There are 51 Bible passages in which fasting is distinctly spoken of, implied or pointed to in some other way. If you take the time to study through these many Bible verses on fasting, you will be assured that fasting is sanctioned in the Bible. You will also be exceedingly blessed in the process.
1. Exodus 19:10-11, 14 (Fasting when the Law was given on Mt. Sinai.)
2. Exodus 24:18; 34:28; Deut. 9:9, 18,25 (Moses’ miracle-sustaining on the mount for forty days and forty nights.)
3. Leviticus 23:26-32 (On the Day of Atonement, people were required to afflict their souls, which included fasting according to Mrs. White.)
4. Judges 20:26 (Israel fasted till evening after 18,000 men died at the hands of the Benjamites, burning sacrifices, and inquired whether they should go out to battle them again.)
5. 1 Samuel 7:6 (Israel fasted when acknowledging its sin in the time of Samuel.)
6. 1 Samuel 31:13 (Seven-day fast after Saul and sons were buried)
7. 2 Samuel 1:12 (David’s day-long fast for Saul and Jonathan after they were killed.)
8. 2 Samuel 12:16-22 (David’s seven day fast for the sick child born of Bathsheba.)
9. 1 Kings 19:4-10 (Elijah went forty days and nights in the strength of God’s miracle food.)
10. 1 Kings 21:9, 12, 27 (Jezebel’s false fast that was used to bring about the death of Naboth.)
11. 1 Kings 21: 25-29 (God’s judgment on Ahab was delayed because he humbled himself, mourned and fasted.)
12. 1 Kings 18:41-46 (Elijah praying on the top of Mt. Carmel.)
13. 1 Chronicles 10:12 (Seven day fast after Saul and his sons died; similar to 1 Sam. 31:13.)
14. 2 Chronicles 20:3 (Jehoshaphat sought the Lord and proclaimed a fast when he learned that a great multitude of Moabites were coming against him and his people.)
15. Ezra 8:15, 21-23 (Ezra proclaimed a fast when he discovered that no Levites had joined him, and that they were needing God’s special protection in traveling back to Jerusalem.)
16. Ezra 9:1-5 (Ezra tore his hair and fasted over the news that the people had not separated themselves from the people of the land, and that the leaders were the foremost in that trespass.)
17. Nehemiah 1:4 (Nehemiah’s first fast over troubling news; also his character and prayer.)
18. Nehemiah 9:1 (Assembly of children of Israel with fasting and sackcloth, when they separated themselves from all foreigners and confessed their sins.)
19. Esther 4:1-3,15-16 (Esther asked that all of the people join her fasting for three days prior to her going unsummoned to the King.)
20. Esther 9:31 (Brief mention of fast that proclaimed in Esther 4:15-16)
21. Psalms 35:13 (David fasted in seeking health for others who were not terribly supportive).
22. Psalms 69:10 (David fasted and put on sackcloth in seeking deliverance from the reproach that was being placed upon him.)
23. Psalms 109:24 (Fasting to overcome reproach.)
24. Isaiah 22:12 (The people had built up their own defenses, but chose not to look to God or respect Him. Though God had called for a fast, the people had responded with feasting.)
25. Isaiah 58:3-6 (Ongoing oppression and lack of love caused God to ignore the people’s fast, and resulted in the Almighty’s call for the true fast.)
26. Jeremiah 14:12 (As a result of ongoing iniquity, God said he would not hear their cries when they were fasting, and directed that they not be prayed for).
27. Jeremiah 36:4-10 (A fast was proclaimed for all the people in Jerusalem and those who came there.)
28. Daniel 6:18 (Mention made of king fasting while Daniel was in the lions’ den.)
29. Daniel 9:3-4: (A private fast motivated by concern that the days of judgment might be extended much longer than seventy weeks.
30.Daniel 10:1-3 (Daniel fasted three full weeks, seeking more information. Jesus Himself responded.)
31. Joel 1:13-14 (Call to fast, hold a sacred assembly and cry out to God.)
32. Joel 2:1, 13-17 (A call to fasting and sacred assembly in response to the locusts natural disaster, sent in judgment from God.)
33. Jonah 3:5-10 (A city-wide fast called by a pagan king extended their probation. The pagan king’s call to fasting, humbling, turning from wickedness and crying out to God, to avert the judgment announced by Jonah).
34. Zechariah 7:3-5 (God questions the kind of fasting going on by the priests: “For Me?”)
35. Zechariah8:18-19 (Calls for fasts of joy.)
36. Matthew 4:2 (Christ’s forty day fast in the wilderness.)
37. Matthew 6:16-18 (The pretentious fasting of the pharisees is condemned.)
38. Matthew 9:14-15/Mark 2:18-19/Luke 5:33-35 (John’s disciples questioned why the disciples of Jesus did not fast.)
39. Matthew 17:21/Mark 9:29 (Father and mute son fail to receive help; fasting called for by Jesus.)
40. Mark 2:18 (See Matt. 9:14-15)
41. Luke 2:36-38 (Anna served God with fastings and prayers night and day.)
42. Luke 5:33-35 (See Matt. 19:14-15)
43. John 1:47-48 (Nathanael prayed and fasted to understand truth - EGW)
44. Acts 1:14 (Fasting was part of the preparation for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost.)
45. Acts 9:6,7 (Paul fasted for three days after his Damascus Road conversion.)
46. Acts 10:30 (Cornelius fasted till the ninth hour.)
47. Acts 12:5 (“The entire church engaged in fasting and prayer” while Peter was in prison.
48. Acts 13:2-3 (In the course of fasting, the Holy Spirit directed the church to separate Barnabas and Saul for the work that they had been called to.)
49. Acts 14:23 (Prayer and fasting was part of the process of commissioning new elders in the church.)
50. 2 Corinthians 6:5 (Going without food was a regular part of Paul’s experience. Fasting)
51. 1 Corinthians 7:5 (Fasting is sometimes a priority.)