Fasting is a familiar term in the world of health and wellness, both physically and spiritually. But when it has to do with the Bible, there is something different about it. Beyond emptying the stomach, we move to the concept of connecting with the Spirit. So what does the Bible say about fasting?
In continuation of our series on What Does the Bible Say, we will share 20 Bible verses about fasting. These verses include guides you on the right way to fast, the spiritual benefits of fasting, and the kind of heart that God desires in the process.
What Does the Bible Say About Fasting?
In the Bible, fasting is defined as the voluntary abstinence from food and sometimes water for a spiritual purpose. It is often accompanied by prayer, a repentant heart, and a need for God’s guidance.
While many fast to appeal to God and request blessings, the Bible teaches that fasting is not a way to manipulate God but a way to humble ourselves. It disconnects us from the world to connect us more deeply with the Spirit.
Here are the key takeaways:
- Fasting is expected: Jesus said "when" you fast, not "if."
- A fasting that is profitable requires humility: It should be done for God, not for public show.
- It brings breakthroughs: Fasting is often linked to guidance, protection, and deliverance.
22 Key Bible Verses About Fasting
Here are 22 Bible verses about fasting, grouped into instructions on how to fast, the spiritual purpose of fasting, the call to repentance, and powerful examples of fasting in action. We pray and hope they encourage and admonish you in the Lord.
Instructions on How to Fast
1. Matthew 6:16
"Moreover when you fast, don’t be like the hypocrites, with sad faces. For they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen by men to be fasting. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward."
2. Matthew 6:17-18
"But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face; that you are not seen by men to be fasting, but by your Father who is in secret, and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you."
3. Mark 2:20
"But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then will they fast in that day."
4. 1 Corinthians 7:5
"Don’t deprive one another, unless it is by consent for a season, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer, and come together again, that Satan doesn’t tempt you because of your lack of self-control."
The Purpose & Power of Fasting (Seeking Guidance)
5. Ezra 8:21
"Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek of him a straight way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance."
6. Acts 13:2
"As they served the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, 'Separate Barnabas and Saul for me, for the work to which I have called them.'"
7. Acts 13:3
"Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away."
8. Acts 14:23
"When they had appointed elders for them in every assembly, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they had believed."
9. Psalm 35:13
"But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting. My prayer returned into my own bosom."
10. Psalm 69:10
"When I wept and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach."
True vs. False Fasting (Heart Posture)
11. Isaiah 58:6
"Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen: to release the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?"
12. Isaiah 58:7
"Isn’t it to distribute your bread to the hungry, and that you bring the poor who are cast out to your house? When you see the naked, that you cover him; and that you not hide yourself from your own flesh?"
13. Joel 2:12
"‘Yet even now,’ says Yahweh, ‘turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.’"
14. Zechariah 7:5
"Speak to all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and in the seventh month for these seventy years, did you at all fast to me, really to me?’"
15. Isaiah 58:3
"‘Why have we fasted,’ say they, ‘and you don’t see? Why have we afflicted our soul, and you don’t take knowledge?’ Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and exact all your labors."
Biblical Examples of Fasting
16. Matthew 4:2
"When he [Jesus] had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry afterward."
17. Luke 2:37
"And she [Anna] was a widow of about eighty-four years, who didn’t depart from the temple, worshipping with fastings and petitions night and day."
18. Esther 4:16
"Go, gather together all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day. I and my maidens will also fast the same way. Then I will go in to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish."
19. Daniel 9:3
"I set my face to the Lord God, to seek by prayer and petitions, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes."
20. Nehemiah 1:4
"When I heard these words, I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days; and I fasted and prayed before the God of heaven."
21. 2 Chronicles 20:3
"Jehoshaphat was alarmed, and set himself to seek Yahweh. He proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah."
22. Jonah 3:5
"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."
Biblical Questions About Fasting
What is the purpose of fasting?
The primary purpose of biblical fasting is to humble yourself before God, disconnect from worldly distractions, and seek His will with greater focus. It is often done during times of repentance, seeking guidance, or praying for deliverance.
Did Jesus command us to fast?
Jesus didn't give a direct command like "Thou shalt fast," but He taught with the assumption that we would. In Matthew 6:16, He said, "When you fast," not "If you fast," implying it is a normal part of the Christian life.
How long should I fast?
The Bible shows examples of fasts lasting for 1 day, 3 days, 21 days (Daniel), and even 40 days (Jesus and Moses). For beginners, it is best to start small, perhaps skipping one meal or fasting for 24 hours, and focusing on prayer and the Word during that time.
More from Faithful Today
Fasting often reveals where we are struggling with self-control. We encourage you to read our guide on overcome Temptation or use our Mood-Based Scripture tool to help you stay strong.
