Category
VERSES ABOUT FASTING
Fasting helps me grow closer to God and strengthens my relationship with my Heavenly Father. I try not to see it as something I do for my own benefit, but as a way to improve my walk with God. It's a voluntary choice, a time when I set aside the physical need for food to nourish my spirit. It's a special time to seek God's presence, which is why I find it helpful to fast in a quiet place where I can talk with Him alone.
The Bible talks about this too. Daniel 9:31 says, "So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes." It's really inspiring to see how people in the Bible sought God through fasting.
“When you fast, {\cf2\super [78]} don’t make yourselves look sad. The hypocrites {\cf2\super [79]} do that. Don’t be like the hypocrites. They make their faces look strange to show people that they are fasting. I tell you the truth, those hypocrites already have their full reward.So when you fast, make yourself look nice. Wash your face.Then people will not know that you are fasting. But your Father that you cannot see will see you. Your Father sees the things that are done in secret. And he will reward you.
“I will tell you the kind of special day I want—a day to make people free. I want a day that you take the burdens off people. I want a day when you make the troubled people free. I want a day when you take the burdens from their shoulders.I want you to share your food with the hungry people. I want you to find poor people that don’t have homes, and I want you to bring them into your own homes. When you see a man that has no clothes—give him your clothes! Don’t hide \{from helping those people\}; they are just like you.”
This is the Lord’s message:\par “Now come back to me with all your heart,\par \{You did bad things,\}\par cry, cry and don’t eat any food!\parTear your hearts, not your clothes.” {\cf2\super [13]} \par Come back to the Lord your God.\par He is kind and merciful.\par He does not become angry quickly.\par He has great love.\par Maybe he will change his mind\par about the bad \{punishment he planned\}.\par
Then I turned to God, my Master. I prayed to him and asked him for help. I did not eat any food, and I put on the clothes that showed I was sad. And I put dirt on my head.
These men were all serving the Lord and fasting. {\cf2\super [245]} The Holy Spirit {\cf2\super [246]} said to them, “Give Barnabas and Saul to me to do a special work. I have chosen them to do this work.”So the church fasted {\cf2\super [247]} and prayed. They put their hands on {\cf2\super [248]} Barnabas and Saul and sent them out.
The people of Nineveh believed \{the message from\} God. The people decided to stop eating for a time \{to think about their sins\}. The people put on special clothes \{to show that they were sorry\}. All the people in the city did this—the most important people and the least important people.The king of Nineveh heard about these things. And the king was also sorry for the bad things he did. So the king left his throne. {\cf2\super [13]} The king removed his robe and put on special clothes \{to show he was sorry\}. Then the king sat in ashes. {\cf2\super [14]}The king wrote a special message. The king sent this message through the city:But every person and every animal must be covered with a special cloth \{to show he is sad\}. People must cry loudly to God. Every person must change his life and stop doing bad things.Then maybe God will change and not do the things he had planned. Maybe God will change and not be angry. Then maybe we will not be punished.God saw the things the people did. God saw that the people stopped doing evil things. So God changed and did not do what he planned. God did not punish the people.
There near the Ahava River, I (Ezra) announced that we all should fast. {\cf2\super [53]} We should fast to make ourselves humble before our God. We wanted to ask God for a safe trip for ourselves, our children, and for all the things we owned.I was embarrassed to ask King Artaxerxes for soldiers and horsemen to protect us as we traveled. There were enemies on the road. The reason I was embarrassed to ask for protection was because of what we had told the king. We had said to King Artaxerxes, “Our God is with every person that trusts him. But God is very angry with every person that turns away from him.”So we fasted and prayed to our God about our trip. He answered our prayers.
Jehoshaphat became afraid, and he decided to ask the Lord what to do. He announced a time of fasting {\cf2\super [223]} for everyone in Judah.The people of Judah came together to ask for help from the Lord. They came from out of all the towns of Judah to ask for the Lord’s help.
When I heard those things about the people of Jerusalem and about the wall, I was very upset. I sat down and cried. I was very sad. I fasted {\cf2\super [2]} and prayed to the God of Heaven for several days.
Jesus returned from the Jordan River. He was full of the Holy Spirit. {\cf2\super [61]} The Spirit led Jesus into the desert.There the devil tempted Jesus for 40 days. Jesus ate nothing during that time. When those days were finished, Jesus was very hungry.
Moses stayed there with the Lord for 40 days and 40 nights. Moses did not eat any food or drink any water. And he (the Lord)} wrote the words of the Agreement (the Ten Commandments) on the two flat stones.
Paul and Barnabas chose elders {\cf2\super [292]} for each church (group of believers). They fasted {\cf2\super [293]} and prayed for these elders. These elders were men who had trusted the Lord \{Jesus\}. So Paul and Barnabas put them in the Lord’s care.
When those people were sick,\par I was sad for them.\par I showed my sadness by not eating.\par Is this what I get for praying for them?\parI wore clothes of sadness for those people.\par I treated those people like my friends or even like brothers.\par I was sad, like a man crying because his mother had died.\par I wore black clothes to show my sadness for those people.\par I walked with my head bowed in sadness.\par
After Elijah finished speaking, Ahab was very sad. He tore his clothes to show that he was sad. Then he put on special clothes of sadness. Ahab refused to eat. He slept in those special clothes. Ahab was very sad and upset.The Lord said to Elijah the prophet,“I see that Ahab has become humble before me. So, I will not cause the trouble to come to him during his life. I will wait until his son is king. Then I will cause the trouble to come to Ahab’s family.”
Then the followers of John {\cf2\super [107]} came to Jesus. They said to Jesus, “We and the Pharisees {\cf2\super [108]} fast {\cf2\super [109]} often. But your followers don’t fast. Why?”Jesus answered, “\{When there is a wedding,\} the friends of the bridegroom {\cf2\super [110]} are not sad while he is with them. But the time will come when the bridegroom will leave them. The friends are sad when the bridegroom leaves. Then they will fast. {\cf2\super [111]}
\{Daniel says,\} “At that time, I, Daniel, was very sad for three weeks.During those three weeks, I didn’t eat any fancy food. I didn’t eat any meat. I didn’t drink any wine. I didn’t put any oil on my head. I didn’t do any of these things for three weeks.
Now those people say, “We stop eating food to show honor to you. Why don’t you see us? We hurt our bodies to show honor to you. Why don’t you notice us?”You are hungry; but not for food. You are hungry for arguing and fighting, not bread. You are hungry to hit people with your evil hands. When you stop eating food, it is not for me. You don’t want to use your voice to praise me.Do you think on those special days for not eating food that all I want is to see people punish their bodies? Do you think I want people to look sad? Do you think I want people to bow their heads like dead plants and wear clothes of sadness? Do you think I want people to sit in ashes to show their sadness? That is what you do on your special days for not eating food. Do you think that is what the Lord wants?
Then on the 24th day of that same month, the people of Israel gathered together for a day of fasting. {\cf2\super [48]} They wore clothes of sadness and put ashes on their heads \{to show they were sad and upset\}.Those people that were true Israelites separated themselves from foreigners. The Israelites stood \{in the temple\} and confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors. {\cf2\super [49]}
“Tell the priests and the other people in this country these things: For seventy years you fasted and showed your sadness in the fifth month and in the seventh month. But was that fasting really for me? No!
The Israelites met together at Mizpah. They got water and poured it out before the Lord. {In this way, they began a time of fasting.} They did not eat any food that day and they confessed their sins. They said, “We have sinned against the Lord.” So Samuel served as a judge [86] of Israel at Mizpah.
Don’t refuse to give your bodies to each other. But you might both agree to stay away \{from sex\} for a time. You might do this so that you can give your time to prayer. Then come together again. This is so that Satan (the Devil) cannot tempt you in your weakness.
David prayed to God for the baby. David refused to eat or drink. He went into his house and stayed there. He lay on the ground all night.
Tell the people that there will be a special time for not eating food. Call the people together for a special meeting. Bring the leaders and all the people that live in the land together. Bring them to the temple {\cf2\super [7]} of the Lord your God, and pray to the Lord.
Then all the people of Israel went up to the city of Bethel. At that place they sat down and cried to the Lord. They did not eat anything all day, until evening. They also offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to the Lord.
So Elijah got up. He ate and drank. The food made Elijah strong enough to walk for 40 days and nights. He walked to Mount Horeb, the mountain of God.
Cornelius said, “Four days ago, I was praying in my house. It was at this same time—three o’clock in the afternoon. Suddenly, there was a man (angel) standing before me. He was wearing bright, shiny clothes.The man said, ‘Cornelius! God has heard your prayer. God has seen the things you give to the poor people. God remembers you.
Then King Darius went back to his house. He did not eat that night. He did not want anyone to come and entertain him. The king could not sleep all night.
The people of Nineveh believed \{the message from\} God. The people decided to stop eating for a time \{to think about their sins\}. The people put on special clothes \{to show that they were sorry\}. All the people in the city did this—the most important people and the least important people.
Then people will not know that you are fasting. But your Father that you cannot see will see you. Your Father sees the things that are done in secret. And he will reward you.
The people of Judah might begin to fast {\cf2\super [122]} \{and pray to me\}. But I will not listen to their prayers. Even if they offer burnt offerings and grain offerings to me, I will not accept those people. I will destroy the people of Judah with war. I will take away their food, and the people of Judah will starve. And I will destroy them with terrible diseases.”
The Lord All-Powerful says, “You have special days of sadness and fasting in the fourth month, the fifth month, the seventh month, and the tenth month. {\cf2\super [22]} Those days of sadness must be changed into days of happiness. Those will be good and happy holidays. And you must love truth and peace!”
When those people were sick,\par I was sad for them.\par I showed my sadness by not eating.\par Is this what I get for praying for them?\par
Blow the trumpet at Zion. {\cf2\super [14]} \par Call for a special meeting.\par Call for a special time for not eating.\parBring together the people.\par Call for a special meeting.\par Bring together the older men.\par Bring together the children.\par Bring the small babies\par that still suck their mother’s breasts.\par Let the bride and her new husband\par come from their bedroom.\par
It is my own body that I hit. I make it my slave. I do this so that I myself will not be thrown out \{by God\} after I have told other people \{about his blessings\}.
When I heard those things about the people of Jerusalem and about the wall, I was very upset. I sat down and cried. I was very sad. I fasted {\cf2\super [2]} and prayed to the God of Heaven for several days.Then I prayed this prayer:Please open your eyes and ears and listen to the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night. I am praying for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we people of Israel have done against you. I am confessing that I have sinned against you and that the other people in my father’s family have sinned against you.
The same thing happened every year. Every time their family went to the Lord’s house at Shiloh, Peninnah made Hannah upset. One day Elkanah was giving sacrifices. [7] Hannah became upset and began to cry. Hannah would not eat anything.Her husband, Elkanah, said to her, “Hannah, why are you crying? Why won’t you eat? Why are you sad? You have me—I am your husband. You should think I am better than ten sons.”
These men were all serving the Lord and fasting. {\cf2\super [245]} The Holy Spirit {\cf2\super [246]} said to them, “Give Barnabas and Saul to me to do a special work. I have chosen them to do this work.”
Then her husband died and she lived alone. She was now 84 years old. Anna was always at the temple; she never left. She worshiped God by fasting {\cf2\super [40]} and praying day and night.
I was saying those things in my prayer to God. I was telling about my sins and the sins of the people of Israel. I was praying for God’s holy mountain.While I was praying, the man Gabriel came to me. Gabriel was the person I saw in the vision. {\cf2\super [104]} Gabriel came flying quickly to me. He came at the time of the evening sacrifice.Gabriel helped me understand the things I wanted to know. Gabriel said, “Daniel, I have come to give you wisdom and to help you understand.When you first started praying, the command was given. And I came to tell you. God loves you very much! You will understand this command, and you will understand the vision.
They were very sad and cried. They did not eat until evening. They cried because Saul and his son Jonathan were dead. David and his men cried for the Lord’s people {that had been killed}, and they cried for Israel. They cried because Saul, his son Jonathan, and many Israelites had been killed in battle.
Then all the people of Israel went up to the city of Bethel. At that place they sat down and cried to the Lord. They did not eat anything all day, until evening. They also offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to the Lord.The men of Israel asked the Lord a question. (In those days God’s Box of the Agreement [172] was there at Bethel.Phinehas was the priest that served God there. Phinehas was the son of Eleazar. Eleazar was the son of Aaron.) The people of Israel asked, “The people of Benjamin are our relatives. Should we again go to fight against them? Or should we stop fighting?”
Tell the people that there will be a special time for not eating food. Call the people together for a special meeting. Bring the leaders and all the people that live in the land together. Bring them to the temple {\cf2\super [7]} of the Lord your God, and pray to the Lord.Be sad! Why? Because the Lord’s special day is near. At that time, punishment will come like an attack from God All-Powerful.
But the time will come when the groom will be taken away from them. Then his friends will fast.”
Mordecai wrote these letters to tell the people to start celebrating Purim. And he told them when to celebrate this new holiday. Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had sent out the command for the Jews. They did this to establish this two-day holiday for themselves and their descendants. {\cf2\super [33]} They will remember this holiday just like they remember the other holidays when they fast {\cf2\super [34]} and cry about the bad things that had happened.
Shout as loud as you can!\par Don’t stop yourself!\par Shout loud like a trumpet!\par Tell the people about the wrong things\par they have done!\par Tell Jacob’s family about their sins!\parThen they will come every day\par to worship me.\par And they will want to learn my ways.\par They will become a nation that lives right.\par They will not quit following\par God’s good commands.\par They will ask me to judge them fairly.\par They will want to go to God\par \{for his fair decisions\}.\parNow those people say, “We stop eating food to show honor to you. Why don’t you see us? We hurt our bodies to show honor to you. Why don’t you notice us?”You are hungry; but not for food. You are hungry for arguing and fighting, not bread. You are hungry to hit people with your evil hands. When you stop eating food, it is not for me. You don’t want to use your voice to praise me.Do you think on those special days for not eating food that all I want is to see people punish their bodies? Do you think I want people to look sad? Do you think I want people to bow their heads like dead plants and wear clothes of sadness? Do you think I want people to sit in ashes to show their sadness? That is what you do on your special days for not eating food. Do you think that is what the Lord wants?“I will tell you the kind of special day I want—a day to make people free. I want a day that you take the burdens off people. I want a day when you make the troubled people free. I want a day when you take the burdens from their shoulders.I want you to share your food with the hungry people. I want you to find poor people that don’t have homes, and I want you to bring them into your own homes. When you see a man that has no clothes—give him your clothes! Don’t hide \{from helping those people\}; they are just like you.”If you do these things, your light will begin shining like the light of dawn. Then your wounds will heal. Your “Goodness” (God) will walk in front of you, and the Glory of the Lord {\cf2\super [446]} will come following behind you.Then you will call to the Lord, and the Lord will answer you. You will shout to the Lord, and he will say, “Here I am.”
Then the Spirit {\cf2\super [47]} led Jesus into the desert. Jesus was taken there to be tempted by the devil.Jesus ate nothing for 40 days and nights. After this, he was very hungry.The devil came to Jesus to tempt him. The devil said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these rocks to become bread.”Jesus answered him, “It is written \{in the Scriptures {\cf2\super [48]} \},
and if my people who are called by my name become humble and pray, and look for me, and turn away from their evil ways, then I will hear them from heaven. And I will forgive their sin and I will heal their land.
Just before dawn Paul began persuading all the people to eat something. He said, “For the past two weeks you have been waiting and watching. You have not eaten for 14 days.Now I beg (ask) you to eat something. You need it to stay alive. None of you will lose even one hair off your heads.”
Then King Darius went back to his house. He did not eat that night. He did not want anyone to come and entertain him. The king could not sleep all night.The next morning, King Darius got up just as it was getting light. He ran to the lions’ den (cage).The king was very worried. When the king went to the lions’ den, he called to Daniel. The king said, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God been able to save you from the lions? You always serve your God.”
Jesus answered, “\{When there is a wedding,\} the friends of the bridegroom {\cf2\super [110]} are not sad while he is with them. But the time will come when the bridegroom will leave them. The friends are sad when the bridegroom leaves. Then they will fast. {\cf2\super [111]}
My strong feelings {\cf2\super [401]} for your temple are destroying me.\par I get the insults from people\par who make fun of you.\parI cry and fast, {\cf2\super [402]} \par and they make fun of me for it.\par
In the ninth month of the fifth year that Jehoiakim was king, a fast {\cf2\super [303]} was announced. All the people that lived in the city of Jerusalem, and everyone that had come into Jerusalem from the towns of Judah were supposed to fast before the Lord.
Blow the trumpet at Zion. {\cf2\super [14]} \par Call for a special meeting.\par Call for a special time for not eating.\par
The king of Nineveh heard about these things. And the king was also sorry for the bad things he did. So the king left his throne. {\cf2\super [13]} The king removed his robe and put on special clothes \{to show he was sorry\}. Then the king sat in ashes. {\cf2\super [14]}The king wrote a special message. The king sent this message through the city:But every person and every animal must be covered with a special cloth \{to show he is sad\}. People must cry loudly to God. Every person must change his life and stop doing bad things.Then maybe God will change and not do the things he had planned. Maybe God will change and not be angry. Then maybe we will not be punished.
Then Ezra went away from the front of God’s house. Ezra went to the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. While Ezra was there, he didn’t eat food, and he didn’t drink water. He did that because he was still very sad. He was very sad about the people of Israel that came back to Jerusalem.
Then these people took the bones of Saul and his three sons and buried them under the big tree in Jabesh. Then the people of Jabesh showed their sadness—they did not eat for seven days.
Then on the 24th day of that same month, the people of Israel gathered together for a day of fasting. {\cf2\super [48]} They wore clothes of sadness and put ashes on their heads \{to show they were sad and upset\}.Those people that were true Israelites separated themselves from foreigners. The Israelites stood \{in the temple\} and confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors. {\cf2\super [49]}They stood there for about three hours, and the people read the Book of the Law of the Lord their God. Then for three more hours they confessed their sins and bowed down to worship the Lord their God.
I have done hard and tiring work, and many times I did not sleep. I have been hungry and thirsty. Many times I have been without food. I have been cold and without clothes.
I went up the mountain to get the flat stones. The Agreement that the Lord made with you was written on those stones. I stayed on the mountain 40 days and 40 nights. I did not eat any food or drink any water.
Then all the people of Israel went up to the city of Bethel. At that place they sat down and cried to the Lord. They did not eat anything all day, until evening. They also offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to the Lord.The men of Israel asked the Lord a question. (In those days God’s Box of the Agreement [172] was there at Bethel.
But Saul made a big mistake that day. [132] The Israelites were tired and hungry. This was because Saul forced the people to make this promise: Saul said, “If any man eats food before evening comes and before I finish defeating my enemies, then that man will be punished!” So none of the Israelite soldiers ate any food.
“When you fast, {\cf2\super [78]} don’t make yourselves look sad. The hypocrites {\cf2\super [79]} do that. Don’t be like the hypocrites. They make their faces look strange to show people that they are fasting. I tell you the truth, those hypocrites already have their full reward.
\{I am good;\} I fast {\cf2\super [287]} twice a week, and I give one-tenth of everything I earn!’
During those three weeks, I didn’t eat any fancy food. I didn’t eat any meat. I didn’t drink any wine. I didn’t put any oil on my head. I didn’t do any of these things for three weeks.
Lord, you are my Master.\par So treat me in a way that brings honor\par to your name.\par You have such great love,\par so save me.\parI am only a poor, helpless man.\par I am truly sad, my heart is broken.\parI feel like my life is over,\par like long shadows at the end of a day.\par I feel like a bug someone brushed away.\parMy knees are weak because I am hungry.\par I am losing weight and becoming thin.\par
There near the Ahava River, I (Ezra) announced that we all should fast. {\cf2\super [53]} We should fast to make ourselves humble before our God. We wanted to ask God for a safe trip for ourselves, our children, and for all the things we owned.
But every person and every animal must be covered with a special cloth \{to show he is sad\}. People must cry loudly to God. Every person must change his life and stop doing bad things.
Then Moses went higher up the mountain into the cloud. Moses was on the mountain for 40 days and 40 nights.
The leaders announced that there would be a day when all the people would eat nothing. On that day they called all the people together for a meeting. They put Naboth in a special place before the people.
Then the followers of John {\cf2\super [107]} came to Jesus. They said to Jesus, “We and the Pharisees {\cf2\super [108]} fast {\cf2\super [109]} often. But your followers don’t fast. Why?”Jesus answered, “\{When there is a wedding,\} the friends of the bridegroom {\cf2\super [110]} are not sad while he is with them. But the time will come when the bridegroom will leave them. The friends are sad when the bridegroom leaves. Then they will fast. {\cf2\super [111]}“When a person sews a patch over a hole on an old coat, he never uses a piece of cloth that is not yet shrunk. If he does, the patch will \{shrink and\} pull away from the coat. Then the hole will be worse.Also, people never pour new wine into old wine bags. {\cf2\super [112]} Why? Because the old bags will break. The wine will spill, and the wine bags will be ruined. But people always pour new wine into new wine bags. Then the wine and the wine bags will continue to be good.”
In every province where the king’s command had come, there was much crying and sadness among the Jews. They were fasting {\cf2\super [13]} and crying loudly. Many Jews were lying on the ground dressed in clothes of sadness with ashes on their heads.
Jehoshaphat became afraid, and he decided to ask the Lord what to do. He announced a time of fasting {\cf2\super [223]} for everyone in Judah.
“I will tell you the kind of special day I want—a day to make people free. I want a day that you take the burdens off people. I want a day when you make the troubled people free. I want a day when you take the burdens from their shoulders.I want you to share your food with the hungry people. I want you to find poor people that don’t have homes, and I want you to bring them into your own homes. When you see a man that has no clothes—give him your clothes! Don’t hide \{from helping those people\}; they are just like you.”If you do these things, your light will begin shining like the light of dawn. Then your wounds will heal. Your “Goodness” (God) will walk in front of you, and the Glory of the Lord {\cf2\super [446]} will come following behind you.Then you will call to the Lord, and the Lord will answer you. You will shout to the Lord, and he will say, “Here I am.”You should feel sorry for hungry people and give them food. You should help the people that are troubled—satisfy their needs. Then your light will shine in the darkness. And you will have no sadness. You will be bright like sunshine at noon.The Lord will always lead you. He will satisfy your soul in dry lands. The Lord will give strength to your bones. You will be like a garden that has much water. You will be like a spring that always has water.Your cities have been destroyed for many, many years. But new cities will be built, and the foundations of these cities will continue for many, many years. You will be called “The One Who Fixes Fences.” And you will be called, “The One Who Builds Roads and Houses.”
When I heard those things about the people of Jerusalem and about the wall, I was very upset. I sat down and cried. I was very sad. I fasted {\cf2\super [2]} and prayed to the God of Heaven for several days.Then I prayed this prayer:Please open your eyes and ears and listen to the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night. I am praying for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we people of Israel have done against you. I am confessing that I have sinned against you and that the other people in my father’s family have sinned against you.We people of Israel have been very bad to you. We have not obeyed the commands, teachings, and laws you gave your servant Moses.Please remember the teaching you gave your servant Moses. You said to him, “If you people of Israel are not faithful, I will force you to be scattered among the other nations.But if you people of Israel come back to me and obey my commands, then this is what I will do: Even if your people have been forced to leave their homes and go to the ends of the earth, I will gather them from there. And I will bring them back to the place I have chosen to put my name.”The people of Israel are your servants and your people. You used your great power and rescued those people.So Lord, please listen to my prayer. I am your servant. And please listen to the prayers of your servants that want to show respect for your name. Lord, you know I am the king’s wine servant. {\cf2\super [3]} So please help me today. Help me as I ask the king for help. Give me success and help me to be pleasing to the king.
Daniel said to the guard, “Please give us this test for ten days: Don’t give us anything but vegetables to eat and water to drink.
The Israelites met together at Mizpah. They got water and poured it out before the Lord. {In this way, they began a time of fasting.} They did not eat any food that day and they confessed their sins. They said, “We have sinned against the Lord.” So Samuel served as a judge [86] of Israel at Mizpah.The Philistines heard that the Israelites were meeting at Mizpah. The Philistine rulers went to fight against the Israelites. The Israelites heard the Philistines were coming, and they became afraid.The Israelites said to Samuel, “Don’t stop praying to the Lord our God for us! Ask the Lord to save us from the Philistines!”
Then, when it was time for the evening sacrifice, I got up. I had made myself look shameful while I was sitting there. My robe and coat were torn, and I fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the Lord my God.
Cornelius said, “Four days ago, I was praying in my house. It was at this same time—three o’clock in the afternoon. Suddenly, there was a man (angel) standing before me. He was wearing bright, shiny clothes.
But the man of God [164] said to the king, “I will not go home with you, even if you give me half of your kingdom! I will not eat or drink anything in this place.The Lord commanded me not to eat or drink anything. The Lord also commanded me not to travel on the same road that I used when I came here.”
Then the man in the vision started talking again. He said, ‘Daniel, don’t be afraid. From the very first day you decided to have wisdom and to be humble in front of God. He has been listening to your prayers. I came to you because you have been praying.But the prince (angel) of Persia has been fighting against me and bothering me for 21 days. Then Michael, one of the most important princes (angels), came to help me because I was stuck there with the king of Persia.
A deer gets thirsty\par for water from a stream.\par In the same way, my soul is thirsty\par for you, God.\parMy soul is thirsty for the Living God.\par When can I go to meet with him?\par
I, (Ezra) called all those people to meet together at the river that flows toward Ahava. We camped at that place for three days. I learned there were priests in that group, but there were no Levites.So I called these leaders: Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam. And I called Joiarib and Elnathan. (These men were teachers.)I sent those men to Iddo. Iddo is the leader at the town of Casiphia. I told those men what to say to Iddo and his relatives. His relatives are the temple workers in Casiphia. I sent those men to Iddo so that Iddo might send us workers to serve in God’s temple.Because God was with us, Iddo’s relatives sent these men to us:Hashabiah and Jeshaiah from the descendants of Merari (They also sent their brothers and nephews. In all there were 20 men from that family.);\par220 of the temple workers (Their ancestors were the people David and the important officials had chosen to help the Levites. The names of all those men were written on the list.).\parThere near the Ahava River, I (Ezra) announced that we all should fast. {\cf2\super [53]} We should fast to make ourselves humble before our God. We wanted to ask God for a safe trip for ourselves, our children, and for all the things we owned.I was embarrassed to ask King Artaxerxes for soldiers and horsemen to protect us as we traveled. There were enemies on the road. The reason I was embarrassed to ask for protection was because of what we had told the king. We had said to King Artaxerxes, “Our God is with every person that trusts him. But God is very angry with every person that turns away from him.”So we fasted and prayed to our God about our trip. He answered our prayers.
Then the Spirit {\cf2\super [47]} led Jesus into the desert. Jesus was taken there to be tempted by the devil.Jesus ate nothing for 40 days and nights. After this, he was very hungry.The devil came to Jesus to tempt him. The devil said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these rocks to become bread.”Jesus answered him, “It is written \{in the Scriptures {\cf2\super [48]} \},Then the devil led Jesus to the holy city (Jerusalem). The devil put Jesus on a very high place on the temple. {\cf2\super [49]}The devil said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off. Why? Because it is written \{in the Scriptures {\cf2\super [50]} \},Jesus answered him, “It also says \{in the Scriptures {\cf2\super [51]} \},Then the devil led Jesus to the top of a very high mountain. The devil showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world, and all the great things that are in those kingdoms.The devil said, “If you will bow down and worship me, I will give you all these things.”Jesus said to the devil, “Go away from me, Satan! It is written \{in the Scriptures {\cf2\super [52]} \},So the devil left Jesus. And then some angels came to Jesus and helped him.
They said to Jesus, “John’s followers often fast {\cf2\super [100]} and pray, the same as the followers of the Pharisees. {\cf2\super [101]} But your followers eat and drink all the time.”Jesus said to them, \{“When there is a wedding\}, you cannot make the friends of the bridegroom {\cf2\super [102]} fast {\cf2\super [103]} while he is still with them.But the time will come when the groom will be taken away from them. Then his friends will fast.”
The men of Israel asked the Lord a question. (In those days God’s Box of the Agreement [172] was there at Bethel.Phinehas was the priest that served God there. Phinehas was the son of Eleazar. Eleazar was the son of Aaron.) The people of Israel asked, “The people of Benjamin are our relatives. Should we again go to fight against them? Or should we stop fighting?”
These things happened during the first year that Darius was king. Darius was the son of a man named Ahasuerus. {\cf2\super [99]} Darius belonged to the Median people. He became king over Babylon.During the first year that Darius was king, I, Daniel, was reading some books. In the books, I saw that the Lord told Jeremiah how many years would pass before Jerusalem would be built again. The Lord said 70 years would pass.Then I turned to God, my Master. I prayed to him and asked him for help. I did not eat any food, and I put on the clothes that showed I was sad. And I put dirt on my head.
Then Nathan went home. And the Lord caused the baby boy that was born to David and Uriah’s wife to become very sick.David prayed to God for the baby. David refused to eat or drink. He went into his house and stayed there. He lay on the ground all night.The leaders of David’s family came and tried to pull David up from the ground. But David refused to get up. He refused to eat food with these leaders.On the seventh day, the baby died. David’s servants were afraid to tell him that the baby was dead. They said, “Look, we tried to talk to David while the baby was alive. But he refused to listen to us. If we tell David that the baby is dead, maybe he will do something bad to himself.”But David saw his servants whispering. Then David understood that the baby was dead. So David asked his servants, “Is the baby dead?”Then David got up from the floor. He washed himself. He changed his clothes and got dressed. Then he went into the Lord’s house to worship. Then he went home and asked for something to eat. His servants gave him some food, and he ate.David’s servants said to him, “Why are you doing this thing? When the baby was still living you refused to eat. You cried. But when the baby died you got up and ate food.”David said, “While the baby was still living, I refused to eat and I cried because I thought, ‘Who knows? Maybe the Lord will feel sorry for me and let the baby live.’But now the baby is dead. So why should I refuse to eat? Can I bring the baby back to life? No! Some day I will go to him, but he can’t come back to me.”
Priests, put on your clothes of sadness\par and cry loudly.\par Servants of the altar, {\cf2\super [5]} cry loudly.\par Servants of my God, you will sleep\par in your clothes of sadness.\par Why? Because there will be no more\par grain and drink offerings\par in God’s temple. {\cf2\super [6]} \parTell the people that there will be a special time for not eating food. Call the people together for a special meeting. Bring the leaders and all the people that live in the land together. Bring them to the temple {\cf2\super [7]} of the Lord your God, and pray to the Lord.
Then I prayed this prayer:Please open your eyes and ears and listen to the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night. I am praying for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we people of Israel have done against you. I am confessing that I have sinned against you and that the other people in my father’s family have sinned against you.We people of Israel have been very bad to you. We have not obeyed the commands, teachings, and laws you gave your servant Moses.Please remember the teaching you gave your servant Moses. You said to him, “If you people of Israel are not faithful, I will force you to be scattered among the other nations.But if you people of Israel come back to me and obey my commands, then this is what I will do: Even if your people have been forced to leave their homes and go to the ends of the earth, I will gather them from there. And I will bring them back to the place I have chosen to put my name.”The people of Israel are your servants and your people. You used your great power and rescued those people.So Lord, please listen to my prayer. I am your servant. And please listen to the prayers of your servants that want to show respect for your name. Lord, you know I am the king’s wine servant. {\cf2\super [3]} So please help me today. Help me as I ask the king for help. Give me success and help me to be pleasing to the king.
I cry and fast, {\cf2\super [402]} \par and they make fun of me for it.\parI wear rough cloth to show my sadness,\par and people tell jokes about me.\par
You should feel sorry for hungry people and give them food. You should help the people that are troubled—satisfy their needs. Then your light will shine in the darkness. And you will have no sadness. You will be bright like sunshine at noon.The Lord will always lead you. He will satisfy your soul in dry lands. The Lord will give strength to your bones. You will be like a garden that has much water. You will be like a spring that always has water.
Daniel did not want to eat the king’s rich food and wine. Daniel did not want to make himself unclean {\cf2\super [4]} with that food and wine. So he asked Ashpenaz for permission not to make himself unclean in this way.God made Ashpenaz want to be good and kind to Daniel.But Ashpenaz said to Daniel, “I am afraid of my master, the king. The king ordered me to give you this food and drink. If you don’t eat this food, then you will begin to look weak and sick. You will look worse than other young men your age. The king will see this, and he will become angry at me. He might cut off my head! And it would be your fault.”Then Daniel talked to their guard. Ashpenaz had ordered the guard to watch Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.Daniel said to the guard, “Please give us this test for ten days: Don’t give us anything but vegetables to eat and water to drink.Then after ten days, compare us with the other young men who eat the king’s food. See for yourself who looks healthier. Then you judge for yourself how you want to treat us. We are your servants.”So the guard agreed to test Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah for ten days.After ten days, Daniel and his friends looked healthier than all of the young men that ate the king’s food.So the guard continued to take away the king’s special food and wine and to give vegetables to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
When you pray, you should go into your room and close the door. Then pray to your Father. He is there in that secret place. Your Father can see the things that are done in secret. And he will reward you.
I, (Ezra) called all those people to meet together at the river that flows toward Ahava. We camped at that place for three days. I learned there were priests in that group, but there were no Levites.
David said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.” [215]Then David prayed to the Lord. “Should I chase the people who took our families? Will I catch them?”
God, you are my God.\par And I want you so much.\par My soul and my body thirst for you,\par like a dry, weary land with no water.\parYes, I have seen you in your temple.\par I have seen your strength and glory.\parYour love is better than life.\par My lips praise you.\parYes, I will praise you in my life.\par In your name, I lift my arms in prayer.\parI will be satisfied\par as if I had eaten the best foods.\par And with joyful lips\par my mouth will praise you. {\cf2\super [370]} \par
Jonah complained to the Lord and said, “I knew this would happen! I was in my own country, and you told me to come here. At that time, I knew that you would forgive the people of this evil city. So I decided to run away to Tarshish. I knew that you are a kind God! I knew that you show mercy and don’t want to punish people! I knew that you are full of kindness! I knew that if these people stopped sinning, you would change your plans to destroy them.
Taste the Lord\par and see how good he is.\par The person that depends on the Lord\par will be truly happy.\parThe Lord’s holy people should worship him.\par There is no other place of safety\par for the Lord’s followers.\parPowerful people will become\par weak and hungry.\par But the people that go to God for help\par will have every good thing.\par
Lord, I can’t wait to enter your temple.\par I'm so excited!\par Every part of me wants to be with\par the Living God.\par
Thank the Lord for his love,\par and for the amazing things\par he does for people.\parGod satisfies the thirsty soul.\par God fills the hungry soul with good things.\par
Anna, a prophetess, {\cf2\super [38]} was there at the temple. {\cf2\super [39]} She was from the family of Phanuel in the Asher family group. Anna was very old. She had been married for seven years.Then her husband died and she lived alone. She was now 84 years old. Anna was always at the temple; she never left. She worshiped God by fasting {\cf2\super [40]} and praying day and night.
Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy the good food and sweet drinks. And give some food and drinks to those people that didn’t prepare any food. Today is a special day to the Lord. Don’t be sad! Why? Because the joy of the Lord will make you strong.”
Then the Lord became excited about his land.\par He felt sorry for his people.\parThe Lord spoke to his people.\par He said,\par “I will send you grain, wine, and oil.\par You will have plenty.\par I won’t shame you among the nations any more.\par
Mordecai wrote everything down that had happened. And then he sent letters to all the Jews in all of King Xerxes’ provinces. He sent letters far and near.Mordecai did that to tell the Jews to celebrate Purim every year on the 14th and 15th days of the month of Adar.The Jews were to celebrate those days because on those days the Jews got rid of their enemies. And they were also to celebrate that month as the month when their sadness was turned into joy. And it was a month when their crying was changed into a day of celebration. Mordecai wrote letters to all the Jews. He told them to celebrate those days as a happy holiday. They should have parties and give gifts to each other and give presents to poor people.
In the church (group of believers) at Antioch there were some prophets {\cf2\super [243]} and teachers. They were: Barnabas, Simeon (also called Niger), Lucius (from the city of Cyrene), Manaen (who had grown up with Herod, {\cf2\super [244]} the ruler) and Saul.These men were all serving the Lord and fasting. {\cf2\super [245]} The Holy Spirit {\cf2\super [246]} said to them, “Give Barnabas and Saul to me to do a special work. I have chosen them to do this work.”So the church fasted {\cf2\super [247]} and prayed. They put their hands on {\cf2\super [248]} Barnabas and Saul and sent them out.
That will happen when you stop sinning against God’s law about the Sabbath. {\cf2\super [447]} And that will happen when you stop doing things to please yourself on that special day. You should call the Sabbath a happy day. You should honor the Lord’s special day. You should honor that special day by not doing and saying those things you do every other day.Then you can ask the Lord\par to be kind to you.\par And he will carry you to the High Places\par above the earth.\par And he will give you all the things\par that belonged to Jacob your father.\par
Later the Moabite people, the Ammonite people, and some Meunite {\cf2\super [222]} people came to start a war with Jehoshaphat.Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “There is a large army coming against you from Edom. They are coming from the other side of the \{Dead\} Sea. They are already in Hazazon Tamar!” (Hazazon Tamar is also called En Gedi.)Jehoshaphat became afraid, and he decided to ask the Lord what to do. He announced a time of fasting {\cf2\super [223]} for everyone in Judah.The people of Judah came together to ask for help from the Lord. They came from out of all the towns of Judah to ask for the Lord’s help.Jehoshaphat was in the Lord’s temple {\cf2\super [224]} in front of the new yard. He stood up in the meeting of the people from Judah and Jerusalem.He said,You are our God! You forced the people living in this land to leave. You did this in front of your people Israel. You gave this land to the descendants {\cf2\super [226]} of Abraham forever. Abraham was your friend.Abraham’s descendants lived in this land, and built a temple {\cf2\super [227]} for your name.They said, ‘If trouble comes to us—the sword, punishment, sicknesses, or famine, we will stand in front of this temple and in front of you. Your name is on this temple. We will shout to you when we are in trouble. Then you will hear and save us.’“But now, here are men from Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir! You would not let the people of Israel enter their lands when the people of Israel came out of Egypt. {\cf2\super [228]} So the people of Israel turned away and didn’t destroy those people.But see the kind of reward those people give us for not destroying them. They have come to force us out of your land. You gave this land to us.Our God, punish those people! We have no power against this large army that is coming against us! We don’t know what to do! That is why we look to you for help!” {\cf2\super [229]}All the men of Judah stood before the Lord with their babies, wives, and children.Then the Lord’s Spirit came on Jahaziel. Jahaziel was Zechariah’s son. Zechariah was Benaiah’s son. Benaiah was Jeiel’s son. And Jeiel was Mattaniah’s son. Jahaziel was a Levite and a descendant {\cf2\super [230]} of Asaph. In the middle of the meeting,Jahaziel said, “Listen to me King Jehoshaphat, all you people living in Judah and Jerusalem! The Lord says this to you: ‘Don’t be afraid or worry about this large army, because the battle is not your battle. It is God’s battle!Tomorrow, go down there and fight those people. They will come up through the Pass of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the valley on the other side of the Desert of Jeruel.You won’t need to fight in this battle. Stand strong in your places. You will see the Lord save you. Judah and Jerusalem, don’t be afraid! Don’t worry! The Lord is with you, so go out against those people tomorrow.’”Jehoshaphat bowed down low. His face touched the ground. And all the people of Judah and the people living in Jerusalem fell down in front of the Lord. And they all worshiped the Lord.The Levites from the Kohath family groups and the Korah family stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel. Their voices were very loud as they gave praise to the Lord.Jehoshaphat’s army went out into the Desert of Tekoa early in the morning. As they were starting out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me people of Judah and you people from Jerusalem. Have faith in the Lord your God, and then you will stand strong. Have faith in the Lord’s prophets. You will succeed!”Jehoshaphat encouraged and instructed the people. Then he chose men to be singers to the Lord. Those singers were chosen to give praise to the Lord because he is holy and wonderful. They marched in front of the army and praised the Lord. They sang the song, Praise the Lord, because his love continues forever! {\cf2\super [231]}As those men began to sing and to praise God, the Lord set an ambush {\cf2\super [232]} for the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir. Those were the people that came to attack Judah. Those people were beaten.The Ammonites and the Moabites started to fight against the men from Mount Seir. The Ammonites and the Moabites killed and destroyed the men from Mount Seir. After they had killed the men from Seir, they killed each other.The men from Judah arrived at the lookout point in the desert. They looked for the enemy’s large army. But they only saw dead bodies lying on the ground. No person had survived.Jehoshaphat and his army came to take valuable things from the bodies. They found many animals, riches, clothes, and valuable things. Jehoshaphat and his army took those things for themselves. The things were more than Jehoshaphat and his people could carry away. They spent three days taking away the valuable things from the dead bodies, because there was so much.On the fourth day Jehoshaphat and his army met in the Valley of Beracah. {\cf2\super [233]} They gave praise to (blessed) the Lord in that place. That is why people still call that place, “The Valley of Beracah.”Then Jehoshaphat led all the men from Judah and Jerusalem back home to Jerusalem. The Lord made them very happy because their enemies were defeated.They came to Jerusalem with lyres, {\cf2\super [234]} harps, and trumpets and went to the Lord’s temple. {\cf2\super [235]}All the kingdoms in all the countries feared the Lord because they heard that the Lord fought against Israel’s enemies.That is why Jehoshaphat’s kingdom had peace. Jehoshaphat’s God gave him peace all around him.
Then Daniel talked to their guard. Ashpenaz had ordered the guard to watch Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.Daniel said to the guard, “Please give us this test for ten days: Don’t give us anything but vegetables to eat and water to drink.
After Elijah finished speaking, Ahab was very sad. He tore his clothes to show that he was sad. Then he put on special clothes of sadness. Ahab refused to eat. He slept in those special clothes. Ahab was very sad and upset.
The people of Israel went up to the city of Bethel. At Bethel they asked God, “Which family group will be first to attack the family group of Benjamin?”The next morning the people of Israel got up. They made a camp near the city of Gibeah.Then the army of Israel went out to fight the army of Benjamin. The army of Israel got ready for a battle against the army of Benjamin at the city of Gibeah.Then the army of Benjamin came out of the city of Gibeah. The army of Benjamin killed 22,000 men in the army of Israel during the battle that day.Then the army of Israel came near the army of Benjamin. This was the second day of the war.The army of Benjamin came out of the city of Gibeah to attack the army of Israel on the second day. This time, the army of Benjamin killed another 18,000 men from the army of Israel. All of those men in the army of Israel were trained soldiers.Then all the people of Israel went up to the city of Bethel. At that place they sat down and cried to the Lord. They did not eat anything all day, until evening. They also offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to the Lord.
Jesus ate nothing for 40 days and nights. After this, he was very hungry.The devil came to Jesus to tempt him. The devil said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these rocks to become bread.”Jesus answered him, “It is written \{in the Scriptures {\cf2\super [48]} \},
Then you will call to the Lord, and the Lord will answer you. You will shout to the Lord, and he will say, “Here I am.”You should feel sorry for hungry people and give them food. You should help the people that are troubled—satisfy their needs. Then your light will shine in the darkness. And you will have no sadness. You will be bright like sunshine at noon.
Tell the people that there will be a special time for not eating food. Call the people together for a special meeting. Bring the leaders and all the people that live in the land together. Bring them to the temple {\cf2\super [7]} of the Lord your God, and pray to the Lord.Be sad! Why? Because the Lord’s special day is near. At that time, punishment will come like an attack from God All-Powerful.Our food is gone. Joy and happiness are gone from the temple {\cf2\super [8]} of our God.
The king wrote a special message. The king sent this message through the city:But every person and every animal must be covered with a special cloth \{to show he is sad\}. People must cry loudly to God. Every person must change his life and stop doing bad things.Then maybe God will change and not do the things he had planned. Maybe God will change and not be angry. Then maybe we will not be punished.God saw the things the people did. God saw that the people stopped doing evil things. So God changed and did not do what he planned. God did not punish the people.
They stood there for about three hours, and the people read the Book of the Law of the Lord their God. Then for three more hours they confessed their sins and bowed down to worship the Lord their God.
Then Nathan went home. And the Lord caused the baby boy that was born to David and Uriah’s wife to become very sick.David prayed to God for the baby. David refused to eat or drink. He went into his house and stayed there. He lay on the ground all night.
Then King Darius went back to his house. He did not eat that night. He did not want anyone to come and entertain him. The king could not sleep all night.The next morning, King Darius got up just as it was getting light. He ran to the lions’ den (cage).The king was very worried. When the king went to the lions’ den, he called to Daniel. The king said, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God been able to save you from the lions? You always serve your God.”Daniel answered, “King, live forever!My God sent his angel to save me. The angel closed the lions’ mouths. The lions have not hurt me because my God knows I am innocent. I never did anything wrong to you, king.”King Darius was very happy. He told his servants to lift Daniel out of the lions’ den (cage). And when Daniel was lifted out of the den they did not find any injury on his body. Daniel was not hurt by the lions because he trusted in his God.Then the king gave a command to bring the men that had accused Daniel to the lions’ den (cage). Those men and their wives and children were thrown into the lion’s den. The lions grabbed them before they hit the floor of the lions’ den. The lions ate their bodies and then chewed on their bones.
There the devil tempted Jesus for 40 days. Jesus ate nothing during that time. When those days were finished, Jesus was very hungry.
Immediately, something that looked like fish scales fell off Saul’s eyes. Saul was able to see again! Saul got up and was baptized. {\cf2\super [192]}Then he ate some food and began to feel strong again.
Then Ezra went away from the front of God’s house. Ezra went to the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. While Ezra was there, he didn’t eat food, and he didn’t drink water. He did that because he was still very sad. He was very sad about the people of Israel that came back to Jerusalem.Then he sent a message to every place in Judah and Jerusalem. The message told all the Jewish people that had come back from captivity to meet together in Jerusalem.Any person that didn’t come to Jerusalem in three days would have to give up all his property. The important officials and the elders (leaders) made that decision. And that person could no longer be a member of the group of people where he was living.
This is the Lord’s message:\par “Now come back to me with all your heart,\par \{You did bad things,\}\par cry, cry and don’t eat any food!\par
Cyrus was the king of Persia. During Cyrus’ third year as king, Daniel learned about these things. (Daniel’s other name is Belteshazzar.) These things are true, but very hard to understand. But Daniel understood these things. They were explained to him in a vision. {\cf2\super [118]}\{Daniel says,\} “At that time, I, Daniel, was very sad for three weeks.During those three weeks, I didn’t eat any fancy food. I didn’t eat any meat. I didn’t drink any wine. I didn’t put any oil on my head. I didn’t do any of these things for three weeks.
All people that compete in the games use strict training. They do this so that they can win a crown (reward). That crown is an earthly thing that lasts only a short time. But our crown (reward) will continue forever.So I run like a person that has a goal. I fight like a boxer that is hitting something—not just the air.It is my own body that I hit. I make it my slave. I do this so that I myself will not be thrown out \{by God\} after I have told other people \{about his blessings\}.
Taste the Lord\par and see how good he is.\par The person that depends on the Lord\par will be truly happy.\par
God, you are my God.\par And I want you so much.\par My soul and my body thirst for you,\par like a dry, weary land with no water.\par
I prayed to the Lord my God. I told him about all of my sins. I said: “Lord, you are a great and awesome God. You keep your agreement of love and kindness with people that love you. You keep your agreement with the people who obey your commands.“But Lord, we have sinned! We have done wrong. We have done bad things. We turned against you. We turned away from your commands and fair decisions.We did not listen to the prophets. They were your servants. The prophets spoke for you. They spoke to our kings, our leaders, and our fathers. They spoke to all of the people from Israel. \{But we did not listen to those prophets!\}
They said to Jesus, “John’s followers often fast {\cf2\super [100]} and pray, the same as the followers of the Pharisees. {\cf2\super [101]} But your followers eat and drink all the time.”