# fast #

## Definition: ##

The term "to fast" means to stop eating food for a period of time, such as for a day or more. Sometimes it also includes not drinking.

* Fasting can help people to focus on God and pray without being distracted by preparing food and eating.
* Jesus condemned the Jewish religious leaders for fasting for the wrong reasons. They fasted so that others would think they were righteous.
* Sometimes people fast because they are very sad or grieved about something.
* The verb "to fast" can also be translated as "to refrain from eating" or "to not eat."
* The noun "fast" could be translated as "time of not eating" or "time of abstaining from food."

(See also: [Jewish leaders](../other/jewishleaders.md))

## Bible References: ##

* [1 Kings 21:8-10](en/tn/1ki/help/21/08)
* [2 Chronicles 20:3-4](en/tn/2ch/help/20/03)
* [Acts 13:1-3](en/tn/act/help/13/01)
* [Jonah 03:4-5](en/tn/jon/help/03/04)
* [Luke 05:33-35](en/tn/luk/help/05/33)
* [Mark 02:18-19](en/tn/mrk/help/02/18)
* [Matthew 06:16-18](en/tn/mat/help/06/16)
* [Matthew 09:14-15](en/tn/mat/help/09/14)

## Examples from the Bible stories: ##

* __[25:01](en/tn/obs/help/25/01)__ Immediately after Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit led him out into the wilderness, where he __fasted__  for forty days and forty nights.
* __[34:08](en/tn/obs/help/34/08)__ "'For example, I __fast__  two times every week and I give you ten percent of all the money and goods that I receive.'"
* __[46:10](en/tn/obs/help/46/10)__ One day, while the Christians at Antioch were __fasting__  and praying, the Holy Spirit said to them, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul to do the work I have called them to do."