16 Best Bible Verses About Repentance
The Bible says a lot about repentance, and to help you better understand what biblical repentance is, here are the 16 best Bible verses about repentance found in Scripture.
5 Stories From The Bible About Repentance
Here are 5 stories from the Bible that speak about repentance.
The Prodigal
When the Prodigal Son thought, “I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you” (Luke 15:18), so he repented of his evil and wasteful life, and returned (repented) to the father, who by the way, was waiting and watching for him, and expecting him. When the father saw the son, “his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him” (Luke 15:20b), rejoicing that “my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found” (Luke 15:24).
The Adulterer
When a woman caught in adultery was brought before Jesus, my question is: Where is the man? Doesn’t it take two to commit adultery, but anyway, Jesus asked the woman, ““Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you” (John 8:10), at which “She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more” (John 8:11). To “sin no more” means the woman is to turn from that sin and turn to God. Repent means: Re (to) Pent (regret), so the woman regretted her adultery and turned to it no more.
That None Should Perish
God has never sought or enjoyed the death of the wicked. He takes no pleasure in seeing the wicked destroyed (Ezekiel 18:23, 32, 33:11). The Apostle Peter knew that “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). That should be our desire too, right?
The Command
The Apostle Paul told the Greeks that “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30), so this is not just a great idea…repentance is commanded. Jesus Himself began proclaiming the gospel, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). Those are verbal, imperative commands…we must repent and then believe the gospel (Mark 1:15).
Humble Ourselves
God spoke to Solomon in a dream and said, “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14). That means when we live in obedience, or when we repent from our wicked ways, God will hear our prayers and will heal the land; perhaps meaning others will be brought to repentance and faith in Christ in the land.
If you enjoyed these 16 best Bible verses about repentance, I hope you’ll share them with a friend. Maybe they can have a better understanding of what the Bible teaches about repentance.