Repentance in the New Testament means turning to God, not merely feeling sorry: Jesus calls people to repent and believe in the Gospel, while the apostles call them to repent and turn to God, doing deeds worthy of repentance. Paul distinguishes godly sorrow, which produces repentance, from worldly sorrow.
What the Bible Says About It
- Jesus proclaimed: Repent and believe in the Gospel (Mark 1:15).
- The apostles call people to repent and turn to God (Acts 3:19) and to do deeds worthy of repentance (Acts 26:20).
- Godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, while worldly sorrow leads to death; the fruits of such repentance are earnestness and correction (2 Corinthians 7:9–11).
- The prodigal son came to his senses, got up, went to his father, and acknowledged that he had sinned; his father welcomed him (Luke 15:17–20).
- Application: repentance does not replace faith in Christ and is not payment for forgiveness; in Scripture, it is connected with turning to God, who forgives.
The brief answer was prepared by the editorial team; the Scripture texts are from the Father’s Blessing Bible.
Key Scripture Passages
6 Scripture passages · Father’s Blessing Bible
Mark 1:15
saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel.”
Acts 3:19
Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away,
Acts 26:20
but first to the people of Damascus and Jerusalem, then throughout all the land of Judea and to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God, doing deeds worthy of repentance.
2 Corinthians 7:9–11
9 Now I rejoice, not because you were made sorrowful, but because your sorrow led you to repentance; for you were made sorrowful in a godly way, so that you suffered no loss from us. 10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted, but the sorrow of the world produces death. 11 For behold, this very thing—that you were made sorrowful in a godly way—what earnestness it produced in you, what vindication, what indignation, against the guilty, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what readiness to punish! In everything you proved yourselves to be pure in this matter.
Luke 15:17–20
17 But when he came to himself, he said, “How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, while I am dying of hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he arose and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
Psalm 51:1–4
1 To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to the abundance of your mercies blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin, 3 for I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are justified in your sentence and blameless in your judgment.
