Reference: Repentance
American
A change of mind, accompanied with regret and sorrow for something done, and an earnest wish that it was undone. Such was the repentance of Juda, Mt 27:3; and so it is said that Esau found "no place of repentance" in his father Isaac, although he sought it with tears, Heb 12:17; that is, Isaac would not change what he had done, and revoke the blessing given to Jacob, Ge 27. God is sometimes said to "repent" of something he had done, Ge 6:6; Jon 3:9-10; not that he could wish it undone, but that in his providence such a change of course took place as among men would be ascribed to a change of mind. But the true gospel repentance, or "repentance unto life," is sorrow for sin, grief for having committed it, and a turning away from it with abhorrence, accompanied with sincere endeavors, in reliance on God's grace and the influences of the Holy Spirit, to live in humble and holy obedience to the commands and will of God. This is that repentance which always accompanies true faith, and to which is promised the free forgiveness of sin through the merits of Jesus Christ, Mt 4:17; Ac 3:19; 11:18; 20:12.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
and it grieved Yahweh, that he had made man in the earth, - and he took sorrow unto his heart.
Who knoweth whether God himself - may turn and grieve, - and turn away from the glow of his anger, that we perish not? And God saw their doings, that they turned from their wicked way, - and God was grieved over the calamity which he had spoken of executing upon them, and executed it not.
From that time, began Jesus to be making proclamation, and saying, - Repent ye, for the kingdom of the heavens hath drawn near.
Then, Judas who had delivered him up, seeing that he was condemned, being smitten with remorse, returned the thirty pieces of silver unto the High-priests and Elders,
Repent ye, therefore, and turn, - unto the blotting out of your sins; to the end that in that case, there may come seasons of refreshing from the face of the Lord,
And, having heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying - Hence, even unto the nations, God hath granted repentance unto life.
For ye know that, afterwards - when he even wished to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; for, place of repentance, found he none, even though, with tears, he diligently sought it.
Easton
There are three Greek words used in the New Testament to denote repentance. (1.) The verb metamelomai is used of a change of mind, such as to produce regret or even remorse on account of sin, but not necessarily a change of heart. This word is used with reference to the repentance of Judas (Mt 27:3).
(2.) Metanoeo, meaning to change one's mind and purpose, as the result of after knowledge. This verb, with (3) the cognate noun metanoia, is used of true repentance, a change of mind and purpose and life, to which remission of sin is promised.
Evangelical repentance consists of (1) a true sense of one's own guilt and sinfulness; (2) an apprehension of God's mercy in Christ; (3) an actual hatred of sin (Ps 119:128; Job 42:5-6; 2Co 7:10) and turning from it to God; and (4) a persistent endeavour after a holy life in a walking with God in the way of his commandments.
The true penitent is conscious of guilt (Ps 51:4,9), of pollution (Ps 51:5,7,10), and of helplessness (Ps 51:11; 109:21-22). Thus he apprehends himself to be just what God has always seen him to be and declares him to be. But repentance comprehends not only such a sense of sin, but also an apprehension of mercy, without which there can be no true repentance (Ps 51:1; 130:4).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
By the hearing of the ear, had I heard thee, but, now, mine own eye, hath seen thee. For this cause, I tremble and repent, on dust and ashes.
Be favorable unto me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness, And, in the multitude of thy compassions, blot out my transgressions;
Against thee - against thee alone, have I sinned, And, wickedness - in thine eyes, have I done, - That thou mayest, Be justified when thou speakest, - Be clear when thou judgest. Lo! in iniquity, was I brought forth, And, in sin, did my mother conceive me.
Wilt thou cleanse me from sin with hyssop, That I may be pure? Wilt thou wash me, That I may be whiter, than snow?
Hide thy face from my sins, - And, all mine iniquities, blot out; A pure heart, create for me, O God, And, a steadfast spirit, renew within me. read more. Do not cast me away from thy presence, And, thy Holy Spirit, do not take from me:
But, thou, Yahweh, Adonay, deal effectually with me, for the sake of thy Name, Since good is thy lovingkindness, O rescue me; For, oppressed and needy, I am, and, my heart, is wounded within me.
Blessed art thou, O Yahweh - Teach me thy statutes.
But, with thee, is forgiveness, that thou mayest be revered.
Then, Judas who had delivered him up, seeing that he was condemned, being smitten with remorse, returned the thirty pieces of silver unto the High-priests and Elders,
Hastings
Repentance, in the sense of turning from a purpose, is frequently predicated of God in the OT (Ge 6:6-7; Ex 32:14 etc.). Repentance for sin is commonly expressed by 'turn' or 'return' (e.g. De 4:30; Isa 55:7; Eze 3:2; Ho 14:2). Repentance has a prominent place in the NT, alone (Mt 4:17; Lu 15:7; Ac 2:38 etc.), or in conjunction with faith (Mr 1:15; Ac 20:21 etc.), as an Indispensable condition of salvation. The word ordinarily used (metanoia) means literally 'change of mind.' The change, however, is one in which not the intellect only, but the whole nature (understanding, affections, will), is involved. It is such an altered view of God and sin as carries with it heartfelt sorrow for sin, confession of it, and decisive turning from it to God and righteousness (Lu 15:17-18; Ro 6:17-18; 2Co 7:10-11 etc.). Its reality is tested by its fruits (Mt 3:8; Lu 6:43-46). From this 'godly sorrow', which works 'repentance unto salvation' (2Co 7:10-11), is distinguished a 'sorrow of the world' which 'worketh death' (2Co 7:10), i.e. a sorrow which has no relation to God, or to the intrinsic evil of sin, but only to sin's harmful consequences. There may be keen remorse, and blaming of one's self for one's folly, yet no real repentance.
Disputes have arisen in theology as to the priority of faith or repentance, but unnecessarily, for the two, rightly viewed, are but the positive and negative poles of the same state of soul. There can be no evangelical faith which does not spring from a heart broken and contrite on account of sin; on the other hand, there can be no true repentance which has not the germ of faith in God, and of hope in His mercy, in it. The Law alone would break the heart; the Gospel melts it. Repentance is the turning from sin; Gospel faith is the turning to Christ for salvation. The acts are inseparable (Ac 20:21).
James Orr.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
and it grieved Yahweh, that he had made man in the earth, - and he took sorrow unto his heart. And Yahweh said - I must wipe off man whom I created from off the face of the ground, from man unto beast unto creeping thing, and unto the bird of the heavens, - for I am grieved that I made them.
So then Yahweh was grieved, - over the calamity - which he had spoken of inflicting on his people.
In thy distress, when all these things have found thee out - in the afterpart of the days, thou wilt return unto Yahweh thy God, and writ hearken to his voice.
Let the lawless forsake his way, And the man of iniquity, his thoughts, - And let him return unto Yahweh That he may have compassion upon him, And unto our God, For he will abundantly pardon.
So I opened my mouth, - and he caused me to eat this roll.
Take with you words, and return to Yahweh: say unto him - Wholly, shalt thou take away iniquity, Accept, then, with favour, and we will make good the boldness of our lips!
Bring forth, therefore, fruit worthy of repentance;
From that time, began Jesus to be making proclamation, and saying, - Repent ye, for the kingdom of the heavens hath drawn near.
and saying- The season is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God hath drawn near, - Repent ye, and have faith in the glad-message.
For a good tree doth not produce worthless fruit, neither again doth, a worthless tree, produce good fruit. For, every tree, by its own fruit, becometh known. For not, of thorns, do they gather figs, neither, of a bramble-bush, do they gather, a bunch of grapes. read more. The good man, out of the good treasure of the heart, bringeth forth that which is good; and, the wicked man, out of the wicked heart, bringeth forth that which is wicked; for, out of an overflowing of heart, speaketh, his mouth. And why call ye me, Lord! Lord! and not do the things that I say?
I say unto you - Thus, joy in heaven, will there be, over one sinner repenting, rather than over ninety-nine righteous persons, who indeed have, no need, of repentance.
But coming, to himself, he said - How many hired servants of my father, have bread enough and to spare, whereas, I, with famine, here, am perishing! I will arise, and go unto my father, and will say unto him - Father! I have sinned against heaven, and before thee:
And Peter said unto them - Repent ye, and let each one of you be immersed, in the name of Jesus Christ, into the remission of your sins, - and ye shall receive the free-gift of the Holy Spirit;
bearing full witness, both to Jews and to Greeks, as to the repentance due unto God, and as to belief on our Lord Jesus.
bearing full witness, both to Jews and to Greeks, as to the repentance due unto God, and as to belief on our Lord Jesus.
But thanks be unto God, that - whereas ye were servants of sin, ye became obedient out of the heart unto the mould of teaching into which ye were delivered; And, being freed from sin, ye were made servants unto righteousness; -
For, grief according to God, worketh, repentance unto salvation, not to be regretted; although, the grieving of the world, worketh, death.
For, grief according to God, worketh, repentance unto salvation, not to be regretted; although, the grieving of the world, worketh, death. For lo! this very thing - the being caused to grieve, according to God: - what manner of diligence it wrought out in you, - nay! defence, - nay! sore displeasure, - nay! fear, - nay! earnest desire, - nay! jealousy, - nay! avenging. In every way, ye shewed yourselves to be, chaste, in the matter.
Morish
The idea conveyed in this term is of great importance from the fact of its application not only to man but to God, showing how God, in His government of the earth, is pleased to express His own sense of events taking place upon it. This does not clash with His omniscience. There are two senses in which repentance on the part of God is spoken of.
1. As to His own creation or appointment of objects that fail to answer to His glory. He repented that He had made man on the earth, and that He had set up Saul as king of Israel. Ge 6:6-7; 1Sa 15:11,35
1Sa 15:2. As to punishment which He has threatened, or blessing He has promised. When Israel turned from their evil ways and sought God, He often repented of the punishment He had meditated. 2Sa 24:16, etc. On the other hand, the promises to bless Israel when in the land were made conditionally on their obedience, so that God would, if they did evil, turn from or repent of the good that He had said He would do, either to Israel or in fact to any nation. Jer 18:8-10. He would alter the order of His dealings towards them, and as to Israel He said, "I am weary with repenting." Jer 15:6. In all this the responsibility of man is concerned, as well as the divine government.
But the unconditional promises of God, as made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, are not subject to repentance. "The gifts and calling of God are without repentance." Ro 11:29. "God is not a man that he should lie; neither the son of man that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it?" Nu 23:19; 1Sa 15:29; Mal 3:6. And this must hold good in regard to every purpose of His will.
As regards man, repentance is the necessary precursor of his experience of grace on the part of God. Two motives for repentance are presented in scripture: the goodness of God which leads to repentance (Ro 2:4) and coming judgement, on account of which God now commands all men to repent (Ac 17:30-31); but it is distinctly of His grace and for His glory that this door of return to Him is granted (Ac 11:18) in that He has approached man in grace and by His glad tidings, consequent on His righteousness having been secured in the death of Christ. Hence God's testimony is "repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." Ac 20:21.
Repentance has been described as "a change of mind Godward that leads to a judgement of self and one's acts." 1Ki 8:47; Eze 14:6; Mt 3:2; 9:13; Lu 15:7; Ac 20:21; 2Co 7:9-10; etc. This would not be possible but for the thought of mercy in God. It is the goodness of God that leads to repentance. Ro 2:4.
Repentance is also spoken of as a change of thought and action where there is no evil to repent of. 2Co 7:8.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
and it grieved Yahweh, that he had made man in the earth, - and he took sorrow unto his heart. And Yahweh said - I must wipe off man whom I created from off the face of the ground, from man unto beast unto creeping thing, and unto the bird of the heavens, - for I am grieved that I made them.
GOD is, not a man, that he should lie, Nor a son of Adam, that he should repent, - Hath, he, said, and will not perform? Yea spoken, and will not make it stand fast?
But, when the messenger stretched out his hand towards Jerusalem, to destroy it, then relented Yahweh as to the evil, and he said to the messenger who was destroying the people - Enough! now, stay thy hand. And, the messenger of Yahweh, was by the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
and they come back to their right mind, in the land whither they have been taken captive, - and so turn and make supplication unto thee, in the land of their captors, saying, We have sinned and done perversely, we have been lawless;
Thou, hast abandoned, me, Declareth Yahweh, Backward, thou wilt go, Therefore have I stretched forth my hand against thee and laid thee waste, - I am weary of having compassion.
and that nation return from its wickedness against whom I have spoken, then will I repent concerning the calamity which I had devised to bring upon it. And, the moment I speak, concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom, - to build and to plant; read more. and it commit wickedness in mine eyes, in not hearkening unto my voice, then will I repent concerning the good wherewith I had said I would do it good.
Therefore say thou unto the house of Israel Thus saith My Lord. Yahweh, Turn ye - and make good your return - from your manufactured gods; And from all your abominations:, make good the turning away of your faces.
Because, I, Yahweh, have not changed, therefore, ye, the sons of Jacob, have not been utterly consumed.
saying, Repent ye, - for the kingdom of the heavens hath drawn near.
But go ye, and learn what this meaneth, - Mercy, I desire, and not, sacrifice; For I came, not to call the righteous, but sinners.
I say unto you - Thus, joy in heaven, will there be, over one sinner repenting, rather than over ninety-nine righteous persons, who indeed have, no need, of repentance.
And, having heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying - Hence, even unto the nations, God hath granted repentance unto life.
The times of ignorance, therefore, overlooking, God, as things now are, is charging all men everywhere to repent, inasmuch as he hath appointed a day, in which he is about to be judging the habitable earth in righteousness, by a man whom he hath pointed out, - offering faith unto all, by raising him from among the dead?
bearing full witness, both to Jews and to Greeks, as to the repentance due unto God, and as to belief on our Lord Jesus.
bearing full witness, both to Jews and to Greeks, as to the repentance due unto God, and as to belief on our Lord Jesus.
Or, the riches of his kindness, and forbearance, and long-suffering, dost thou despise, - not knowing that, the kindness of God, unto repentance, is leading thee?
Or, the riches of his kindness, and forbearance, and long-suffering, dost thou despise, - not knowing that, the kindness of God, unto repentance, is leading thee?
For, not to be regretted, are the gifts and the calling of God: -
Because, if I even grieved you by the letter, I do not regret, - though I could even have regretted, - I see that that letter, if even for an hour, did cause you grief.
Watsons
REPENTANCE is sometimes used generally for a change of mind, and an earnest wishing that something were undone that has been done. Esau found no place for repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears; he could not move his father Isaac to repent of what he had done, or to recall the blessing from Jacob and confer it on himself, Heb 12:17; Mt 3:2; 4:17. Taken in a religious sense it signifies conviction of sin and sorrow for it. But there is,
1. A partial or worldly repentance, wherein one is grieved for and turns from his sin, merely on account of the hurt it has done, or is likely to do, him; so a malefactor, who still loves his sin, repents of doing it, because it brings him to punishment.
2. An evangelical repentance, which is a godly sorrow wrought in the heart of a sinful person by the word and Spirit of God, whereby, from a sense of his sin, as offensive to God, and defiling and endangering to his own soul, and from an apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, he, with grief and hatred of all his known sins, turns from them to God, as his Saviour and Lord. This is called "repentance toward God," as therein we turn from sin to him; and "repentance unto life;" as it leads to spiritual life, and is the first step to eternal life, Mt 3:2; Ac 3:19; 11:18; 20:12. God himself is said to repent, but this can only be understood of his altering his conduct towards his creatures, either in the bestowing of good or the infliction of evil: which change in the divine conduct is founded on a change in his creatures; and thus, speaking after the manner of men, God is said to repent.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
saying, Repent ye, - for the kingdom of the heavens hath drawn near.
saying, Repent ye, - for the kingdom of the heavens hath drawn near.
From that time, began Jesus to be making proclamation, and saying, - Repent ye, for the kingdom of the heavens hath drawn near.
Repent ye, therefore, and turn, - unto the blotting out of your sins; to the end that in that case, there may come seasons of refreshing from the face of the Lord,
And, having heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying - Hence, even unto the nations, God hath granted repentance unto life.
For ye know that, afterwards - when he even wished to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; for, place of repentance, found he none, even though, with tears, he diligently sought it.