Jesus is described in the Bible as fasting for forty days and forty nights in the wilderness before beginning his public ministry.

Quick Scoop

  • According to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, Jesus fasted 40 days and 40 nights.
  • During this time, he “ate nothing” and was tempted by the devil in the wilderness.
  • Most Christian commentators understand this as a literal period of about forty consecutive days, symbolizing testing and preparation.

Where this comes from in the Bible

  • Matthew 4:1–2: Jesus is led into the wilderness and fasts forty days and forty nights, then becomes hungry.
  • Luke 4:1–2: He is in the wilderness forty days, “ate nothing during those days,” and is tempted by the devil.

Was it food only or food and water?

  • The text specifies he “ate nothing,” but does not explicitly say he drank nothing.
  • Many Bible scholars therefore think he abstained from food but likely still drank water, since going forty days with no water would normally be fatal.

Why forty days?

Many Christian teachers point out that “forty” is a recurring number in Scripture (Israel’s 40 years in the wilderness, Moses on Sinai, etc.), often associated with testing and preparation, so Jesus’ 40‑day fast is seen as a time of spiritual testing before his ministry.

TL;DR: Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights in the wilderness, abstaining from food (and likely still drinking water), as a period of testing and preparation before his public ministry.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.