Scripture passages about fasting, its meaning, and examples of fasting before God.
8 Scripture Passages · Father’s Blessing Bible
Isaiah 58:3–9
3 saying: “Why have we fasted, and You have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and You have not noticed?” Because on your fasting days you do as you please and oppress all your workers. 4 If you fast while judging and quarreling and striking the poor with your fists, you are not fasting before Me at this time in such a way that your voice will be heard. 5 This is not the fast I have chosen—a day when a person humbles himself, when he bows his head like a withered plant and lies on sackcloth and ashes. Do not even call this an acceptable fast! 6 This is not the fast I have chosen, says the Lord. Instead, break the chains of injustice, tear apart every yoke of bondage, set the oppressed free, and break every enslaving contract; 7 share your bread with the hungry, and bring wandering poor people into your house; when you see the naked, clothe them, and do not treat your relatives with contempt. 8 Then your light will shine like the morning, your healing will quickly spring forth, your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of God will cover you. 9 Then you will call, and God will answer you; you will still be speaking, and He will say: “Here I am!” If only you remove from among you the chains and words of complaint, stop pointing your finger and speaking offensively,
Joel 2:12–13
12 Yet even now, declares the Lord: Return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning. 13 Tear your hearts, not your garments, and return to the Lord your God; for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness, and relents from disaster.
Matthew 4:1–2
1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry.
Matthew 6:16–18
16 Moreover, when you fast, do not be gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so that people may see that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you may not appear to be fasting to people, but to your Father who is in secret; and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly.
Matthew 9:14–15
14 Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?” 15 And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.”
Luke 2:36–37
36 There was also Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from her virginity, 37 and then as a widow for eighty-four years. She did not depart from the temple, serving God with fasting and prayer night and day.
Acts 13:2–3
2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then, having fasted and prayed and laid hands on them, they sent them away.
Acts 14:23
And having appointed elders in every church, they prayed with fasting and commended them to the Lord, in whom they had believed.
