Matthew 9:14-17 - On Fasting

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

¹⁵ And Jesus said, Can the children of the bride-chamber mourn, as long as the bride-groom is with them? But the days will come, when the bride-groom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast. ¹⁶ No man putteth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: for that which is put in to fill it; taketh from the garment and the rent is made worse. ¹⁷ Neither do men put new wine into old leather bottles, else the bottles burst, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles are destroyed, 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 away from them; and then shall they fast in those days. ²¹ No man seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filleth it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse. ²² And no man putteth new wine into old leathern-bottles; else the new wine bursteth the bottles, and the wine is spilt, and the bottles are lost; but new wine must be put into new bottles.

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

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

³⁶ He spake also a parable to them, No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; otherwise both the new maketh a rent, and the piece out of the new agreeth not with the old. ³⁷ And no man putteth new wine into old leathern-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 And no man having drunk old wine, straightway desireth new; for he saith, The old is better.