Matthew 9:14-17 - On Fasting

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

¹⁵ And Jesus said to them, Can the children of the bride-chamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then they will fast. ¹⁶ No man putteth a piece of new cloth to an old garment: for that which is put in to fill it up, taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. ¹⁷ Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.

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

¹⁹ And Jesus said to them, Can the children 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 from them, and then they will fast in those days. ²¹ No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up, taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse. ²² And no man putteth new wine into old bottles, else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.

³³ And they said to him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink?

³⁴ And he said to them, Can ye make the children of the bride-chamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? ³⁵ But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then they will fast in those days.

³⁶ And he spoke also a parable to them: No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old: if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new, agreeth not with the old. ³⁷ And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles will perish. ³⁸ But new wine must be put into new bottles, and both are preserved. ³⁹ No man also having drank old wine, immediately desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.