60 Bible Verses about Fasting

Jonathan was angry that his father had insulted David. He got up and left the table. He did not eat anything all that day.

David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and lay on the ground all night.

David refused to eat anything the day of the funeral even though people tried to persuade him to eat. David vowed: May God strike me dead if I taste any food or anything else before the sun goes down.

They buried the bones under a small tree in Jabesh. Then for seven days, they went without eating to show their sorrow.

The Israelites gathered at Mizpah. They drew some water, poured it out in front of Jehovah and fasted that day. They confessed: We have sinned against Jehovah. So Samuel judged Israel in Mizpah.

Jesus replied: Should the wedding guests mourn and also celebrate with the groom? The days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them. Then they will fast.

But when they were sick, I wore sackcloth. I humbled myself with fasting. My prayer returned unanswered.

When I wept and I fasted, that was to my reproach.

Why have we fasted and you do not see? Why have we humbled ourselves and you do not notice? Behold, on the day of your fast you find desire, and mistreat all your workers.'

Even if they go without food, I will not listen to their cries for help. Even if they sacrifice burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not be pleased with them. But I will destroy these people with wars, famines, and plagues.

Even now, said Jehovah, turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning!

Anoint your head and wash your face. That way, men may not see that you are fasting. Your Father knows in secret and will reward you.

Sanctify a fast! Call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the House of Jehovah your God. Call out to Jehovah.

(omitted, text not found in early manuscripts)

Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent for a time. That way you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer. Then come together again, that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

Then I gave orders for a time of going without food, there by the Ahava River, so that we might make ourselves low before our God in prayer, requesting from him a safe journey for us and for our little ones and for all our substance.

Throughout all the provinces, wherever the king's proclamation was made known, there was loud mourning among the Jews. They fasted, wept, wailed, and most of them put on sackcloth and lay in ashes.

Go assemble all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me. Take no food or drink night or day for three days. My women and I will do the same. Then I will go in to the king even though it is against the law. If death is to be my fate, then let it come.

The people of Israel went up to Bethel and mourned. They sat there in Jehovah's presence and fasted until evening. They offered fellowship sacrifices and burned some sacrifices whole in the presence of Jehovah.

Elijah finished speaking. Ahab tore his clothes and took them off. He dressed in sackcloth. He refused food (fasted) and slept in the sackcloth. He was gloomy and depressed.

So he got up and took food and drink. He was strengthened to go for forty days and forty nights, to Horeb, the mountain of God.

all their fighting men took the bodies of Saul and his sons and brought them to Jabesh. They buried their bones under the great tree in Jabesh. Then they fasted seven days.

Moses was there with Jehovah forty days and forty nights. He did not eat bread or drink water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments (Ten Words).

When I went up on the mountain to get the stone tablets, the tablets of the promise that Jehovah made to you, I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights without food or water.

I fell down before Jehovah. Like the first, forty days and nights I did not eat or drink. This was because of all your sin you committed in doing what was evil in the sight of Jehovah to provoke Him to anger.

Then Ezra got up from before the house of God and went into the room of Jehohanan, the son of Eliashib. When he arrived there, he took no food or drink, for he was sorrowing for the sin of those who had come back.

The king went to his palace and did not eat. He refused musical entertainment and he could not sleep.

Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel came together, taking no food and putting sackcloth and dust on their bodies.

God's Spirit led Jesus into the desert wilderness. There he was tested (tempted) by the Devil. He fasted forty days and nights, and was very hungry.

At once the Spirit compelled Jesus to go into the wilderness filled with wild animals. Satan tempted Jesus. This lasted forty days. The angels took care of Jesus.

Jesus was full of God's Holy Spirit when he returned from the Jordan. Holy Spirit led him into the wilderness. He spent forty days in the wilderness being tempted by the devil. He did not eat anything during those days so when it was over he was hungry.

I fell down before Jehovah. Like the first, forty days and nights I did not eat or drink. This was because of all your sin you committed in doing what was evil in the sight of Jehovah to provoke Him to anger.

Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel came together, taking no food and putting sackcloth and dust on their bodies.

The Israelites gathered at Mizpah. They drew some water, poured it out in front of Jehovah and fasted that day. They confessed: We have sinned against Jehovah. So Samuel judged Israel in Mizpah.

Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel came together, taking no food and putting sackcloth and dust on their bodies. The seed of Israel made themselves separate from all the men of other nations. They publicly requested forgiveness for their sins and the wrongdoing of their fathers.

That way, men may not see that you are fasting. Your Father knows in secret and will reward you.

Your light will break out like the dawn. Your recovery will speedily spring forth. Your righteousness will go before you and the glory of Jehovah will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and Jehovah will answer! You will cry and he will say: 'Here I am.' If you remove the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness, and if you give yourself to the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then your light will rise in darkness and your gloom will be like midday. read more.
Jehovah will continually guide you. He will satisfy your desire in scorched places and give strength to your bones. You will be like a watered garden and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail. Those among you will rebuild the ancient ruins. You will raise up the age-old foundations. You will be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of the streets in which to dwell.

David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and lay on the ground all night.

My knees give way because I have been fasting. My body has become lean, without any fat.

Why have we fasted and you do not see? Why have we humbled ourselves and you do not notice? Behold, on the day of your fast you find desire, and mistreat all your workers.'

Even if they go without food, I will not listen to their cries for help. Even if they sacrifice burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not be pleased with them. But I will destroy these people with wars, famines, and plagues.

That way, men may not see that you are fasting. Your Father knows in secret and will reward you.

Speak to all the people of the land and to the priests, saying: 'For the past seventy years did you fast for me when you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months?

Moses was there with Jehovah forty days and forty nights. He did not eat bread or drink water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments (Ten Words).

The people of Israel went up to Bethel and mourned. They sat there in Jehovah's presence and fasted until evening. They offered fellowship sacrifices and burned some sacrifices whole in the presence of Jehovah.

Moses was there with Jehovah forty days and forty nights. He did not eat bread or drink water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments (Ten Words).

When I went up on the mountain to get the stone tablets, the tablets of the promise that Jehovah made to you, I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights without food or water.

Moses entered the midst of the cloud as he went up to the mountain. He was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

I fell down before Jehovah. Like the first, forty days and nights I did not eat or drink. This was because of all your sin you committed in doing what was evil in the sight of Jehovah to provoke Him to anger.

The disciples of John asked: Why do your disciples not fast? They frequently fasted, and so did the Pharisees.

John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. They came to him and asked: Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast but your disciples do not?

I fast twice per week. I give tithes of all that I get.

Elijah finished speaking. Ahab tore his clothes and took them off. He dressed in sackcloth. He refused food (fasted) and slept in the sackcloth. He was gloomy and depressed.

The two armies kept their positions facing one another for seven days. The seventh day the fight was started. The children of Israel put to the sword a hundred thousand Aramaean footmen in one day.

But when they were sick, I wore sackcloth. I humbled myself with fasting. My prayer returned unanswered.

The king went to his palace and did not eat. He refused musical entertainment and he could not sleep.

I ate no pleasant bread; neither flesh nor wine entered my mouth. I did not anoint myself at all until three whole weeks were completed.

He fasted forty days and nights, and was very hungry.

When they had ordained elders in every congregation they prayed with fasting. They commended them to God, on whom they believed.

At daybreak Paul encouraged all of them to eat some food, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that you wait and continue without food.

I fast twice per week. I give tithes of all that I get.

Jesus was full of God's Holy Spirit when he returned from the Jordan. Holy Spirit led him into the wilderness. He spent forty days in the wilderness being tempted by the devil. He did not eat anything during those days so when it was over he was hungry.

When they had ordained elders in every congregation they prayed with fasting. They commended them to God, on whom they believed.

After they fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on them and sent them away.

I looked to Jehovah God to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.

So we went without food, requesting our God for this: and his ear was open to our prayer.

Even now, said Jehovah, turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning!

Sanctify a fast! Call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the House of Jehovah your God. Call out to Jehovah.

They buried the bones under a small tree in Jabesh. Then for seven days, they went without eating to show their sorrow.

all their fighting men took the bodies of Saul and his sons and brought them to Jabesh. They buried their bones under the great tree in Jabesh. Then they fasted seven days.

He went for three days without sight. He did not eat or drink.

Cornelius replied, Four days ago I was praying at this hour. It was the ninth hour and I prayed in my house. A man dressed in bright clothing stood before me.

In weariness and painfulness, in watching often, in hunger and thirst, in fasting often, in cold and nakedness.

The Israelites gathered at Mizpah. They drew some water, poured it out in front of Jehovah and fasted that day. They confessed: We have sinned against Jehovah. So Samuel judged Israel in Mizpah.

Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel came together, taking no food and putting sackcloth and dust on their bodies. The seed of Israel made themselves separate from all the men of other nations. They publicly requested forgiveness for their sins and the wrongdoing of their fathers.

But when they were sick, I wore sackcloth. I humbled myself with fasting. My prayer returned unanswered.

The king went to his palace and did not eat. He refused musical entertainment and he could not sleep.

When you abstain from food, do not be like the hypocrites, with sad faces to be seen by men. They have received their reward. Anoint your head and wash your face. That way, men may not see that you are fasting. Your Father knows in secret and will reward you.

When you abstain from food, do not be like the hypocrites, with sad faces to be seen by men. They have received their reward. Anoint your head and wash your face. That way, men may not see that you are fasting. Your Father knows in secret and will reward you.

I fell down before Jehovah. Like the first, forty days and nights I did not eat or drink. This was because of all your sin you committed in doing what was evil in the sight of Jehovah to provoke Him to anger.

Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel came together, taking no food and putting sackcloth and dust on their bodies.

When you abstain from food, do not be like the hypocrites, with sad faces to be seen by men. They have received their reward. Anoint your head and wash your face. That way, men may not see that you are fasting. Your Father knows in secret and will reward you.

David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and lay on the ground all night.

They buried the bones under a small tree in Jabesh. Then for seven days, they went without eating to show their sorrow.

in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watching, in fasting;

In weariness and painfulness, in watching often, in hunger and thirst, in fasting often, in cold and nakedness.

When they had ordained elders in every congregation they prayed with fasting. They commended them to God, on whom they believed.

After they fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on them and sent them away.

They gave orders for a day of public sorrow and put Naboth at the head of the people.

Elijah finished speaking. Ahab tore his clothes and took them off. He dressed in sackcloth. He refused food (fasted) and slept in the sackcloth. He was gloomy and depressed.

They grieved and mourned and fasted until evening for Saul and Jonathan and for Israel, the people of Jehovah, because so many had been killed in battle.

You fast for contention and strife and to strike with a wicked fist. You do not fast today to make your voice heard on high. Is it a fast like this which I choose, a day for a man to humble himself? Is it for bowing one's head like a reed (rush) and for spreading out sackcloth and ashes as a bed? Will you call this a fast, even an acceptable day to Jehovah?

Is this not the fast I choose to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free and break every yoke? Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into the house? When you see the naked, should you cover him and not hide yourself from your own flesh?

So he got up and took food and drink. He was strengthened to go for forty days and forty nights, to Horeb, the mountain of God.

They said: The disciples of John fast often and make supplications. So do the disciples of the Pharisees. But yours eat and drink. Jesus replied: Could you make the sons of the bride-chamber fast while the bridegroom is with them? The days will come and when the bridegroom will be taken away from them. Then they will fast.

The disciples of John asked: Why do your disciples not fast? They frequently fasted, and so did the Pharisees.

After I heard these words I sat down on the ground and cried for days. I ate no food and offered prayer to the God of heaven.

When you abstain from food, do not be like the hypocrites, with sad faces to be seen by men. They have received their reward.

David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and lay on the ground all night. The elders in his palace stood beside him to raise him up from the ground. But he was unwilling and he would not eat with them. On the seventh day the child died. David's servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead. They thought: While the child was alive, we talked to him, and he would not listen to us. How can we tell him the child is dead? He may harm himself. read more.
David saw that his servants were whispering to one another. He realized (discerned) that the child was dead. Is the child dead? David asked them. Yes, he is dead. They answered. David got up from the floor. He took a bath, combed his hair, and changed his clothes. Then he went and worshiped in the Temple of Jehovah. After that he returned to the palace and ate. We do not understand, his servants said, while the child was alive you would not eat. As soon as he died, you got up and ate! David replied: I fasted and cried while the child lived. I thought Jehovah might be gracious to me and let the child live.

He fasted forty days and nights, and was very hungry.

Go assemble all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me. Take no food or drink night or day for three days. My women and I will do the same. Then I will go in to the king even though it is against the law. If death is to be my fate, then let it come.

Go assemble all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me. Take no food or drink night or day for three days. My women and I will do the same. Then I will go in to the king even though it is against the law. If death is to be my fate, then let it come.

Then I gave orders for a time of going without food, there by the Ahava River, so that we might make ourselves low before our God in prayer, requesting from him a safe journey for us and for our little ones and for all our substance.

So we went without food, requesting our God for this: and his ear was open to our prayer.

My knees give way because I have been fasting. My body has become lean, without any fat.

In return for my love, they accuse me, but I pray for them.

As they ministered to God, and fasted, the Holy Spirit said: Set Barnabas and Saul apart for the work I have called them. After they fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on them and sent them away.

When I wept and I fasted, that was to my reproach.

But when they were sick, I wore sackcloth. I humbled myself with fasting. My prayer returned unanswered.

I looked to Jehovah God to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.

I fast twice per week. I give tithes of all that I get.

The people of Nineveh believed God and they proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. The news reached the king of Nineveh. He left his throne, and took off his robe and covered himself with sackcloth. Then he sat in ashes. He made proclamation and published it in Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; let them not eat, nor drink water. read more.
Let them be covered with sackcloth, both man and beast. Let them sincerely call on God! Let them turn away each one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in his hands. Who knows whether God will turn back and change his mind, and turn away from his fierce anger that we will not perish? God saw their works! That they turned from their evil way. God turned back from the deed that he said he would do to them. He did not do it.

As they ministered to God, and fasted, the Holy Spirit said: Set Barnabas and Saul apart for the work I have called them.

She had been a widow eighty-four years. She never left the temple. She worshipped and fasted with supplications day and night.

When I went up on the mountain to get the stone tablets, the tablets of the promise that Jehovah made to you, I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights without food or water.

I fell down before Jehovah. Like the first, forty days and nights I did not eat or drink. This was because of all your sin you committed in doing what was evil in the sight of Jehovah to provoke Him to anger.

Even now, said Jehovah, turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning!

As they ministered to God, and fasted, the Holy Spirit said: Set Barnabas and Saul apart for the work I have called them. After they fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on them and sent them away.

In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a matter was revealed to Daniel. Daniels name was also Belteshazzar. The matter was true. There was a great military movement. He understood the matter. He also understood the vision. In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three whole weeks. I ate no pleasant bread; neither flesh nor wine entered my mouth. I did not anoint myself at all until three whole weeks were completed.

In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three whole weeks. I ate no pleasant bread; neither flesh nor wine entered my mouth. I did not anoint myself at all until three whole weeks were completed.

David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and lay on the ground all night.

They grieved and mourned and fasted until evening for Saul and Jonathan and for Israel, the people of Jehovah, because so many had been killed in battle.

David refused to eat anything the day of the funeral even though people tried to persuade him to eat. David vowed: May God strike me dead if I taste any food or anything else before the sun goes down.

Jehoshaphat was frightened and decided to ask for Jehovah's help. He announced a fast throughout Judah.

In the ninth month of the fifth year of the reign of Jehoiakim, son of King Josiah of Judah, a time for fasting was called. It was a time for all the people in Jerusalem and for everyone who was coming from any city in Judah to Jerusalem to fast in Jehovah's presence.

Then Ezra got up from before the house of God and went into the room of Jehohanan, the son of Eliashib. When he arrived there, he took no food or drink, for he was sorrowing for the sin of those who had come back.

When they had ordained elders in every congregation they prayed with fasting. They commended them to God, on whom they believed.

The people of Israel went up to Bethel and mourned. They sat there in Jehovah's presence and fasted until evening. They offered fellowship sacrifices and burned some sacrifices whole in the presence of Jehovah.

They grieved and mourned and fasted until evening for Saul and Jonathan and for Israel, the people of Jehovah, because so many had been killed in battle.

But when they were sick, I wore sackcloth. I humbled myself with fasting. My prayer returned unanswered.

When I wept and I fasted, that was to my reproach.

So he got up and took food and drink. He was strengthened to go for forty days and forty nights, to Horeb, the mountain of God.

Cornelius replied, Four days ago I was praying at this hour. It was the ninth hour and I prayed in my house. A man dressed in bright clothing stood before me.

They grieved and mourned and fasted until evening for Saul and Jonathan and for Israel, the people of Jehovah, because so many had been killed in battle.

The king went to his palace and did not eat. He refused musical entertainment and he could not sleep.

The Israelites gathered at Mizpah. They drew some water, poured it out in front of Jehovah and fasted that day. They confessed: We have sinned against Jehovah. So Samuel judged Israel in Mizpah.

The disciples of John asked: Why do your disciples not fast? They frequently fasted, and so did the Pharisees.

She had been a widow eighty-four years. She never left the temple. She worshipped and fasted with supplications day and night.

Go assemble all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me. Take no food or drink night or day for three days. My women and I will do the same. Then I will go in to the king even though it is against the law. If death is to be my fate, then let it come.

After I heard these words I sat down on the ground and cried for days. I ate no food and offered prayer to the God of heaven.

He went for three days without sight. He did not eat or drink.

I looked to Jehovah God to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.

He fasted forty days and nights, and was very hungry.

I looked to Jehovah God to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.

David refused to eat anything the day of the funeral even though people tried to persuade him to eat. David vowed: May God strike me dead if I taste any food or anything else before the sun goes down.

They buried the bones under a small tree in Jabesh. Then for seven days, they went without eating to show their sorrow.

They grieved and mourned and fasted until evening for Saul and Jonathan and for Israel, the people of Jehovah, because so many had been killed in battle.

The disciples of John asked: Why do your disciples not fast? They frequently fasted, and so did the Pharisees.

I fast twice per week. I give tithes of all that I get.

After I heard these words I sat down on the ground and cried for days. I ate no food and offered prayer to the God of heaven.

I looked to Jehovah God to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.

After they fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on them and sent them away.