William Shakespeare - Ezra 8:21 - Nehemiah 9:1 - Esther 4:16 - Isaiah 58:3 - Matthew 6:16-18 - Mark 2:18-20 - Luke 4:2-8 - Gospel of Thomas 1:14 - Koran 2:183-187 - Benjamin Franklin - Tertullian - Horizon TV -
Armado: Villain, thou shalt fast for thy offences ere thou be pardoned.
Costard: Well, sir, I hope when I do it I shall do it on a full stomach. William Shakespeare, Love’s Labour’s Lost I ii 138-141
Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance. Ezra 8:21
Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them. Nehemiah 9:1
Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. Esther 4:16
Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? Isaiah 58:3
Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. Matthew 6:16-18
And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?
And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.
But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. Mark 2:18-20
Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.
And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.
And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.
And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Luke 4:2-8
Jesus said to them, If you fast, you will bring sin upon yourselves, and if you pray, you will be condemned, and if you give to charity, you will harm your spirits. Gospel of Thomas 1:14
O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, even as it was prescribed for those before you, that ye may ward off (evil);
(Fast) a certain number of days; and (for) him who is sick among you, or on a journey, (the same) number of other days; and for those who can afford it there is a ransom: the feeding of a man in need – but whoso doeth good of his own accord, it is better for him: and that ye fast is better for you if ye did but know –
The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of the guidance, and the Criterion (of right and wrong). And whosoever of you is present, let him fast the month, and whosoever of you is sick or on a journey, (let him fast the same) number of other days. Allah desireth for you ease; He desireth not hardship for you; and (He desireth) that ye should complete the period, and that ye should magnify Allah for having guided you, and that peradventure ye may be thankful.
It is made lawful for you to go in unto your wives on the night of the fast. They are raiment for you and ye are raiment for them. Allah is Aware that ye were deceiving yourselves in this respect and He hath turned in mercy toward you and relieved you. So hold intercourse with them and seek that which Allah hath ordained for you, and eat and drink until the white thread becometh distinct to you from the black thread of the dawn. Then strictly observe the fast till nightfall and touch them not, but be at your devotions in the mosques. These are the limits imposed by Allah, so approach them not. Thus Allah expoundeth His revelation to mankind that they may ward off (evil). Koran 2:183-187
He that lives upon hope will die fasting. Benjamin Franklin
I was obsessed with the idea of fasting and isolation. David Blain
Fasting possesses great power. If practised with the right intention, it makes one a friend of God. Tertullian, Works by Tertullian: On Fasting
I wanted to see if Science can offer a different way to stop the rot, slow the clock. Professor Michael Mosley, Horizon: Eat, Fast and Live Longer, BBC 2012
It’s all a question of what you eat, or rather what you don’t eat. It’s about fasting. But fasting made easier. ibid.
It seems it’s not just about what we eat but how and when we eat it. ibid.
Only now are scientists really beginning to understand the link between calorie restriction and longevity in humans. ibid.
Hunger really does make you sharper. ibid.
That doesn’t mean intermittent fasting will work for everyone. ibid.
I plan to go on doing it. ibid.