wearied by the fasts and vigils

νηστεία, ας, ἡ (νηστεύω; since Hdt. 4, 186; pap, LXX; Ps-Sol 3:8; Test12Patr, Philo, Joseph., Just.) ‘fasting’.

① the experience of being without sufficient food, going hungry gener., of hunger brought about by necessity: pl. (B-D-F §142; W-S. §27, 4d; s. Rob. 408) of oft-recurring situations (cp. Da 9:3; 2 Macc 13:12) ἐν νηστείαις through hunger 2 Cor 6:5. ἐν νηστείαις πολλάκις often without food 11:27.

② the act of going without food for a devotional or cultic purpose, fast

ⓐ of public fasts: of the Day of Atonement (יוֹם כִּפּוּר; Strabo 16, 2, 40 τὴν νηστείας ἡμέραν [for the Jews]; Philo, Spec. Leg. 2, 193ff; Jos., Ant. 14, 66; 18, 94; Just., D. 40, 4) Ac 27:9; 7:4.—For D 8:1 s. on νηστεύω, end.

ⓑ of private fasting Hs 5, 1, 3, end; 5, 2, 1; 5, 3, 5. κατὰ τὴν συνή̣θ̣ι̣α̣[ν τῆς]| νη̣[ … νη]σ̣τίας (prob. ditt. and = κατὰ τὴν συνήθειαν τῆς νηστείας) according to their habit of fasting AcPl Ha 7, 10f (context uncertain). διὰ [τ]ὰ̣ς [νης]τ̣ί̣α̣ς κ̣α̣[ὶ τὰς]| δι[α]νυκτερεύσις … βα̣ρηθεί̣ς wearied by the fasts and vigils (with his friends) AcPl Ha 7, 25f. Of Moses on the mountain (w. ταπείνωσις; cp. Jdth 4:9 v.l.; Ps 34:13; PsSol 3:8) 1 Cl 53:2; likew. of Esther 55:6. (W. προσευχή; cp. Tob 12:8; Da 9:3) Mt 17:21; Mk 9:29 v.l. (νηστεία strengthening prayer as 2 Macc 13:12; Test Jos 10:1f); 1 Cor 7:5 v.l. (W. δεήσεις; cp. Da 9:3 Theod.) Lk 2:37. προσεύχεσθαι μετὰ νηστειῶν pray and fast Ac 14:23. νηστείαν νηστεύειν (צוּם צוֹם 2 Km 12:16; 3 Km 20:9) keep, observe a fast Hs 5, 1, 2f; νηστεύειν τήν ν. keep the fast (day) 7:3 (ἡ νηστεία=fast day, as Jos., Ant. 18, 94). νηστεύειν τῷ θεῷ νηστείαν keep a fast to God Hs 5, 1, 4b (Just., D. 15, 1). μεγάλην ν. ποιεῖν 5, 1, 5. φυλάσσειν τὴν νηστείαν 5, 3, 5; τελεῖν τὴν ν. 5, 3, 8. ἡ ν. τελεία 5, 3, 6, acc. to Hermas, includes abstaining fr. all evil as well as fr. food. τιμίαν ταύτην ν. AcPl Ha 6, 25 (cp. Just., D. 15, 1 ἀληθινήν … ν.).—προσκαρτερεῖν νηστείαις persevere in fasting Pol 7:2. ἀποθέσθαι τὴν νηστείαν end the fast AcPl Ha 6, 37. Fasting better than prayer 2 Cl 16:4 (cp. Tob 12:8f). Rejected by God 3:1ff (Is 58:5f). τῆς νηστείας εἰρωνεία affected observance of fast days Dg 4:1.—RArbesmann, D. Fasten b. d. Griech. u. Römern 1929; MFreiberger, D. Fasten im alten Israel 1929; JMontgomery, Ascetic Strains in Early Judaism: JBL 51, ’32, 183–213; IAbrahams, Studies in Pharisaism and the Gospels I 1917, 121–28; GMoore, Judaism II 1927, 55ff; 257ff; Billerb. IV 1928, 77–114: V. altjüd. Fasten; MShepherd, ATR 40, ’58, 81–94; RAC VII 447–93.—DELG s.v. 1 νῆστις. TW. Sv.