Bible quiz
Lent Bible Quiz
The word Lent never appears in the Bible: Lent is a later church season of about forty days before Easter, so this quiz asks about the passages the season is built on instead. Its 20 questions cover Jesus' forty days in the wilderness, the other forty-day stories of Scripture, fasting, ashes and repentance, and every answer shows the verse it comes from in the Berean Standard Bible (BSB).
- Mixed levels
- 20 questions
- About 5 min
- Answers checked against the BSB
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Is Lent in the Bible?
No book of the Bible names Lent, Ash Wednesday or a forty-day fast before Easter. The season grew up in the early church and took different shapes in different places. Today Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran and many other churches keep it, but they count the days differently, start on different dates and fast in different ways, and many other Christians do not observe it at all. For the history and the main readings, see Lent in the Bible.
What the Bible does contain is the material the season draws on. The forty days echo Jesus' fast in the wilderness before his ministry began (Matthew 4, Mark 1, Luke 4). The themes of fasting, prayer, repentance and generosity come from passages such as Joel 2, Isaiah 58 and Jesus' teaching in Matthew 6. This quiz sticks to those texts, so every answer can be checked in the verse itself, whatever your church does in Lent.
What does this Lent quiz cover?
The first questions follow the temptation of Jesus: who led him into the wilderness, what he ate, the three tests and his answers from Deuteronomy. The middle section looks at other forty-day and forty-year stories that readers often connect with Lent: Moses on the mountain, Elijah's walk to Horeb, Jonah's warning to Nineveh and Israel's years in the wilderness with manna. The last questions turn to fasting and repentance, from the ashes of Daniel 9 to the church in Antioch fasting before it sent out Barnabas and Saul.
Questions run from easy to hard, so the last few may catch even regular Bible readers. If you want the background first, read about Moses and Elijah, or the life of Jesus.
How can you use this quiz during Lent?
Many people use the quiz as a short weekly study: answer five questions, then read the passages behind them slowly. A small group can play it on Ash Wednesday or at the start of Lent and come back to it before Holy Week to see what has stuck. For a class without phones, the printable Bible quizzes work the same way. When Lent ends, carry on with the Holy Week Bible quiz and the Easter Bible trivia quiz, which follow the last week of Jesus' life and the resurrection.
All questions and answers
Try each question first, then open the answer to see the verse it comes from (Berean Standard Bible).
1. According to Matthew 4:1, who led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted?Easy
- John the Baptist
- An angel
- The Spirit
- The disciples
Show answer
Answer: C. The Spirit
Matthew says Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.”
2. According to Luke 4:2, what did Jesus eat during his forty days in the wilderness?Easy
- Locusts and wild honey
- Only bread and water
- Manna from heaven
- Nothing at all
Show answer
Answer: D. Nothing at all
Luke says Jesus ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended he was hungry. Locusts and wild honey were John the Baptist's food.
“Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days He was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He was hungry.”
3. In the first temptation, what did the devil tell Jesus to turn the stones into?Easy
- Bread
- Gold
- Water
- Wine
Show answer
Answer: A. Bread
The tempter said, "tell these stones to become bread," and Jesus answered that man shall not live on bread alone.
“The tempter came to Him and said, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’””
4. According to Deuteronomy 8:3, why did God feed Israel with manna in the wilderness?Medium
- So they would grow strong for battle
- So they would understand that man does not live on bread alone
- So they would not need to fast
- So they could sell food to the nations
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Answer: B. So they would understand that man does not live on bread alone
Moses says God humbled Israel and fed them manna so they might understand that man lives on every word from the mouth of the LORD. Jesus quotes this verse in Matthew 4:4.
“Remember that these forty years the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness, so that He might humble you and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commandments. He humbled you, and in your hunger He gave you manna to eat, which neither you nor your fathers had known, so that you might understand that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.”
5. In Matthew 4, where did the devil set Jesus in the holy city?Medium
- On the city wall
- On the roof of Herod's palace
- On the pinnacle of the temple
- On the Mount of Olives
Show answer
Answer: C. On the pinnacle of the temple
The devil took Jesus to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple.
“Then the devil took Him to the holy city and set Him on the pinnacle of the temple.”
6. What did the devil ask Jesus to do in return for all the kingdoms of the world?Medium
- Turn stones into bread
- Jump from the temple
- Leave the wilderness
- Fall down and worship him
Show answer
Answer: D. Fall down and worship him
The devil promised all the kingdoms if Jesus would fall down and worship him. Jesus answered, "Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only."
“Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. “All this I will give You,” he said, “if You will fall down and worship me.” “Away from Me, Satan!” Jesus declared. “For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’””
7. According to Mark 1:13, what was with Jesus in the wilderness?Medium
- The wild animals
- Two of his disciples
- A flock of sheep
- The prophet Elijah
Show answer
Answer: A. The wild animals
Mark says Jesus was there for forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild animals, and the angels ministered to him.
“At once the Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness, and He was there for forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and the angels ministered to Him.”
8. How long was Moses with the LORD on the mountain without eating bread or drinking water?Easy
- Three days and three nights
- Seven days
- Twelve days
- Forty days and forty nights
Show answer
Answer: D. Forty days and forty nights
Exodus 34:28 says Moses was there forty days and forty nights without bread or water, and wrote the words of the covenant on the tablets.
“So Moses was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant—the Ten Commandments.”
9. According to 1 Kings 19:8, where did Elijah walk for forty days and forty nights?Medium
- To Mount Carmel
- To Horeb, the mountain of God
- To the Jordan River
- To Jerusalem
Show answer
Answer: B. To Horeb, the mountain of God
Strengthened by the food the angel gave him, Elijah walked forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. Carmel is where he faced the prophets of Baal.
“So he got up and ate and drank. And strengthened by that food, he walked forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.”
10. What warning did Jonah proclaim when he entered Nineveh?Medium
- Three more days and Nineveh will burn
- Seven more years of famine
- Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned
- Nineveh will be captured by Israel
Show answer
Answer: C. Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned
On the first day of his journey Jonah proclaimed, "Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned!"
“On the first day of his journey, Jonah set out into the city and proclaimed, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned!””
11. How did the people of Nineveh respond to Jonah's message?Easy
- They threw Jonah out of the city
- They built an altar to Baal
- They proclaimed a fast and dressed in sackcloth
- They sent gifts to Israel
Show answer
Answer: C. They proclaimed a fast and dressed in sackcloth
The Ninevites believed God, proclaimed a fast and dressed in sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least.
“And the Ninevites believed God. They proclaimed a fast and dressed in sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least.”
12. According to Numbers 14, why would Israel spend forty years in the wilderness?Medium
- Because the Red Sea was closed
- A year for each of the forty days they spied out the land
- Because Moses was sick for forty days
- Because the manna ran out
Show answer
Answer: B. A year for each of the forty days they spied out the land
God said they would bear their guilt forty years, a year for each of the forty days they had spied out the land.
“Your children will be shepherds in the wilderness for forty years, and they will suffer for your unfaithfulness until the last of your bodies lies in the wilderness. In keeping with the forty days you spied out the land, you shall bear your guilt forty years—a year for each day—and you will experience My alienation.”
13. According to Exodus 16:35, what did the Israelites eat for forty years?Easy
- Quail only
- Figs and dates
- Barley bread
- Manna
Show answer
Answer: D. Manna
The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they reached the border of Canaan.
“The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a land where they could settle; they ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan.”
14. In Matthew 6, what did Jesus tell people to do when they fast?Medium
- Wear sackcloth in the street
- Announce it in the synagogue
- Fast only on the Sabbath
- Anoint their head and wash their face
Show answer
Answer: D. Anoint their head and wash their face
Jesus said not to look somber like the hypocrites but to anoint your head and wash your face, so that only your Father sees.
“When you fast, do not be somber like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that your fasting will not be obvious to men, but only to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
15. Complete Joel 2:13: "So rend your ... and not your garments."Medium
- Hearts
- Robes
- Tents
- Sacrifices
Show answer
Answer: A. Hearts
Joel calls the people to return to the LORD with fasting, weeping and mourning, and to rend their hearts and not their garments. Many churches read Joel 2 at the start of Lent.
““Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning.” So rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion. And He relents from sending disaster.”
16. In Genesis 3, to whom did God say, "For dust you are, and to dust you shall return"?Easy
- Cain
- Noah
- Adam
- Abraham
Show answer
Answer: C. Adam
God spoke these words to Adam after he ate from the forbidden tree. Many churches repeat them when ashes are given on Ash Wednesday.
“And to Adam He said: “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat, cursed is the ground because of you; through toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it will yield for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your bread, until you return to the ground— because out of it were you taken. For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.””
17. According to Isaiah 58, which of these is part of the fast that God has chosen?Medium
- Wearing sackcloth for a month
- Sharing your bread with the hungry
- Bowing your head like a reed
- Offering more sacrifices
Show answer
Answer: B. Sharing your bread with the hungry
Isaiah 58:6–7 describes the fast God chooses: setting the oppressed free, sharing bread with the hungry and bringing the poor into your home.
“Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen: to break the chains of wickedness, to untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and tear off every yoke? Isn’t it to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your home, to clothe the naked when you see him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?”
18. According to Daniel 9:3, Daniel sought God with prayer, fasting, sackcloth and what?Medium
- Ashes
- Oil
- Incense
- Silence
Show answer
Answer: A. Ashes
Daniel turned to the Lord God by prayer and petition, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes.
“So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and petition, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.”
19. In Acts 13, while the church was worshiping and fasting, whom did the Holy Spirit say to set apart?Hard
- Barnabas and Saul
- Peter and John
- Paul and Silas
- Philip and Stephen
Show answer
Answer: A. Barnabas and Saul
The Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul," and after fasting and prayer the church laid hands on them and sent them off.
“While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” And after they had fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on them and sent them off.”
20. According to Ezra 8, beside which waterway did Ezra proclaim a fast before the journey to Jerusalem?Hard
- The Kebar River
- The Ahava Canal
- The Jordan River
- The Euphrates River
Show answer
Answer: B. The Ahava Canal
Ezra proclaimed a fast by the Ahava Canal so the people might humble themselves and ask God for a safe journey.
“And there by the Ahava Canal I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask Him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions.”
Frequently asked questions
Is Lent mentioned in the Bible?
No. The Bible does not name Lent or Ash Wednesday. Lent is a church season that developed after the New Testament, modeled on Jesus' forty days of fasting in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1–2, Luke 4:1–2) and on biblical calls to fasting and repentance.
Why does Lent last forty days?
Most churches link the forty days to Jesus' fast in the wilderness. Forty is also the length of Moses' time on the mountain (Exodus 34:28), Elijah's journey to Horeb (1 Kings 19:8) and the warning to Nineveh (Jonah 3:4). How the forty days are counted, and whether Sundays are included, differs between Western and Eastern churches.
Where do ashes on Ash Wednesday come from?
The Bible does not describe Ash Wednesday, but ashes and sackcloth are a sign of mourning and repentance in passages such as Daniel 9:3 and Jonah 3:5–6. Many churches use the words of Genesis 3:19, "for dust you are, and to dust you shall return," when ashes are given.
What does the Bible say about fasting?
Jesus assumes his followers will fast and tells them to do it quietly, washing their faces so that only the Father sees (Matthew 6:16–18). Isaiah 58 adds that the fast God chooses includes justice and sharing bread with the hungry.
Do all Christians keep Lent?
No. Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran and many Methodist and Reformed churches observe Lent in some form, while many evangelical, Baptist and Pentecostal churches do not require it. Practices such as giving something up or fasting on certain days also vary.