¹⁵ Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them?^(A) The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.^(B)

Jesus Questioned About Fasting^(A)

¹⁸ Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting.^(B) Some people came and asked Jesus, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?”

¹⁹ Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. ²⁰ But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them,^(C) and on that day they will fast.

³⁴ Jesus answered, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom^(A) fast while he is with them? ³⁵ But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them;^(B) in those days they will fast.”

² I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband,^(A) to Christ, so that I might present you^(B) as a pure virgin to him.

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives,^(A) just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her^{(B) 26} to make her holy,^(C) cleansing^[a] her by the washing^(D) with water through the word, ²⁷ and to present her to himself^(E) as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.^(F)