not listen to our voice. How then will he trouble himself if we tell him that the child is dead? read more.
But David saw that his servants whispered. And David understood that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, Is the boy dead? And they said, He is dead. And David arose from the earth and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his clothing, and came into the house of Jehovah and worshiped. And he came to his house, and commanded, and they brought bread before him and he ate. Then his servants said to him, What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the living boy, but when the child was dead you arose and ate bread! And he said, While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, Who can tell if God will be gracious to me so that the child may live?

And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterwards hungry.

Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me, and do not eat nor drink three days, night or day. My maidservants and I will also fast in the same way. And so I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law. And if I perish, I perish.

Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me, and do not eat nor drink three days, night or day. My maidservants and I will also fast in the same way. And so I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law. And if I perish, I perish.

Then I called a fast there at the river Ahava, so that we might humble ourselves before our God, in order to seek from Him a right way for us and for our little ones, and for all our goods.

So we fasted and prayed to our God for good. And He was pleased to hear us.

My knees stumble from fasting; and my flesh is losing its fatness.

For my love they are my foes; but I am in prayer.

As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, So, then, separate Barnabas and Saul to Me for the work to which I have called them. Then having fasted and prayed and laid hands on them, they let them go.

When I humbled my soul with fasting, it turned to my reproach.

But when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my soul with fastings; and my prayer returned into my own bosom.

And I set my face toward the Lord God, to seek by prayer and holy desires, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.

I fast twice on the Sabbath, I give tithes of all that I possess.

And the people of Nineveh believed God. And they called a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. For word came to the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne. And he laid his robe from him, and covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he cried out and said in Nineveh by the decree of the king and his great ones, saying, Do not let man or beast, herd or flock taste anything; do not let them feed, nor drink water. read more.
But let man and animal be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God. And let them each one turn from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. Who knows? He may repent, and God may have pity and turn away from the glow of His anger, so that we do not perish. And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way. And God was compassionate over the evil that He had said to do to them, and He did not do it.

As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, So, then, separate Barnabas and Saul to Me for the work to which I have called them.

And she was a widow of eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, serving God with fastings and prayers night and day.

When I had gone up into the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant which Jehovah made with you, then I stayed in the mountain forty days and forty nights. I neither ate bread nor drank water.

And I fell down before Jehovah, as at the first, forty days and forty nights. I neither ate bread nor drank water, because of all your sins which you sinned in doing wickedly in the sight of Jehovah to provoke Him to anger.

Yet even now, says Jehovah, turn to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.

As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, So, then, separate Barnabas and Saul to Me for the work to which I have called them. Then having fasted and prayed and laid hands on them, they let them go.

In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed to Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar. And the thing was true, and a great conflict. And he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision. In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. I ate no food for delight, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, until three whole weeks were fulfilled.

In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. I ate no food for delight, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, until three whole weeks were fulfilled.

And David prayed to God for the child. And David fasted, and went in and lay all night upon the earth.

And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening, for Saul, and for his son Jonathan, and for the people of Jehovah, and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

And all the people came to cause David to eat food while it was still day; David swore, saying, So let God do to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else until the sun is down.

And Jehoshaphat feared and set himself to seek Jehovah, and called for a fast throughout all Judah.

And it happened in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, in the ninth month, they called a fast before Jehovah to all the people in Jerusalem, and to all the people who came from the cities of Judah to Jerusalem.

Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God and went into the room of Johanan the son of Eliashib. And he went there, and he ate no bread nor drank water. For he mourned because of the sin of those who had been exiled.

And having hand-picked elders for them in every church, and had prayed with fastings, they commended them to the Lord into whom they believed.

And all the sons of Israel, and all the people, went up and came into the house of God, and wept, and sat there before Jehovah and fasted that day until evening, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before Jehovah.

And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening, for Saul, and for his son Jonathan, and for the people of Jehovah, and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

But when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my soul with fastings; and my prayer returned into my own bosom.

When I humbled my soul with fasting, it turned to my reproach.

And he arose, and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God.

And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour. And at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing.

And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening, for Saul, and for his son Jonathan, and for the people of Jehovah, and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting. And diversions were not brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.

And they were gathered to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured out before Jehovah, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against Jehovah. And Samuel judged the sons of Israel in Mizpeh.

Then the disciples of John came to Him saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?

And she was a widow of eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, serving God with fastings and prayers night and day.

Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me, and do not eat nor drink three days, night or day. My maidservants and I will also fast in the same way. And so I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law. And if I perish, I perish.

And it happened when I heard these words, I sat down and wept. And I mourned for days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of Heaven.

And he was three days not seeing, and did not eat or drink.

And I set my face toward the Lord God, to seek by prayer and holy desires, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.

And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterwards hungry.

And I set my face toward the Lord God, to seek by prayer and holy desires, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.

And all the people came to cause David to eat food while it was still day; David swore, saying, So let God do to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else until the sun is down.

And they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh. And they fasted seven days.

And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening, for Saul, and for his son Jonathan, and for the people of Jehovah, and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

Then the disciples of John came to Him saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?

I fast twice on the Sabbath, I give tithes of all that I possess.

And it happened when I heard these words, I sat down and wept. And I mourned for days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of Heaven.

And I set my face toward the Lord God, to seek by prayer and holy desires, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.

Then having fasted and prayed and laid hands on them, they let them go.