18 Bible Verses about Abstinence as a discipline

On the morrow, as they journeyed and drew nigh to the city, Peter went up on the house-top, to pray, about the sixth hour. And he became very hungry, and would have eaten; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance, And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel like a great sheet, tied at the four corners, descending to him, and let down on the earth:read more.
Wherein were all four-footed creatures of the earth, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. And a voice came to him, Rise, Peter, kill and eat. But Peter said, In no wise, Lord: for I have never eaten any thing common or unclean.

Now there were in the church that was at Antioch, certain prophets and teachers, Barnabas, and Simeon called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene and Manaen, who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. And as they were ministring to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul, for the work to which I have called them.

Then was Jesus led up by the Spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted by the devil. And having fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterwards hungry.

And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost, returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Being forty days tempted by the devil. And in those days he ate nothing, and when they were ended he hungered.

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

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? 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. But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them; and then shall they fast in those days.

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

And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher: she was of a great age, having lived with an husband seven years from her virginity. And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, who departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers, night and day.

And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

He that regardeth the day, regardeth it to the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord; for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

Then said Jesus to his disciples, If any man be willing to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.

And when he had called the people to him, with his disciples also, he said to them, Whosoever is willing to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.

And he said to all, if any man be willing to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me.

Let us walk decently, as in the day; not in banqueting and drunken entertainments, not in uncleannesses and wantonness, not in strife and envy.

Wherefore my sentence is, That we trouble not them who from among the Gentiles turn to God. But that we write to them, to abstain from things offered to idols and fornication, and things strangled and blood.

It is good, not to eat flesh, neither to drink wine, nor to do any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or made weak.

Moreover, when ye fast, be not as the hypocrites of a sad countenance; for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast: verily I say unto you, they have their reward.

The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed thus, God I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, rapacious, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week: I give tythes of all that I possess.