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Fasting: Bible Verses about Fasting

25 Bible Verses about Fasting, List Verse and Description

Fasting: Bible Verses about Fasting

  1. Isaiah 58:6 “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?”
    This verse reminds us that fasting is not just about depriving ourselves of food, but also about loosening the bonds of wickedness and freeing the oppressed.
  2. Matthew 6:16-18 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
    In this passage, Jesus is teaching us how to fast properly. He is warning us against doing it for show and reminding us that God is the one who will reward us for our fasting.
  3. Psalm 35:13 “But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned to my own bosom.”
    This verse reminds us that fasting can be a way to humble ourselves and draw closer to God.
  4. Isaiah 58:3-5 “Why have we fasted, and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?” Iniquity, to serve our own interests? Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and exploit all your workers. Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high.”
    This passage reminds us that fasting should not be done out of self-interest or to quarrel and fight. We should fast to draw closer to God and to serve others.
  5. Mark 2:18-20 “Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day.”
    In this passage, Jesus is teaching us that while we have the presence of God with us, we should not fast. We should fast in our times of need, when we are seeking God’s help and presence .
  6. Isaiah 58:4 “Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high.”
    This verse reminds us that fasting should not be done to quarrel, fight, or hit with a wicked fist. We should fast to draw closer to God and to serve others.
  7. 2 Chronicles 20:3 “And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.”
    This verse reminds us that fasting can be a way to seek the Lord and draw closer to Him.
  8. Joel 2:12 “Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”
    Fasting is one way that we can turn to God and return to Him with all our hearts.
  9. Daniel 9:3 “Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.”
    Daniel reminds us that fasting is one way that we can seek God and plead for mercy.
  10. 1 Corinthians 7:5 “Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”
    In this passage, Paul is reminding us that fasting should be done with self-control, and in agreement with your spouse.
  11. Luke 5:35 “But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.”
    In this passage, Jesus is reminding us that fasting should be done when the bridegroom (God) is taken away from us, when we need to seek Him and draw closer to Him.
  12. Luke 18:12 “I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.”
    In this verse, Jesus is reminding us that fasting should be done regularly, not just in times of need.
  13. Acts 13:2-3 “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.”
    This passage reminds us that fasting can be a way to seek the Lord’s guidance and discernment for important decisions.
  14. 1 Corinthians 7:1-5 “Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”
    This passage reminds us that fasting should be done in agreement with our spouse, and with self-control.
  15. Proverbs 28:9 “If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.”
    This verse reminds us that fasting is not enough. We must also listen to God’s law and obey it.
  16. Matthew 6:16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.”
    In this passage, Jesus is reminding us not to fast to show off, but to fast out of humility and to draw closer to God.
  17. Matthew 17:21 “However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”
    This verse reminds us that fasting can be a way to seek God’s help and power.
  18. 1 Kings 21:27 “And when Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his flesh and fasted and lay in sackcloth and went about dejectedly.”
    This verse reminds us that fasting can be a sign of repentance and humility.
  19. Jeremiah 36:6-7 “Therefore go and cry out to them, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of hosts. “But you say, ‘How shall we return?’ Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions.”
    In this passage, God is teaching us that fasting can be a way to return to Him, to seek His forgiveness, and to give back to Him what is due.
  20. Joel 2:12-14 “Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster. Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord your God?”
    This passage reminds us that fasting can be a way to turn to God and seek His mercy, grace, and forgiveness.
  21. Acts 14:23 “And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.”
    This verse reminds us that fasting can be a way to commit ourselves to the Lord and seek His guidance.
  22. Luke 4:1-2 “And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry.”
    This passage reminds us that Jesus Himself fasted for forty days. We can follow His example and fast to draw closer to God.
  23. 1 Corinthians 7:5 “Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”
    Paul reminds us that fasting should be done with self-control, and in agreement with our spouse.
  24. Matthew 4:1-2 “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.”
    In this passage, Jesus is setting an example of fasting for us to follow. He fasted for forty days and forty nights and drew closer to God.
  25. Isaiah 58:2 “Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God.”
    This verse reminds us that fasting should be done with a desire to know God’s ways and to draw near to Him.

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  • Greg Gaines

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