"fasting, want of food, 2 Cor. 6:5; 11:27; a fast, religious abstinence from food, Mt. 17:21; Lk. 2:37; spc. the annual public fast of the Jews, the great day of atonement, occurring in the month Tisri, corresponding to the new moon of October, Acts 27:9*"
Definition and meaning
fasting, want of food, 2 Cor. 6:5; 11:27; a fast, religious abstinence from food, Mt. 17:21; Lk. 2:37; spc. the annual public fast of the Jews, the great day of atonement, occurring in the month Tisri, corresponding to the new moon of October, Acts 27:9*
In the original Greek the word is written: νηστεία
Historical context
Rome had controlled Judea since 63 BC. Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple into one of the most magnificent structures in the ancient world — and simultaneously murdered members of his own family. The common people paid multiple layers of taxation and were politically powerless. Into that world a carpenter from Galilee began teaching that the kingdom of God had arrived.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of nesteia (G3521) across the King James Bible.
Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them,
Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.
In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;
In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
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Common questions
Strong's G3521 (nesteia) is a Greek word that means: fasting, want of food, 2 Cor. 6:5; 11:27; a fast, religious abstinence from food, Mt. 17:21; Lk. 2:37; spc. the annual public fast of the Jews, the great day of atonement, occurring in the month Tisri... It appears 8 times in the King James Bible.
The word nesteia (G3521) appears 8 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G3521 is nesteia, a Greek word defined as: fasting, want of food, 2 Cor. 6:5; 11:27; a fast, religious abstinence from food, Mt. 17:21; Lk. 2:37; spc. the annual public fast of the Jews, the gr. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
nesteia is a Greek word found in the New Testament.