Matthew 9:14-17 - On Fasting

¹⁴ At that time John's disciples came and asked Jesus, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?"

¹⁵ "Can the bridegroom's party mourn," He replied, "as long as the bridegroom is with them? But other days will come (when the Bridegroom has been taken from them) ¹⁶ No one ever mends an old cloak with a patch of newly woven cloth. Otherwise, the patch put on would tear away some of the old, and a worse hole would be made. ¹⁷ Nor do people pour new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the skins would split, the wine would escape, and the skins be destroyed. But they put new wine into fresh skins, and both are saved."

¹⁸ (Now John's disciples and those of the Pharisees were keeping a fast.)

¹⁹ "Can a wedding party fast while the bridegroom is among them?" replied Jesus. "So long as they have the bridegroom with them, fasting is impossible. ²⁰ But a time will come when the Bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast. ²¹ No one mends an old garment with a piece of unshrunk cloth. Otherwise, the patch put on would tear away from it--the new from the old--and a worse hole would be made. ²² And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise the wine would burst the skins, and both wine and skins would be lost. New wine needs fresh skins!"

³³ Again they said to Him, "John's disciples fast often and pray, as do also those of the pharisees; but yours eat and drink."

³⁴ "Can you compel the bridal party to fast," replied Jesus, "so long as they have the bridegroom among them? ³⁵ But a time for this will come, when the Bridegroom has been taken away from them: then, at that time, they will fast."

³⁶ He also spoke in figurative language to them. "No one," He said, "tears a piece from a new garment to mend an old one. Otherwise he would not only spoil the new, but the patch from the new would not match the old. ³⁷ Nor does any one pour new wine into old wine-skins. Otherwise the new wine would burst the skins, the wine itself would be spilt, and the skins be destroyed. ³⁸ But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. ³⁹ Nor does any one after drinking old wine wish for new; for he says, 'The old is better.'"