In this article, we will explain to you what does the Bible say about fasting and also share some of the most important KJV Bible verses related to fasting.
What Does The Bible Say About Fasting?
Fasting is a spiritual discipline that is often mentioned in the Bible as a way to draw closer to God and seek His guidance and wisdom. In the Old Testament, fasting was often associated with repentance and mourning, as a way to humble oneself before the Lord and seek forgiveness for sin.
In the book of Joel, the prophet calls for a fast to be held in response to a locust plague, urging the people to “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning” (Joel 2:12). Similarly, in the book of Ezra, the people fast and pray for protection as they journey to Jerusalem, seeking God’s guidance and protection along the way.
In the New Testament, Jesus himself fasted for 40 days in the wilderness before beginning his ministry, setting an example for his followers to follow. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches his disciples about the importance of fasting, saying, “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (Matthew 6:16-18).
Throughout the Bible, fasting is seen as a way to humble oneself, seek God’s guidance, and draw closer to Him in prayer. It is a time of self-denial and focus on spiritual matters, as well as a way to express repentance and seek forgiveness for sin. Fasting is a powerful tool for spiritual growth and should be approached with sincerity and humility, seeking God’s will above all else.
KJV Bible Verses on fasting
Here are the top 10 KJV Bible Verses on fasting:
1. Matthew 6:16-18 – “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. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.”
2. Isaiah 58:6 – “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?”
3. Joel 2:12 – “Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:”
4. Acts 13:2-3 – “As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.”
5. Ezra 8:23 – “So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us.”
6. 1 Corinthians 7:5 – “Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.”
7. Matthew 9:14-15 – “Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.”
8. Psalm 69:10 – “When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.”
9. Luke 4:2 – “Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.”
10. 2 Chronicles 20:3 – “And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.”