Q: When we fast, do we go without food and water as on the Day of Atonement, or are we just to abstain from food during ordinary fasting?

Published: July 23rd, 2004

We are addressing here strictly the Biblically described spiritual fasting -- not fasting for health reasons. The fast during the Day of Atonement -- one of God's annual Holy Days -- is the only commanded fast in the Bible (Leviticus 23:27, 29, 32). The fast on the Day of Atonement, referred to by the commandment to "afflict your souls," has been rightly understood as abstaining from food and drink for 24 hours. (For more information, please read our free booklet, "God's Commanded Holy Days."). However, we find that God's people fasted, or were asked to fast, on other occasions as well (compare, for example, Joel 2:12; Nehemiah 1:4; 2 Chronicles 20:3; Matthew 17:21; Daniel 9:3; Acts 13:2-3; Acts 14:23).