Strong's Greek: 3523. νῆστις (néstis) -- Fasting, without food

Strong's Lexicon

néstis: Fasting, without food

Original Word: νηστής
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: néstis
Pronunciation: NAYS-tees
Phonetic Spelling: (nace'-tis)
Definition: Fasting, without food
Meaning: fasting, not eating.

Word Origin: Derived from the Greek word "νη" (nē), a negative prefix, and "ἐσθίω" (esthió), meaning "to eat."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - H6684 (צום, tsom): To fast, fasting

- H6685 (צום, tsom): Fast, fasting

Usage: The term "nēstis" is used in the New Testament to describe a state of fasting or abstaining from food. It is often associated with spiritual practices, repentance, and seeking God's guidance. Fasting is seen as a way to humble oneself before God, to focus on prayer, and to express earnestness in seeking divine intervention or revelation.

Cultural and Historical Background: In the Jewish tradition, fasting was a common practice, often associated with mourning, repentance, and seeking God's favor. The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) was a significant fast day in the Jewish calendar. In the Greco-Roman world, fasting was also practiced for various religious and philosophical reasons. Early Christians adopted fasting as a spiritual discipline, following the example of Jesus and the apostles.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from né- (implying negation) and the same as esthió
Definition
not eating
NASB Translation
hungry (2).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 3523: νῆστις

νῆστις, accusative plural νήστεις and (so Tdf. (cf. Proleg., p. 1183) νῆστις (see Lob. ad Phryn., p. 326; Fritzsche, Commentary on Mark, p. 796f; cf. (WHs Appendix, p. 157b); Buttmann, 26 (23)), ὁ, ἡ (from νή and ἐσθίω, see νήπιος), fasting, not having eaten: Matthew 15:32; Mark 8:3. (Homer, Aeschylus, Hippocrates (

), Aristophanes, others.)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

fasting.

From the inseparable negative particle ne- (not) and esthio; not eating, i.e. Abstinent from food (religiously) -- fasting.

see GREEK esthio

Forms and Transliterations

νηστεις νήστεις νηστόν nesteis nēsteis nḗsteis

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