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What does the Bible say about repentance?

Answered in 260 sources

The Bible highlights repentance as a fundamental response to acknowledging sin and turning back to God, as seen in Jonah 3:5 where the Ninevites repent in response to God's warning.

In Scripture, repentance is often understood as a radical change of mind and heart that leads to a turning away from sin toward God. The people of Nineveh serve as a key example of this, as they believed God's warning delivered through Jonah and took immediate action to demonstrate their repentance by fasting and donning sackcloth (Jonah 3:5). Their collective turning away from wickedness signifies not just external compliance but an internal acknowledgement of sin and the fear of God's judgment. This aligns with the broader biblical narrative that emphasizes the necessity of repentance for salvation, illustrating God's mercy and the transformative power it holds.
Scripture References: Jonah 3:5, 2 Chronicles 20:3, Isaiah 58:3, Luke 19:8, Matthew 3:8, 2 Corinthians 7:10, Luke 18:13, Matthew 4:17, Jonah 3:5-9, Ezekiel 33:14-15, Romans 2:4, Luke 13:3, Acts 5:31, Matthew 3:2, Luke 13:3-5, Acts 17:30, Luke 24:47, Mark 1:15, Acts 20:21, Acts 2:37-38, Psalm 51:4, Luke 13:1-5, Luke 11:32, Jonah 3:4, Matthew 3:1-12, Acts 11:18, Luke 15:18-21, Luke 7:24-30, Malachi 3:1, Luke 13:5, Job 42:5-6, Acts 9:1-6, 1 Kings 21, Acts 3:19, Hosea 14:1-2, Matthew 9:13, 2 Chronicles 7:14, Hosea 6:1-3, Hebrews 12:6, Psalm 51, Revelation 2:5, 2 Corinthians 7:8-9, 2 Peter 3:9, Luke 15:7, 2 Timothy 2:25, John 3:1-8, Mark 2:17, Matthew 3:7-10, Romans 3:10, Luke 15:1-10, Mark 1:4-5, Acts 2:38, Luke 15:1-7, 1 Thessalonians 1:4-9, Psalm 6, Isaiah 64, 1 Thessalonians 1:9, Isaiah 3:1-2, Ephesians 2:8-9, 2 Corinthians 7:10-11, Jonah 3:5-10, 1 John 1:8, Acts 26:20, Jeremiah 31:18, Matthew 3:1-2, Jonah 3:8, Judges 10:6-16, Hebrews 12:17, 2 Corinthians 7:9-10, Luke 5:31-32, 2 Samuel 19, Psalm 38, Psalm 51:1-4, 2 Samuel 12:13, Mark 14:72, Matthew 3:6, Luke 7:29-30, Romans 10:14-15, Ezekiel 20:43, Psalm 51:9-10, Isaiah 59:2, John 16:8, Luke 15:10, Matthew 21:28-32, Luke 24:46-47, 2 Corinthians 7:9, Acts 17:30-31, Isaiah 64:6, Psalm 51:1-12, Acts 8:1-3, Luke 3:7-8, Isaiah 53, Romans 3:23, Psalm 143, 2 Samuel 12:1-7, Isaiah 1:16-17, James 1:22, John 16:8-11, Exodus 33:1-17, 1 Samuel 6:12-21, Romans 10:9-10, Malachi 2:13, Romans 3:25-26, Jonah 2:4, Matthew 12:40-41, Proverbs 14:14, Jeremiah 31:19-20, Psalm 7:11-13, 1 Timothy 2, Psalm 90:8, Job 13:26, 1 Samuel 7:3, Psalm 51:17, Luke 5:32, Luke 22:61-62, 2 Samuel 12:7, 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, Luke 15:11-24, Psalm 51:3, 1 John 1:9, Romans 8:7-8, Ephesians 2:1-5, Luke 15:11-32, Acts 2:37-40, Matthew 27:3, Psalm 51:1-13, Romans 10:13, Zechariah 12:10, Zechariah 1:3, Matthew 21:28-30, 2 Timothy 1:12-14, Ephesians 2:8-10, Philippians 3:8-10, Job 42:6, Mark 1:4, Luke 15:17-21, Jonah 4, Luke 22:61, 1 John 4:19, 10, 18-21, Luke 3:4-14, Malachi 3:7, Isaiah 55:6-7, 1 Samuel 7:3-6, Psalm 80:3, John 10:27-29, Luke 3:3, John 1:7, Romans 14:7, Luke 15:17-18, Psalm 51:11-12, Mark 2:16-17, Acts 26:15-20, Jeremiah 31:18-19, Romans 3:18, Hebrews 8:10, Mark 6:12, Job 33:27-28, 1 Timothy 1:16, Luke 15:1-24, Jonah 3:3, Luke 3:8, Psalm 80, Isaiah 65:24, Luke 15:7-10, Romans 5:12, Mark 1:14-15, Romans 2:29, Ephesians 1:19, Acts 8:22, Ezekiel 18:23, Romans 2:1, Ezekiel 36:24-27, Genesis 35:2-3, Psalm 51:3-5, Job 13:23-24, Romans 3:10-18, Hebrews 12:5, James 4:8, Isaiah 1:16-20, Psalm 51:7, Luke 3:7-14, Acts 2:36-38, Acts 20:20-21, Luke 15:14-20, 1 Peter 2:24, Isaiah 55:7, Psalm 51:1-3, Hebrews 6:1-3, Hebrews 9:14, Mark 6:14-30, Psalm 51:9-12, Jeremiah 13:23, 2 Timothy 2:25-26, Jeremiah 18:12, Acts 5:29-32, Acts 19:4, Ezekiel 36:26-27, 2 Chronicles 33:12-13, Isaiah 3, John 5, Isaiah 22:12, Matthew 12:41, Romans 5:8, Genesis 50:15-21, John 3:36, Matthew 12:30, Matthew 27:3-5, Acts 5:13, James 2:26, Jonah 3:9, 2 Timothy 3:15, Luke 13:1-4, Hebrews 3:7-11, Matthew 3:8; Luke 13:3; Acts 2:38, 1 Kings 20:31-32, Luke 23:39-43, Matthew 27:1-7, Acts 1:18, Matthew 15:26-27

Sermons (218)

(pt91) Matthew
John Reeves · Mar 6, 2026
Repent!
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Repent Or Perish
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Repent Or Perish
Tom Harding · Dec 3, 2017
Friend of Sinners
Paul Mahan · Jan 15, 2023
Following on
Jabez Rutt · Oct 29, 2023
Gospel Repentance
Bill Parker · Apr 11, 2021
Afar Off
David Eddmenson · Feb 2, 2025
Repentance
Paul Mahan · Dec 27, 2020
Except Ye Repent
Eric Lutter · Jul 27, 2025
Repentance
Angus Fisher · Nov 24, 2019
"Repentance"
Don Bell · Mar 19, 2023
What Shall We Do?
Frank Tate · May 19, 2024
Repentance
Joe Galuszek · Sep 23, 2016
Repentance
Greg Elmquist · May 8, 2016
Capernaum #180
Mike McInnis · Feb 9, 2018
Willing Repentance
Fred Evans · Feb 25, 2018
Repentance (1)
Paul Hayden · Jun 18, 2017
Preach unto it
Norm Day · Jul 21, 2024
Three Great Needs
Frank Tate · Sep 12, 2021
The Petition
David Pledger · Aug 12, 2018
"The Voice Crying"
Don Bell · Feb 15, 2026
White as snow.
James Gudgeon · Jan 26, 2025
Repent or Perish
Bill Parker · Apr 3, 2022
No God For Us
David Eddmenson · Nov 20, 2024
Turn or Burn!
C. H. Spurgeon · Feb 24, 2017
Repent
Norm Wells · Oct 13, 2024
A Great Message
Fred Evans · Jun 3, 2018
Whom He Called
Norm Wells · Oct 27, 2024
After Repentance
Eric Lutter · Oct 11, 2020
Turn Us Again
Frank Tate · Feb 24, 2019
Matthew 3
J. C. Ryle · Oct 10, 2019
Joy in Heaven
Stephen Hyde · Mar 31, 2019
Except Ye Repent
Mike Baker · Mar 20, 2022
Gospel Repentance
Henry Sant · Jul 2, 2023
Repentance
Andy Davis · Feb 19, 2017
Hard Questions
Jim Byrd · Aug 10, 2025
Psalm 51
Todd Nibert · Oct 7, 2025
Turn Us Again
Clay Curtis · Aug 15, 2021
(pt7) Matthew
John Reeves · Jan 5, 2024
The King Calls
Paul Mahan · Apr 25, 2021
Except Ye Repent
Clay Curtis · May 23, 2024
Jacob Reconciled
Eric Lutter · Jan 12, 2025
Repent
Paul Mahan · Nov 15, 2020
Repentance (2)
Paul Hayden · Jun 18, 2017
What Shall We Do?
Frank Tate · Dec 29, 2024
Repentance
Norm Wells · Jul 10, 2024
The Answer
Todd Nibert · Nov 19, 2017
(pt8) Matthew
John Reeves · Jan 19, 2024
Repentance
Bruce Crabtree · Apr 12, 2017
This Know Also
David Pledger · Jul 21, 2019
Repentance
Greg Elmquist · May 4, 2016
The Fall of Judas
Frank Tate · Sep 11, 2022
Who Can Tell?
Drew Dietz · Mar 18, 2018
Suppose Ye
Tim James · Jan 1, 2023

Articles (42)

Luke 13:5
Octavius Winslow · Jul 20, 2016
I am Magdalene
John Bunyan · Jul 11, 2019
Repentance
Tommy Robbins · Oct 25, 2021
Mark 14:72
Charles Spurgeon · Jul 30, 2016
Repentance
Randy Wages · Dec 11, 2018
Psalm 90:8
J.C. Philpot · Apr 26, 2016
Elias Keach
Unlisted · Jun 7, 2020
Luke 22:61
Robert Hawker · Sep 6, 2016
Acts 5:31
Octavius Winslow · Nov 9, 2016
Matthew 3:1-17
J.C. Ryle · Jan 4, 2016
Matthew 4:12-25
J.C. Ryle · Jan 6, 2016
Luke 13:1-5
J.C. Ryle · Jul 29, 2016
Luke 15:1-10
J.C. Ryle · Aug 8, 2016
Luke 3:7-14
J.C. Ryle · May 24, 2016
Repentance
Don Fortner · Mar 6, 2022
Luke 15:11-24
J.C. Ryle · Aug 9, 2016
Gospel Grace
Philip Henry · Jun 20, 2008
Joshua

Joshua

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