Ash Wednesday opens Lent with "for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return" (Genesis 3:19), yet God "remembereth that we are dust" (Psalm 103:14). Lent is forty days to "Seek ye the LORD while he may be found" (Isaiah 55:6) and to follow Jesus on the road to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51).
Lent is the season of forty days, not counting Sundays, from Ash Wednesday to Easter. In 2027, Ash Wednesday falls on February 10 and Easter on March 28. The season grows out of Scripture: Jesus in the wilderness, the call to return to the LORD, and the road to the cross. For the practice itself, see fasting; for Holy Week, see Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Easter.
Ash Wednesday: dust, ashes and repentance
1. Genesis 3:19
"In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."
After the fall, God told Adam, dust thou art. Many churches speak these words on Ash Wednesday while marking a cross of ashes on the forehead. The point is honesty, not fear: life is short, and we need God.
2. Psalms 103:14
"For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust."
The truth that humbles us also comforts us. God remembers that we are dust, so He is patient with weak people. Psalm 103 surrounds this verse with mercy, the right setting for every Lenten confession.
3. Job 42:6
"Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes."
After God spoke out of the whirlwind, Job repented in dust and ashes. In Scripture ashes signal mourning and turning back to God (Daniel 9:3, Jonah 3:6). Ash Wednesday borrows this picture of a humble heart.
4. Psalms 51:1-2
"Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin."
David prayed Psalm 51 after Nathan confronted him about Bathsheba, appealing to God's tender mercies. Many Christians pray it on Ash Wednesday; verse 10, Create in me a clean heart, makes a good Lenten memory verse.
Forty days with Jesus in the wilderness
5. Luke 4:1
"And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,"
Jesus went into the wilderness straight from His baptism, full of the Holy Ghost and led by the Spirit. A season of testing is not a sign that God has left you; Jesus went in full of the Spirit.
6. Mark 1:13
"And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him."
Mark tells the forty days in one sentence. Lent's forty days also echo Moses on Sinai and Elijah's journey to Horeb, and even in the wilderness Jesus was held in His Father's care.
7. Luke 4:4
"And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God."
Jesus answered the first temptation by quoting Deuteronomy 8:3: man shall not live by bread alone. Many people give up a food or habit for Lent for the same reason, to make more room for God's word.
8. Hebrews 2:18
"For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted."
Because Jesus suffered being tempted, He is able to succour, or help, us when we are tempted. If Lent exposes a struggle you cannot shake, bring it to Him. See also temptation.
Return to the LORD on the road to Easter
9. Isaiah 55:6-7
"Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."
Isaiah's invitation is urgent and kind: seek the LORD, forsake the wrong way, and return, for he will abundantly pardon. That is the heart of Lent: not earning favor but coming home to a forgiving God.
10. Lamentations 3:40
"Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD."
Lent is a good time for an honest look at habits, words and priorities, then turning again to the LORD. A short self-examination each Friday, with Psalm 139:23-24, keeps it practical.
11. Matthew 6:6
"But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."
Matthew 6, read in many churches on Ash Wednesday, teaches giving, prayer and fasting done in secret. Enter thy closet and shut the door: Lent invites a quiet, regular place of prayer.
12. Luke 9:51
"And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,"
Jesus stedfastly set his face toward Jerusalem, knowing the cross waited there. Lent walks that road with Him. Whatever you give up or take on, let it point you to His cross and His rising.
A short prayer
Lord Jesus, as Lent begins, I remember that I am dust, and that You remember it too. Search my heart, wash me from my sin, and teach me to live by Your word. Walk with me through these forty days and bring me to Easter with a clean heart. Amen.
Go deeper: a SOAP study prompt
Pick one verse above and write: - Scripture: copy the verse by hand. - Observation: what does it say? Who is speaking, to whom? - Application: what does it mean for you today? - Prayer: turn it into a two-line prayer.
New to this method? See our Bible study guide or pick a Bible reading plan.
Download our free SOAP study page · Get the SOAP Bible Study Journal · Pray through Lent with the 30-Day Prayer Journal
Frequently asked questions
Is Lent in the Bible?
No. The word is not in the Bible, and Christians are not commanded to keep Lent. It grew up in the early church as preparation for Easter, but its themes are biblical: Jesus fasting forty days (Matthew 4:2), repentance, and following Jesus toward the cross (Romans 14:5-6 gives freedom either way).
What Bible verse is said on Ash Wednesday?
The words most often spoken as ashes are given come from Genesis 3:19: "dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return". Some churches say instead, "repent ye, and believe the gospel" (Mark 1:15). Psalm 51, Joel 2:12-13 and Matthew 6 are common readings.
What should I give up for Lent?
Many people give up a food, drink, social media or another habit and use the time for prayer, Scripture and giving, the three practices of Matthew 6:1-18. Start small and specific, or add something, such as writing out one verse a day.
How many days are in Lent?
Forty, not counting Sundays, which are treated as little Easters; from Ash Wednesday to Easter is forty-six days. Forty recalls Jesus in the wilderness, Moses on Sinai (Exodus 34:28) and Elijah's journey (1 Kings 19:8). See also our mountains page.
Fasting is not right for everyone. If you have a medical condition, take medication with food, are pregnant or nursing, or have a history of disordered eating, talk with your doctor first and consider a non-food fast.
Sources: All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), public domain in the United States. References were checked against the KJV text from bible-api.com.
Related: Bible verses about fasting · Bible verses about Palm Sunday · Bible verses about Good Friday · Bible verses about Easter · Bible verses about temptation · Bible verses about surrender · Bible verses about mountains
Explore more: All Bible verses by topic · KJV Bible verses · Verse of the day · Prayers · Bible study · Bible reading plans
