Matthew 9:14-17 - On Fasting

¹⁴ Then the disciples of John come to Him, saying, Wherefore do we and the Pharisee fast, but thy disciples do not fast?

¹⁵ And Jesus said to them, The sons of the bride-chamber are not able to fast, so long as the bridegroom is with them. But the day will come, when the bride-groom must be taken from them, and then they will fast. ¹⁶ But no one puts a piece of new cloth on an old garment; for it takes its fullness from the garment, and the rent is made worse. ¹⁷ Neither do they put new wine in old bottles: lest the bottles are broken, and the wine poured out, and the bottles shall perish: but they put the new wine into the new bottles, and both are preserved.

¹⁸ The disciples of John and the Pharisees were fasting. And they come and say to Him; Wherefore do the disciples of John and the Pharisees fast, and thy disciples do not fast?

¹⁹ And Jesus said to them, Whether are the sons of the bride-chamber able to fast while the bridegroom is with them? So long a time as they have with them the bridegroom they are not able to fast. ²⁰ But the days will come, when the bridegroom must be taken from them, and then they will fast in that day. ²¹ No one putteth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: lest the new take its fullness from the old, and the rent is made worse. ²² No one puts new wine in old bottles: lest the new wine shall break the bottles, and the wine is poured out, and the bottles shall perish: but the new wine is put in new bottles.

³³ And they said to Him, Wherefore do the disciples of John fast, and make supplications; likewise also those of the Pharisees; but thy disciples eat and drink?

³⁴ And He said to them, Whether are you able to make the sons of the bridechamber to fast, while the bridegroom is with them? ³⁵ But the days will come when the bridegroom must indeed be taken away from them, then will they fast in those days.

³⁶ He also spoke a parable to them; Let no one put a piece of new cloth on an old garment; lest the new shall tear it, and the piece from the new will not fit the old. ³⁷ And no one puts new wine into old bottles; lest the new wine shall break the bottles, and it shall be poured out, and the bottles shall perish: ³⁸ but the new wine is to be put into new bottles, and both will be preserved. ³⁹ No one drinking the old immediately wishes the new; for he says, The old is better.