νηστεία (nēsteia)
nēsteia
fasting
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 8 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun nēsteia refers to fasting, specifically the voluntary abstinence from food for religious purposes. In the New Testament, it appears eight times, often describing a spiritual discipline rather than mere hunger. Jesus mentions it in Matthew 17:21 and Mark 9:29 when discussing prayer, while Luke 2:37 uses it to describe the widow Anna’s devotion in the temple.
The sources distinguish between voluntary fasting as a religious exercise and involuntary abstinence caused by poverty or distress. Paul references this latter sense in 2 Corinthians 6:5 and 11:27, where he lists hardships including hunger alongside other sufferings. The word also appears in Acts 14:23 for communal prayer and Acts 27:9 regarding the dangerous conditions of navigation.
This term translates the Hebrew tsom found in the Septuagint, linking New Testament practice to Old Testament traditions. It captures both the deliberate act of denying food for spiritual focus and the involuntary experience of hunger due to lack. The distinction highlights how early Christians viewed fasting as both a chosen discipline and a shared human vulnerability.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Fasting in the New Testament is more than skipping a meal; it is a deliberate posture of the heart toward God. When Jesus speaks of prayer and fasting together, He highlights how denying physical appetite can sharpen our spiritual focus. This practice helps us acknowledge our dependence on God rather than our own strength, turning ordinary hunger into a moment of seeking His guidance.
The early church viewed fasting as both a chosen discipline and a shared vulnerability. Whether it was Anna’s constant devotion in the temple or Paul’s hardships during ministry, this act united believers in humility. It reminds us that while we may face involuntary hunger due to lack, we also have the privilege of voluntarily abstaining to draw closer to the Lord.
For your faith life, fasting offers a simple way to pause the noise of daily demands. It creates space for listening and prayer, helping you realign your desires with God’s will. This ancient practice remains a powerful tool for spiritual clarity, inviting you to trust in God’s provision above all else.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 8 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- with fastings.2×
- with fastings1×
- to fastings1×
- fastings,1×
- fastings1×
- fasting1×
- Fast1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- νηστείᾳ.¶2×
- νηστείαις2×
- νηστείᾳ1×
- νηστείαν1×
- νηστείαις,1×
- νηστειῶν1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 17:21
But this kind doesn’t go out except by prayer and fasting.”
Jesus links this specific kind of spiritual resistance directly to the combined power of prayer and fasting.
-
Luke 2:37
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.
Anna’s lifelong devotion is characterized by continuous fastings, showing fasting as a permanent posture of worship rather than a temporary ritual.
-
Acts 14:23
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.
The apostles used fasting alongside prayer when appointing elders, demonstrating its role in seeking divine wisdom for church leadership.
-
II Corinthians 6:5
in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in labors, in watchings, in fastings,
Paul lists fastings among his hardships, illustrating how voluntary abstinence was part of his sacrificial ministry and service to Christ.