Category
137 Bible verses about Fasting
When you go without eating, don't try to look gloomy as those show-offs do when they go without eating. I can assure you that they already have their reward.
Instead, comb your hair and wash your face.
Then others won't know that you are going without eating. But your Father sees what is done in private, and he will reward you.
I'll tell you what it really means to worship the LORD. Remove the chains of prisoners who are chained unjustly. Free those who are abused!
Share your food with everyone who is hungry; share your home with the poor and homeless. Give clothes to those in need; don't turn away your relatives.
The LORD said: It isn't too late. You can still return to me with all your heart. Start crying and mourning! Go without eating.
Don't rip your clothes to show your sorrow. Instead, turn back to me with broken hearts. I am merciful, kind, and caring. I don't easily lose my temper, and I don't like to punish.
Then, to show my sorrow, I went without eating and dressed in sackcloth and sat in ashes. I confessed my sins and earnestly prayed to the LORD my God: Our Lord, you are a great and fearsome God, and you faithfully keep your agreement with those who love and obey you.
While they were worshiping the Lord and going without eating, the Holy Spirit told them, "Appoint Barnabas and Saul to do the work for which I have chosen them."
Everyone prayed and went without eating for a while longer. Next, they placed their hands on Barnabas and Saul to show that they had been appointed to do this work. Then everyone sent them on their way.
They believed God's message and set a time when they would go without eating to show their sorrow. Then everyone in the city, no matter who they were, dressed in sackcloth.
When the king of Nineveh heard what was happening, he also dressed in sackcloth; he left the royal palace and sat in dust.
Then he and his officials sent out an order for everyone in the city to obey. It said: None of you or your animals may eat or drink a thing. Each of you must wear sackcloth, and you must even put sackcloth on your animals. You must also pray to the LORD God with all your heart and stop being sinful and cruel. Maybe God will change his mind and have mercy on us, so we won't be destroyed.
(SEE 3:7)
(SEE 3:7)
When God saw that the people had stopped doing evil things, he had pity and did not destroy them as he had planned.
Beside the Ahava River, I asked the people to go without eating and to pray. We humbled ourselves and asked God to bring us and our children safely to Jerusalem with all of our possessions.
I was ashamed to ask the king to send soldiers and cavalry to protect us against enemies along the way. After all, we had told the king that our God takes care of everyone who truly worships him, but that he gets very angry and punishes anyone who refuses to obey.
So we went without food and asked God himself to protect us, and he answered our prayers.
Jehoshaphat was afraid, so he asked the LORD what to do. He then told the people of Judah to go without eating to show their sorrow.
They immediately left for Jerusalem to ask for the LORD's help.
When I heard this, I sat down and cried. Then for several days, I mourned; I went without eating to show my sorrow, and I prayed:
When Jesus returned from the Jordan River, the power of the Holy Spirit was with him, and the Spirit led him into the desert.
For forty days Jesus was tested by the devil, and during that time he went without eating. When it was all over, he was hungry.
Moses stayed on the mountain with the LORD for forty days and nights, without eating or drinking. And he wrote down the Ten Commandments, the most important part of God's agreement with his people.
Paul and Barnabas chose some leaders for each of the churches. Then they went without eating and prayed that the Lord would take good care of these leaders.
When they were sick, I wore sackcloth and went without food. I truly prayed for them,
as I would for a friend or a relative. I was in sorrow and mourned, as I would for my mother.
One day some followers of John the Baptist came and asked Jesus, "Why do we and the Pharisees often go without eating, while your disciples never do?"
Jesus answered: The friends of a bridegroom don't go without eating while he is still with them. But the time will come when he will be taken from them. Then they will go without eating.
Daniel wrote: For three weeks I was in sorrow.
I ate no fancy food or meat, I drank no wine, and I put no olive oil on my face or hair.
You wonder why the LORD pays no attention when you go without eating and act humble. But on those same days that you give up eating, you think only of yourselves and abuse your workers.
You even get angry and ready to fight. No wonder God won't listen to your prayers!
Do you think the LORD wants you to give up eating and to act as humble as a bent-over bush? Or to dress in sackcloth and sit in ashes? Is this really what he wants on a day of worship?
On the twenty-fourth day of the seventh month, the people of Israel went without eating, and they dressed in sackcloth and threw dirt on their heads to show their sorrow.
They refused to let foreigners join them, as they met to confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors.
The Israelites met together at Mizpah with Samuel as their leader. They drew water from the well and poured it out as an offering to the LORD. On that same day they went without eating to show their sorrow, and they confessed they had been unfaithful to the LORD.
So don't refuse sex to each other, unless you agree not to have sex for a little while, in order to spend time in prayer. Then Satan won't be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
So David went without eating to show his sorrow, and he begged God to make the boy well. David would not sleep on his bed, but spent each night lying on the floor.
"Bring together all the Jews in Susa and tell them to go without eating for my sake! Don't eat or drink for three days and nights. My servant girls and I will do the same. Then I will go in to see the king, even if it means I must die."
Tell the leaders and people to come together at the temple. Order them to go without eating and to pray sincerely.
The people of Israel went to the place of worship at Bethel, where the sacred chest was being kept. They sat on the ground, crying and not eating for the rest of the day. Then about sunset, they offered sacrifices to please the LORD and to ask his blessing. Phinehas the priest then prayed, "Our LORD, the people of Benjamin are our relatives. Should we stop fighting or attack them again?" "Attack!" the LORD answered. "Tomorrow I will let you defeat them."
So Elijah sat up and ate and drank. The food and water made him strong enough to walk forty more days. At last, he reached Mount Sinai, the mountain of God,
Cornelius answered: Four days ago at about three o'clock in the afternoon I was praying at home. Suddenly a man in bright clothes stood in front of me.
He said, "Cornelius, God has heard your prayers, and he knows about your gifts to the poor.
All night long the king could not sleep. He did not eat anything, and he would not let anyone come in to entertain him.
They believed God's message and set a time when they would go without eating to show their sorrow. Then everyone in the city, no matter who they were, dressed in sackcloth.
Then others won't know that you are going without eating. But your Father sees what is done in private, and he will reward you.
They may even go without eating and offer sacrifices to please me and to give thanks. But when they cry out for my help, I won't listen, and I won't accept their sacrifices. Instead, I'll send war, starvation, and disease to wipe them out."
People of Judah, I, the LORD, demand that whenever you go without food as a way of worshiping me, it should become a time of celebration. No matter if it's the fourth month, the fifth month, the seventh month, or the tenth month, you should have a joyful festival. So love truth and live at peace.
Sound the trumpet on Zion! Call the people together. Show your sorrow by going without food.
Make sure that everyone is fit to worship me. Bring adults, children, babies, and even bring newlyweds from their festivities.
I keep my body under control and make it my slave, so I won't lose out after telling the good news to others.
When I heard this, I sat down and cried. Then for several days, I mourned; I went without eating to show my sorrow, and I prayed:
LORD God of heaven, you are great and fearsome. And you faithfully keep your promises to everyone who loves you and obeys your commands.
I am your servant, so please have mercy on me and answer the prayer that I make day and night for these people of Israel who serve you. I, my family, and the rest of your people have sinned
especially when the family went to the house of the LORD each year. One day, Elkanah was there offering a sacrifice, when Hannah began crying and refused to eat.
So Elkanah asked, "Hannah, why are you crying? Why won't you eat? Why do you feel so bad? Don't I mean more to you than ten sons?"
While they were worshiping the Lord and going without eating, the Holy Spirit told them, "Appoint Barnabas and Saul to do the work for which I have chosen them."
And now she was eighty-four years old. Night and day she served God in the temple by praying and often going without eating.
I was still confessing my sins and those of all Israel to the LORD my God, and I was praying for the good of his holy mountain,
when Gabriel suddenly came flying in at the time of the evening sacrifice. This was the same Gabriel I had seen in my vision,
and he explained: Daniel, I am here to help you understand the vision.
God thinks highly of you, and at the very moment you started praying, I was sent to give you the answer.
They cried all day long and would not eat anything. Everyone was sad because Saul, his son Jonathan, and many of the LORD's people had been killed in the battle.
The people of Israel went to the place of worship at Bethel, where the sacred chest was being kept. They sat on the ground, crying and not eating for the rest of the day. Then about sunset, they offered sacrifices to please the LORD and to ask his blessing. Phinehas the priest then prayed, "Our LORD, the people of Benjamin are our relatives. Should we stop fighting or attack them again?" "Attack!" the LORD answered. "Tomorrow I will let you defeat them."
(SEE 20:26)
(SEE 20:26)
Tell the leaders and people to come together at the temple. Order them to go without eating and to pray sincerely.
We are in for trouble! Soon the LORD All-Powerful will bring disaster.
You and your descendants must always remember to celebrate Purim at the time and in the way that we have said. You must also follow the instructions that we have given you about mourning and going without eating.
Shout the message! Don't hold back. Say to my people Israel: You've sinned! You've turned against the LORD.
Day after day, you worship him and seem eager to learn his teachings. You act like a nation that wants to do right by obeying his laws. You ask him about justice, and say you enjoy worshiping the LORD.
You wonder why the LORD pays no attention when you go without eating and act humble. But on those same days that you give up eating, you think only of yourselves and abuse your workers.
You even get angry and ready to fight. No wonder God won't listen to your prayers!
Do you think the LORD wants you to give up eating and to act as humble as a bent-over bush? Or to dress in sackcloth and sit in ashes? Is this really what he wants on a day of worship?
I'll tell you what it really means to worship the LORD. Remove the chains of prisoners who are chained unjustly. Free those who are abused!
Share your food with everyone who is hungry; share your home with the poor and homeless. Give clothes to those in need; don't turn away your relatives.
Then your light will shine like the dawning sun, and you will quickly be healed. Your honesty will protect you as you advance, and the glory of the LORD will defend you from behind.
When you beg the LORD for help, he will answer, "Here I am!" Don't mistreat others or falsely accuse them or say something cruel.
The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert, so that the devil could test him.
After Jesus had gone without eating for forty days and nights, he was very hungry.
Then the devil came to him and said, "If you are God's Son, tell these stones to turn into bread."
Jesus answered, "The Scriptures say: 'No one can live only on food. People need every word that God has spoken.' "
If my own people will humbly pray and turn back to me and stop sinning, then I will answer them from heaven. I will forgive them and make their land fertile once again.
Just before daylight Paul begged the people to eat something. He told them, "For fourteen days you have been so worried that you haven't eaten a thing.
I beg you to eat something. Your lives depend on it. Do this and not one of you will be hurt."
All night long the king could not sleep. He did not eat anything, and he would not let anyone come in to entertain him.
At daybreak the king got up and ran to the pit.
He was anxious and shouted, "Daniel, you were faithful and served your God. Was he able to save you from the lions?"
Jesus answered: The friends of a bridegroom don't go without eating while he is still with them. But the time will come when he will be taken from them. Then they will go without eating.
My love for your house burns in me like a fire, and when others insulted you, they insulted me as well.
I cried and went without food, but they still insulted me.
Sound the trumpet on Zion! Call the people together. Show your sorrow by going without food.
When the king of Nineveh heard what was happening, he also dressed in sackcloth; he left the royal palace and sat in dust.
Then he and his officials sent out an order for everyone in the city to obey. It said: None of you or your animals may eat or drink a thing. Each of you must wear sackcloth, and you must even put sackcloth on your animals. You must also pray to the LORD God with all your heart and stop being sinful and cruel. Maybe God will change his mind and have mercy on us, so we won't be destroyed.
(SEE 3:7)
(SEE 3:7)
Then Ezra left God's temple and went to spend the night in the living quarters of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. He felt sorry for what the people had done, and he did not eat or drink a thing.
They buried the bones under a small tree in Jabesh, and for seven days, they went without eating to show their sorrow.
On the twenty-fourth day of the seventh month, the people of Israel went without eating, and they dressed in sackcloth and threw dirt on their heads to show their sorrow.
They refused to let foreigners join them, as they met to confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors.
For three hours they stood and listened to the Law of the LORD their God, and then for the next three hours they confessed their sins and worshiped the LORD.
I have worked and struggled and spent many sleepless nights. I have gone hungry and thirsty and often had nothing to eat. I have been cold from not having enough clothes to keep me warm.
It happened during those forty days and nights that I was on the mountain, without anything to eat or drink. He had told me to come up there so he could give me the agreement he made with us. And this agreement was actually the same Ten Commandments he had announced to you when he spoke from the fire on the mountain. The LORD had written them on two flat stones with his own hand. But after giving me the two stones,
The people of Israel went to the place of worship at Bethel, where the sacred chest was being kept. They sat on the ground, crying and not eating for the rest of the day. Then about sunset, they offered sacrifices to please the LORD and to ask his blessing. Phinehas the priest then prayed, "Our LORD, the people of Benjamin are our relatives. Should we stop fighting or attack them again?" "Attack!" the LORD answered. "Tomorrow I will let you defeat them."
(SEE 20:26)
When you go without eating, don't try to look gloomy as those show-offs do when they go without eating. I can assure you that they already have their reward.
Be true to your name, LORD God! Show your great kindness and rescue me.
I am poor and helpless, and I have lost all hope.
I am fading away like an evening shadow; I am tossed aside like a crawling insect.
I have gone without eating, until my knees are weak, and my body is bony.
Beside the Ahava River, I asked the people to go without eating and to pray. We humbled ourselves and asked God to bring us and our children safely to Jerusalem with all of our possessions.
They told the people that it was a day to go without eating, and when they all came together, they seated Naboth at the front.
One day some followers of John the Baptist came and asked Jesus, "Why do we and the Pharisees often go without eating, while your disciples never do?"
Jesus answered: The friends of a bridegroom don't go without eating while he is still with them. But the time will come when he will be taken from them. Then they will go without eating.
No one uses a new piece of cloth to patch old clothes. The patch would shrink and tear a bigger hole.
No one pours new wine into old wineskins. The wine would swell and burst the old skins. Then the wine would be lost, and the skins would be ruined. New wine must be put into new wineskins. Both the skins and the wine will then be safe.
In every province where the king's orders were read, the Jews cried and mourned, and they went without eating. Many of them even put on sackcloth and sat in ashes.
Jehoshaphat was afraid, so he asked the LORD what to do. He then told the people of Judah to go without eating to show their sorrow.
I'll tell you what it really means to worship the LORD. Remove the chains of prisoners who are chained unjustly. Free those who are abused!
Share your food with everyone who is hungry; share your home with the poor and homeless. Give clothes to those in need; don't turn away your relatives.
Then your light will shine like the dawning sun, and you will quickly be healed. Your honesty will protect you as you advance, and the glory of the LORD will defend you from behind.
When you beg the LORD for help, he will answer, "Here I am!" Don't mistreat others or falsely accuse them or say something cruel.
Give your food to the hungry and care for the homeless. Then your light will shine in the dark; your darkest hour will be like the noonday sun.
The LORD will always guide you and provide good things to eat when you are in the desert. He will make you healthy. You will be like a garden that has plenty of water or like a stream that never runs dry.
You will rebuild those houses left in ruins for years; you will be known as a builder and repairer of city walls and streets.
When I heard this, I sat down and cried. Then for several days, I mourned; I went without eating to show my sorrow, and I prayed:
LORD God of heaven, you are great and fearsome. And you faithfully keep your promises to everyone who loves you and obeys your commands.
I am your servant, so please have mercy on me and answer the prayer that I make day and night for these people of Israel who serve you. I, my family, and the rest of your people have sinned
by choosing to disobey you and the laws and teachings you gave to your servant Moses.
Please remember the promise you made to Moses. You told him that if we were unfaithful, you would scatter us among foreign nations.
But you also said that no matter how far away we were, we could turn to you and start obeying your laws. Then you would bring us back to the place where you have chosen to be worshiped.
Our LORD, I am praying for your servants--those you rescued by your great strength and mighty power.
Please answer my prayer and the prayer of your other servants who gladly honor your name. When I serve the king his wine today, make him pleased with me and have him do what I ask.
The Israelites met together at Mizpah with Samuel as their leader. They drew water from the well and poured it out as an offering to the LORD. On that same day they went without eating to show their sorrow, and they confessed they had been unfaithful to the LORD.
When the Philistine rulers found out about the meeting at Mizpah, they sent an army there to attack the people of Israel. The Israelites were afraid when they heard that the Philistines were coming.
"Don't stop praying!" they told Samuel. "Ask the LORD our God to rescue us."
At the time of the evening sacrifice, I was still sitting there in sorrow with my clothes all torn. So I got down on my knees, then lifted my arms,
Cornelius answered: Four days ago at about three o'clock in the afternoon I was praying at home. Suddenly a man in bright clothes stood in front of me.
"No, I wouldn't go with you, even if you offered me half of your kingdom. I won't eat or drink here either.
The LORD said I can't eat or drink anything and that I can't go home the same way I came."
Daniel, don't be afraid! God has listened to your prayers since the first day you humbly asked for understanding, and he has sent me here.
But the guardian angel of Persia opposed me for twenty-one days. Then Michael, who is one of the strongest guardian angels, came to rescue me from the kings of Persia.
(A special psalm for the people of Korah and for the music leader.) As a deer gets thirsty for streams of water, I truly am thirsty for you, my God.
In my heart, I am thirsty for you, the living God. When will I see your face?
I brought everyone together by the river that flows to the town of Ahava where we camped for three days. Not one Levite could be found among the people and priests.
So I sent for the leaders Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam. I also sent for Joiarib and Elnathan, who were very wise.
Then I sent them to Iddo, the leader at Casiphia, and I told them to ask him and his temple workers to send people to serve in God's temple.
God was kind to us and had them send a skillful man named Sherebiah, who was a Levite from the family of Mahli. Eighteen of his relatives came with him.
We were also sent Hashabiah and Jeshaiah from the family of Merari along with twenty of their relatives.
In addition, 220 others came to help the Levites in the temple. The ancestors of these workers had been chosen years ago by King David and his officials, and they were all listed by name.
Beside the Ahava River, I asked the people to go without eating and to pray. We humbled ourselves and asked God to bring us and our children safely to Jerusalem with all of our possessions.
I was ashamed to ask the king to send soldiers and cavalry to protect us against enemies along the way. After all, we had told the king that our God takes care of everyone who truly worships him, but that he gets very angry and punishes anyone who refuses to obey.
So we went without food and asked God himself to protect us, and he answered our prayers.
The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert, so that the devil could test him.
After Jesus had gone without eating for forty days and nights, he was very hungry.
Then the devil came to him and said, "If you are God's Son, tell these stones to turn into bread."
Jesus answered, "The Scriptures say: 'No one can live only on food. People need every word that God has spoken.' "
Next, the devil took Jesus to the holy city and had him stand on the highest part of the temple.
The devil said, "If you are God's Son, jump off. The Scriptures say: 'God will give his angels orders about you. They will catch you in their arms, and you won't hurt your feet on the stones.' "
Jesus answered, "The Scriptures also say, 'Don't try to test the Lord your God!' "
Finally, the devil took Jesus up on a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms on earth and their power.
The devil said to him, "I will give all this to you, if you will bow down and worship me."
Jesus answered, "Go away Satan! The Scriptures say: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve only him.' "
Then the devil left Jesus, and angels came to help him.
Some people said to Jesus, "John's followers often pray and go without eating, and so do the followers of the Pharisees. But your disciples never go without eating or drinking."
Jesus told them, "The friends of a bridegroom don't go without eating while he is still with them.
But the time will come when he will be taken from them. Then they will go without eating."
Daniel wrote: Some years later, Darius the Mede, who was the son of Xerxes, had become king of Babylonia. And during his first year as king, I found out from studying the writings of the prophets that the LORD had said to Jeremiah, "Jerusalem will lie in ruins for seventy years."
(SEE 9:1)
Then, to show my sorrow, I went without eating and dressed in sackcloth and sat in ashes. I confessed my sins and earnestly prayed to the LORD my God: Our Lord, you are a great and fearsome God, and you faithfully keep your agreement with those who love and obey you.
Then Nathan went back home. The LORD made David's young son very sick.
So David went without eating to show his sorrow, and he begged God to make the boy well. David would not sleep on his bed, but spent each night lying on the floor.
His officials stood beside him and tried to talk him into getting up. But he would not get up or eat with them.
After the child had been sick for seven days, he died, but the officials were afraid to tell David. They said to each other, "Even when the boy was alive, David wouldn't listen to us. How can we tell him his son is dead? He might do something terrible!"
David noticed his servants whispering, and he knew the boy was dead. "Did my son die?" he asked his servants. "Yes, he did," they answered.
David got up off the floor; he took a bath, combed his hair, and dressed. He went into the LORD's tent and worshiped, then he went back home. David asked for something to eat, and when his servants brought him some food, he ate it.
His officials said, "What are you doing? You went without eating and cried for your son while he was alive! But now that he's dead, you're up and eating."
David answered: While he was still alive, I went without food and cried because there was still hope. I said to myself, "Who knows? Maybe the LORD will have pity on me and let the child live."
But now that he's dead, why should I go without eating? I can't bring him back! Someday I will join him in death, but he can't return to me.
Mourn, you priests who serve at the altar of my God. Spend your days and nights wearing sackcloth. Offerings of grain and wine are no longer brought to the LORD's temple.
Tell the leaders and people to come together at the temple. Order them to go without eating and to pray sincerely.
LORD God of heaven, you are great and fearsome. And you faithfully keep your promises to everyone who loves you and obeys your commands.
I am your servant, so please have mercy on me and answer the prayer that I make day and night for these people of Israel who serve you. I, my family, and the rest of your people have sinned
by choosing to disobey you and the laws and teachings you gave to your servant Moses.
Please remember the promise you made to Moses. You told him that if we were unfaithful, you would scatter us among foreign nations.
But you also said that no matter how far away we were, we could turn to you and start obeying your laws. Then you would bring us back to the place where you have chosen to be worshiped.
Our LORD, I am praying for your servants--those you rescued by your great strength and mighty power.
Please answer my prayer and the prayer of your other servants who gladly honor your name. When I serve the king his wine today, make him pleased with me and have him do what I ask.
I cried and went without food, but they still insulted me.
They sneered at me for wearing sackcloth to show my sorrow.
Give your food to the hungry and care for the homeless. Then your light will shine in the dark; your darkest hour will be like the noonday sun.
The LORD will always guide you and provide good things to eat when you are in the desert. He will make you healthy. You will be like a garden that has plenty of water or like a stream that never runs dry.
Daniel made up his mind to eat and drink only what God had approved for his people to eat. And he asked the king's chief official for permission not to eat the food and wine served in the royal palace.
God had made the official friendly and kind to Daniel.
But the man still told him, "The king has decided what you must eat and drink. And I am afraid he will kill me, if you eat something else and end up looking worse than the other young men."
The king's official had put a guard in charge of Daniel and his three friends. So Daniel said to the guard,
"For the next ten days, let us have only vegetables and water at mealtime.
When the ten days are up, compare how we look with the other young men, and decide what to do with us."
The guard agreed to do what Daniel had asked.
Ten days later, Daniel and his friends looked healthier and better than the young men who had been served food from the royal palace.
After this, the guard let them eat vegetables instead of the rich food and wine.
When you pray, go into a room alone and close the door. Pray to your Father in private. He knows what is done in private, and he will reward you.
I brought everyone together by the river that flows to the town of Ahava where we camped for three days. Not one Levite could be found among the people and priests.
and he said to the priest, "Abiathar, let's ask God what to do." Abiathar brought everything he needed to get answers from God, and he went over to David.
Then David asked the LORD, "Should I go after the people who raided our town? Can I catch up with them?" "Go after them," the LORD answered. "You will catch up with them, and you will rescue your families."
(A psalm by David when he was in the desert of Judah.) You are my God. I worship you. In my heart, I long for you, as I would long for a stream in a scorching desert.
I have seen your power and your glory in the place of worship.
Your love means more than life to me, and I praise you.
As long as I live, I will pray to you.
I will sing joyful praises and be filled with excitement like a guest at a banquet.
So he prayed: Our LORD, I knew from the very beginning that you wouldn't destroy Nineveh. That's why I left my own country and headed for Spain. You are a kind and merciful God, and you are very patient. You always show love, and you don't like to punish anyone, not even foreigners.
Discover for yourself that the LORD is kind. Come to him for protection, and you will be glad.
Honor the LORD! You are his special people. No one who honors the LORD will ever be in need.
Young lions may go hungry or even starve, but if you trust the LORD, you will never miss out on anything good.
Deep in my heart I long for your temple, and with all that I am I sing joyful songs to you.
You should praise the LORD for his love and for the wonderful things he does for all of us.
To everyone who is thirsty, he gives something to drink; to everyone who is hungry, he gives good things to eat.
The prophet Anna was also there in the temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. In her youth she had been married for seven years, but her husband died.
And now she was eighty-four years old. Night and day she served God in the temple by praying and often going without eating.
Nehemiah told the people, "Enjoy your good food and wine and share some with those who didn't have anything to bring. Don't be sad! This is a special day for the LORD, and he will make you happy and strong."
The LORD was deeply concerned about his land and had pity on his people.
In answer to their prayers he said, "I will give you enough grain, wine, and olive oil to satisfy your needs. No longer will I let you be insulted by the nations.
Mordecai wrote down everything that had happened. Then he sent letters to the Jews everywhere in the provinces
and told them: Each year you must celebrate on both the fourteenth and the fifteenth of Adar,
the days when we Jews defeated our enemies. Remember this month as a time when our sorrow was turned to joy, and celebration took the place of crying. Celebrate by having parties and by giving to the poor and by sharing gifts of food with each other.
The church at Antioch had several prophets and teachers. They were Barnabas, Simeon, also called Niger, Lucius from Cyrene, Manaen, who was Herod's close friend, and Saul.
While they were worshiping the Lord and going without eating, the Holy Spirit told them, "Appoint Barnabas and Saul to do the work for which I have chosen them."
Everyone prayed and went without eating for a while longer. Next, they placed their hands on Barnabas and Saul to show that they had been appointed to do this work. Then everyone sent them on their way.
But first, you must start respecting the Sabbath as a joyful day of worship. You must stop doing and saying whatever you please on this special day.
Then you will truly enjoy knowing the LORD. He will let you rule from the highest mountains and bless you with the land of your ancestor Jacob. The LORD has spoken!
Some time later, the armies of Moab and Ammon, together with the Meunites, went to war against Jehoshaphat.
Messengers told Jehoshaphat, "A large army from Edom east of the Dead Sea has invaded our country. They have already reached En-Gedi."
Jehoshaphat was afraid, so he asked the LORD what to do. He then told the people of Judah to go without eating to show their sorrow.
They immediately left for Jerusalem to ask for the LORD's help.
After everyone from Judah and Jerusalem had come together at the LORD's temple, Jehoshaphat stood in front of the new courtyard
and prayed: You, LORD, are the God our ancestors worshiped, and from heaven you rule every nation in the world. You are so powerful that no one can defeat you.
Our God, you forced out the nations who lived in this land before your people Israel came here, and you gave it to the descendants of your friend Abraham forever.
Our ancestors lived in this land and built a temple to honor you.
They believed that whenever this land is struck by war or disease or famine, your people can pray to you at the temple, and you will hear their prayer and save them.
You can see that the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Edom are attacking us! Those are the nations you would not let our ancestors invade on their way from Egypt, so these nations were not destroyed.
Now they are coming to take back the land you gave us.
Aren't you going to punish them? We won't stand a chance when this army attacks. We don't know what to do--we are begging for your help.
While every man, woman, and child of Judah was standing there at the temple,
the LORD's Spirit suddenly spoke to Jahaziel, a Levite from the Asaph clan.
Then Jahaziel said: Your Majesty and everyone from Judah and Jerusalem, the LORD says that you don't need to be afraid or let this powerful army discourage you. God will fight on your side!
So here's what you must do. Tomorrow the enemy armies will march through the desert around the town of Jeruel. March down and meet them at the town of Ziz as they come up the valley.
You won't even have to fight. Just take your positions and watch the LORD rescue you from your enemy. Don't be afraid. Just do as you're told. And as you march out tomorrow, the LORD will be there with you.
Jehoshaphat bowed low to the ground and everyone worshiped the LORD.
Then some Levites from the Kohath and Korah clans stood up and shouted praises to the LORD God of Israel.
Early the next morning, as everyone got ready to leave for the desert near Tekoa, Jehoshaphat stood up and said, "Listen my friends, if we trust the LORD God and believe what these prophets have told us, the LORD will help us, and we will be successful."
Then he explained his plan and appointed men to march in front of the army and praise the LORD for his holy power by singing: "Praise the LORD! His love never ends."
As soon as they began singing, the LORD confused the enemy camp,
so that the Ammonite and Moabite troops attacked and completely destroyed those from Edom. Then they turned against each other and fought until the entire camp was wiped out!
When Judah's army reached the tower that overlooked the desert, they saw that every soldier in the enemy's army was lying dead on the ground.
So Jehoshaphat and his troops went into the camp to carry away everything of value. They found a large herd of livestock, a lot of equipment, clothes, and other valuable things. It took them three days to carry it all away, and there was still some left over.
Then on the fourth day, everyone came together in Beracah Valley and sang praises to the LORD. That's why that place was called Praise Valley.
Jehoshaphat led the crowd back to Jerusalem. And as they marched, they played harps and blew trumpets. They were very happy because the LORD had given them victory over their enemies, so when they reached the city, they went straight to the temple.
(SEE 20:27)
When the other nations heard how the LORD had fought against Judah's enemies, they were too afraid
to invade Judah. The LORD let Jehoshaphat's kingdom be at peace.
The king's official had put a guard in charge of Daniel and his three friends. So Daniel said to the guard,
"For the next ten days, let us have only vegetables and water at mealtime.
So they went to the place of worship at Bethel and asked God, "Which tribe should be the first to attack the people of Benjamin?" "Judah," the LORD answered.
The next morning the Israelite army moved its camp to a place near Gibeah.
Then they left their camp and got into position to attack the army of Benjamin.
Benjamin's soldiers came out of Gibeah and attacked, and when the day was over, twenty-two thousand Israelite soldiers lay dead on the ground.
The people of Israel went to the place of worship and cried until sunset. Then they asked the LORD, "Should we attack the people of Benjamin again, even though they are our relatives?" "Yes," the LORD replied, "attack them again!" The Israelite soldiers encouraged each other to be brave and to fight hard. Then the next day they went back to Gibeah and took up the same positions as they had before.
(SEE 20:22)
(SEE 20:22)
That same day, Benjamin's soldiers came out of Gibeah and attacked, leaving another eighteen thousand Israelite soldiers dead on the battlefield.
The people of Israel went to the place of worship at Bethel, where the sacred chest was being kept. They sat on the ground, crying and not eating for the rest of the day. Then about sunset, they offered sacrifices to please the LORD and to ask his blessing. Phinehas the priest then prayed, "Our LORD, the people of Benjamin are our relatives. Should we stop fighting or attack them again?" "Attack!" the LORD answered. "Tomorrow I will let you defeat them."
After Jesus had gone without eating for forty days and nights, he was very hungry.
Then the devil came to him and said, "If you are God's Son, tell these stones to turn into bread."
Jesus answered, "The Scriptures say: 'No one can live only on food. People need every word that God has spoken.' "
When you beg the LORD for help, he will answer, "Here I am!" Don't mistreat others or falsely accuse them or say something cruel.
Give your food to the hungry and care for the homeless. Then your light will shine in the dark; your darkest hour will be like the noonday sun.
Tell the leaders and people to come together at the temple. Order them to go without eating and to pray sincerely.
We are in for trouble! Soon the LORD All-Powerful will bring disaster.
Our food is already gone; there's no more celebrating at the temple of our God.
Then he and his officials sent out an order for everyone in the city to obey. It said: None of you or your animals may eat or drink a thing. Each of you must wear sackcloth, and you must even put sackcloth on your animals. You must also pray to the LORD God with all your heart and stop being sinful and cruel. Maybe God will change his mind and have mercy on us, so we won't be destroyed.
(SEE 3:7)
(SEE 3:7)
When God saw that the people had stopped doing evil things, he had pity and did not destroy them as he had planned.
For three hours they stood and listened to the Law of the LORD their God, and then for the next three hours they confessed their sins and worshiped the LORD.
Then Nathan went back home. The LORD made David's young son very sick.
So David went without eating to show his sorrow, and he begged God to make the boy well. David would not sleep on his bed, but spent each night lying on the floor.
All night long the king could not sleep. He did not eat anything, and he would not let anyone come in to entertain him.
At daybreak the king got up and ran to the pit.
He was anxious and shouted, "Daniel, you were faithful and served your God. Was he able to save you from the lions?"
Daniel answered, "Your Majesty, I hope you live forever!
My God knew that I was innocent, and he sent an angel to keep the lions from eating me. Your Majesty, I have never done anything to hurt you."
The king was relieved to hear Daniel's voice, and he gave orders for him to be taken out of the pit. Daniel's faith in his God had kept him from being harmed.
And the king ordered the men who had brought charges against Daniel to be thrown into the pit, together with their wives and children. But before they even reached the bottom, the lions ripped them to pieces.
For forty days Jesus was tested by the devil, and during that time he went without eating. When it was all over, he was hungry.
Suddenly something like fish scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see. He got up and was baptized.
Then he ate and felt much better. For several days Saul stayed with the Lord's followers in Damascus.
Then Ezra left God's temple and went to spend the night in the living quarters of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. He felt sorry for what the people had done, and he did not eat or drink a thing.
The officials and leaders sent a message to all who had returned from Babylonia and were now living in Jerusalem and Judah. It told them to meet in Jerusalem within three days, or else they would lose everything they owned and would no longer be considered part of the people that had returned from Babylonia.
(SEE 10:7)
The LORD said: It isn't too late. You can still return to me with all your heart. Start crying and mourning! Go without eating.
In the third year of Cyrus the king of Persia, a message came to Daniel from God, and it was explained in a vision. The message was about a horrible war, and it was true.
Daniel wrote: For three weeks I was in sorrow.
I ate no fancy food or meat, I drank no wine, and I put no olive oil on my face or hair.
Athletes work hard to win a crown that cannot last, but we do it for a crown that will last forever.
I don't run without a goal. And I don't box by beating my fists in the air.
I keep my body under control and make it my slave, so I won't lose out after telling the good news to others.
Discover for yourself that the LORD is kind. Come to him for protection, and you will be glad.
(A psalm by David when he was in the desert of Judah.) You are my God. I worship you. In my heart, I long for you, as I would long for a stream in a scorching desert.
(SEE 9:3)
But we have sinned terribly by rebelling against you and rejecting your laws and teachings.
We have ignored the message your servants the prophets spoke to our kings, our leaders, our ancestors, and everyone else.
Some people said to Jesus, "John's followers often pray and go without eating, and so do the followers of the Pharisees. But your disciples never go without eating or drinking."