Matthew 6:16

“I tell you, keep asking, and it will be given you. Keep seeking, and you will find. Keep knocking, and it will be opened to you.

I left you in Crete for this reason, that you would set in order the things that were lacking and appoint elders in every city, as I directed you,

Then the king arose, and tore his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.

Didn’t I weep for him who was in trouble? Wasn’t my soul grieved for the needy?

‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you don’t see? Why have we afflicted our soul, and you don’t notice?’ “Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and oppress all your laborers.

But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, but you bypass justice and God’s love. You ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.

The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of men, extortionists, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.

which they also did, sending it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

When the king heard the words of the woman, he tore his clothes. Now he was passing by on the wall, and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloth underneath on his body.

Now on the third day, Esther put on her royal clothing, and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, next to the king’s house. The king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, next to the entrance of the house.

Evening, morning, and at noon, I will cry out in distress. He will hear my voice.

Many men claim to be men of unfailing love, but who can find a faithful man?

What will I say? He has both spoken to me, and himself has done it. I will walk carefully all my years because of the anguish of my soul.

If the household is worthy, let your peace come on it, but if it isn’t worthy, let your peace return to you.

But these things don’t count; nor do I hold my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to fully testify to the Good News of the grace of God.

Not that I speak because of lack, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content in it.

I know how to be humbled, and I also know how to abound. In everything and in all things I have learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry, both to abound and to be in need.

For you remember, brothers, our labor and travail; for working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached to you the Good News of God.

neither did we eat bread from anyone’s hand without paying for it, but in labor and travail worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you,

Remember your leaders, men who spoke to you the word of God, and considering the results of their conduct, imitate their faith.

Blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” Abram gave him a tenth of all.

Jacob tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days.

He said to the people, “Be ready by the third day. Don’t have sexual relations with a woman.”

When king Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into Yahweh’s house.

Jehoshaphat was alarmed, and set himself to seek to Yahweh. He proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

When I heard this thing, I tore my garment and my robe, and pulled the hair out of my head and of my beard, and sat down confounded.

Then the king said to me, “What is your request?” So I prayed to the God of heaven.

to confirm these days of Purim in their appointed times, as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had decreed, and as they had imposed upon themselves and their descendants, in the matter of the fastings and their cry.

So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great.

For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.’

One thing I have asked of Yahweh, that I will seek after: that I may dwell in Yahweh’s house all the days of my life, to see Yahweh’s beauty, and to inquire in his temple.

Yet you have not called on me, Jacob; but you have been weary of me, Israel.

In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three whole weeks.

Gather the people. Sanctify the assembly. Assemble the elders. Gather the children, and those who nurse from breasts. Let the bridegroom go out of his room, and the bride out of her room.

Therefore when you do merciful deeds, don’t sound a trumpet before yourself, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may get glory from men. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward.

so that you are not seen by men to be fasting, but by your Father who is in secret, and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.

Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father, who is in heaven, may also forgive you your transgressions.

He was without sight for three days, and neither ate nor drank.

At about the ninth hour of the day, he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God coming to him, and saying to him, “Cornelius!”

From Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to himself the elders of the assembly.

Now, brothers, I entrust you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build up, and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

And whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord, and not for men,

Now she who is a widow indeed and desolate, has her hope set on God, and continues in petitions and prayers night and day.

Therefore lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees,

Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the assembly, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord,

May God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”

If it seems evil to you to serve Yahweh, choose today whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve Yahweh.”

David said to Joab, and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes, and clothe yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn in front of Abner.” King David followed the bier.

David lifted up his eyes, and saw Yahweh’s angel standing between earth and the sky, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell on their faces.

Now while Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before God’s house, there was gathered together to him out of Israel a very great assembly of men and women and children; for the people wept very bitterly.

But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting. My prayer returned into my own bosom.

When I wept and I fasted, that was to my reproach.

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down. Yes, we wept, when we remembered Zion.

In that day, the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, called to weeping, to mourning, to baldness, and to dressing in sackcloth;

Yahweh, in trouble they have visited you. They poured out a prayer when your chastening was on them.

Tear your heart, and not your garments, and turn to Yahweh, your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and relents from sending calamity.

offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving of that which is leavened, and proclaim free will offerings and brag about them: for this pleases you, you children of Israel,” says the Lord Yahweh.

Who knows whether God will not turn and relent, and turn away from his fierce anger, so that we might not perish?”

Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In tithes and offerings.

Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

“When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Most certainly, I tell you, they have received their reward.

Then John’s disciples came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples don’t fast?”

If a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you.

He also spoke a parable to them that they must always pray, and not give up,

I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.’

While they were looking steadfastly into the sky as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white clothing,

While the day was coming on, Paul begged them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you wait and continue fasting, having taken nothing.

who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the assemblies of the Gentiles.

David therefore begged God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night on the ground.

Then his servants said to him, “What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child was dead, you rose up and ate bread.”

Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king; and he had neither groomed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace.

So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with his headband over his eyes.

When Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.

When I heard these words, I sat down and wept, and mourned several days; and I fasted and prayed before the God of heaven,

“Go, gather together all the Jews who are present in Susa, and fast for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day. I and my maidens will also fast the same way. Then I will go in to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.”

My knees are weak through fasting. My body is thin and lacks fat.

I set my face to the Lord God, to seek by prayer and petitions, with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.

“Speak to all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and in the seventh month for these seventy years, did you at all fast to me, really to me?

You say also, ‘Behold, what a weariness it is!’ and you have sniffed at it”, says Yahweh of Armies; “and you have brought that which was taken by violence, the lame, and the sick; thus you bring the offering. Should I accept this at your hand?” says Yahweh.

You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God;’ and ‘What profit is it that we have followed his instructions, and that we have walked mournfully before Yahweh of Armies?

For most certainly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished.

“Be careful that you don’t do your charitable giving before men, to be seen by them, or else you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

and said, “Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn, and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Take that which is yours, and go your way. It is my desire to give to this last just as much as to you.

John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, and they came and asked him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples don’t fast?”

As they sat and were eating, Jesus said, “Most certainly I tell you, one of you will betray me—he who eats with me.”

and she had been a widow for about eighty-four years), who didn’t depart from the temple, worshiping with fastings and petitions night and day.

“But woe to you who are rich! For you have received your consolation.

He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts. For that which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

Cornelius said, “Four days ago, I was fasting until this hour, and at the ninth hour, I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,

As they served the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Separate Barnabas and Saul for me, for the work to which I have called them.”

Don’t deprive one another, unless it is by consent for a season, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer, and may be together again, that Satan doesn’t tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

As many as desire to make a good impression in the flesh compel you to be circumcised; just so they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.

knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.

Even so, let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

For no one does anything in secret while he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, reveal yourself to the world.”

When they had appointed elders for them in every assembly, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they had believed.

in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in labors, in watchings, in fastings;

in labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, and in cold and nakedness.