Matthew 9:14-17 - On Fasting

¹⁴ Then come to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees often fast, but thy disciples fast not?

¹⁵ And Jesus said to them, Can the sons of the bridechamber mourn so long as the bridegroom is with them? But days will come when the bridegroom will have been taken away from them, and then they will fast. ¹⁶ But no one puts a patch of new cloth on an old garment, for its filling up takes from the garment and a worse rent takes place. ¹⁷ Nor do men put new wine into old skins, otherwise the skins burst and the wine is poured out, and the skins will be destroyed; but they put new wine into new skins, and both are preserved together.

¹⁸ And the disciples of John and the Pharisees were fasting; and they come and say to him, Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?

¹⁹ And Jesus said to 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 days will come when the bridegroom shall have been taken away from them, and then shall they fast in that day. ²¹ No one sews a patch of new cloth on an old garment: otherwise its new filling-up takes from the old stuff, and there is a worse rent. ²² And no one puts new wine into old skins; otherwise the wine bursts the skins, and the wine is poured out, and the skins will be destroyed; but new wine is to be put into new skins.

³³ And they said to him, Why do the disciples of John fast often and make supplications, in like manner those also of the Pharisees, but thine eat and drink?

³⁴ And he said to them, Can ye make the sons of the bridechamber fast when the bridegroom is with them? ³⁵ But days will come when also the bridegroom will have been taken away from them; then shall they fast in those days.

³⁶ And he spoke also a parable to them: No one puts a piece of a new garment upon an old garment, otherwise he will both rend the new, and the piece which is from the new will not suit with the old. ³⁷ And no one puts new wine into old skins, otherwise the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be poured out, and the skins will be destroyed; ³⁸ but new wine is to be put into new skins, and both are preserved. ³⁹ And no one having drunk old wine straightway wishes for new, for he says, The old is better.