54 Bible Verses about Repentance

Jesus said: Do you think the way those Galileans were killed prove they were worse sinners than all Galileans? It does not! I tell you; if you do not turn from your sins, you will die as they did.

When they heard this they objected no more and praised God, saying: God has granted the people of the nations repentance to life.

When they heard this they objected no more and praised God, saying: God has granted the people of the nations repentance to life.

The people of Israel sinned against Jehovah again. Because of this Jehovah made King Eglon of Moab stronger than Israel. Eglon joined the Ammonites and the Amalekites. They defeated Israel and captured Jericho, the city of palm trees. The Israelites were subject to Eglon for eighteen years. read more.
Then the Israelites cried out to Jehovah. So he sent someone to free them. This was Ehud, a left-handed man, who was the son of Gera, from the tribe of Benjamin. The people of Israel sent Ehud to King Eglon of Moab with gifts for him. Ehud made himself a double-edged sword about a foot and a half long. He fastened it on his right side under his clothes. He took the gifts to Eglon, who was a very fat man. When Ehud gave him the gifts, he told the men who carried them to go back home. But Ehud turned back at the carved stones near Gilgal, went back to Eglon, and said: Your Majesty, I have a secret message for you. So the king ordered his servants: Leave us alone! Then they all went out. The king was sitting there alone in his cool room on the roof. Ehud went over to him and said: I have a message from God for you. The king stood up. With his left hand Ehud took the sword from his right side and plunged it into the king's belly. The whole sword went in, handle and all, and the fat covered it up. Ehud did not pull it out of the king's belly, and it stuck out behind, between his legs. Ehud went outside, closed the doors behind him, locked them. Then he left. The servants came and saw that the doors to the upstairs room were locked. They only thought that the king was inside, relieving himself. They waited as long as they thought they should. When he still did not open the door, they took the key and opened it. There lying dead on the floor was their master. Ehud got away while they were waiting. He went past the carved stones and escaped to Seirah. When he arrived there in the hill country of Ephraim, he blew a trumpet to call the people of Israel to battle. Then he led them down from the hills. He said to them: Follow me! Jehovah has given you victory over your enemies, the Moabites. So they followed Ehud and captured the place where the Moabites were to cross the Jordan. They did not allow anyone to cross. They killed about ten thousand of the best Moabite soldiers. None of them escaped. That day the Israelites defeated Moab. There was peace in the land for eighty years.

I tell you, it is the same for the angels of God who rejoice over one sinner who repents.

It is the same. I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine good people who do not need to repent.

God overlooked the times of ignorance; but now he commands men everywhere to repent. He has established a day (time) in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man [Jesus] whom he has ordained. Of that he gives proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead. (John 5:22) (Isaiah 2:4) (Acts 10:42)

When your people Israel have sinned against you their enemies defeat them. They can turn to you and come to this Temple, humbly praying to you for forgiveness.

Maybe their prayers will come into Jehovah's presence, and they will turn from their evil ways. Jehovah has threatened these people with his terrifying anger and fury.

If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things have passed away. Behold, they have become new.

Turn to me and be saved! Turn to me all who live at the ends of the earth for I am God, and there is no other.

All those people speak about how you received us when we visited you, and how you turned away from idols to God, to serve the true and living God,

A great cloud of witnesses surround us. Therefore let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that easily entangles us. Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Look to (consider without distractions) Jesus, the Leader (Predecessor) and Finisher (Perfecter) of our faith. He despised the shame. He endured the stake for the joy that was set before him. Then he sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Do not accumulate large amounts of wealth on earth. This is where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal. Accumulate wealth in heaven where neither moth nor rust consumes, and where thieves do not break in and steal. Your heart will be where you keep your wealth.

I reprove and discipline those whom I love: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Then Peter said: Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said: The time has come. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the good news.

Think how far you have fallen! Turn from your sins (repent) and do what you did at first. If you do not turn from your sins, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place.

Repent therefore, and turn around, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times (seasons) of refreshing shall come from the presence of Jehovah. (Deuteronomy 18:18, 19)

How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? My heart is changed within me. All my compassion is aroused.

So Jehovah said: I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth. All of them: men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air. I am sorry that I created them.

I am sorry that I made Saul king. He has turned away from me and disobeyed my commands. Samuel was angry. All night long he pleaded with Jehovah.

Rip apart your heart, and not your garments. Turn to Jehovah your God! He is gracious and merciful. He is slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness. He will turn back from doing harm.

He remembered his promise to them. In keeping with his rich mercy, he changed his plans.

Then I gave orders for a time of going without food, there by the Ahava River, so that we might make ourselves low before our God in prayer, requesting from him a safe journey for us and for our little ones and for all our substance.

Go assemble all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me. Take no food or drink night or day for three days. My women and I will do the same. Then I will go in to the king even though it is against the law. If death is to be my fate, then let it come.

The people of Nineveh believed God and they proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.

Jehoshaphat was frightened and decided to ask for Jehovah's help. He announced a fast throughout Judah.

In the ninth month of the fifth year of the reign of Jehoiakim, son of King Josiah of Judah, a time for fasting was called. It was a time for all the people in Jerusalem and for everyone who was coming from any city in Judah to Jerusalem to fast in Jehovah's presence.

I will forgive all the wrongs you have done, but you will remember them and be too ashamed to open your mouth.' The Lord Jehovah has spoken.

I said, O my God, shame keeps me from lifting up my face (praying) to you (being in your presence), my God: for our sins have increased higher than our heads and our evil-doing has come up to heaven. From the days of our fathers till this day we have been great sinners. Because of our sins, the kings of the lands captured us. We were given to the sword and to prison and to loss of goods and to shame of face, as it is this day. Now for a little time grace (favour) has come to us from Jehovah our God, to let a small band of us go free and to give us a nail in his holy place. Our God gives light to our eyes and a measure of new life in our prison chains. read more.
We are servants. Our God has not been turned away from us in our prison. He had mercy on us before the eyes of the kings of Persia, to give us new strength, to put up again the house of our God and to restore its desolate places, and to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem. And now, O our God, what are we to say after this? For we have not obeyed your laws, Which you gave to your servants the prophets, saying: 'The land where you are going, you should take for a heritage. It is an unclean land, because of the evil lives of the peoples of the land and their disgusting ways, which have made the land unclean from end to end.' Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons or do anything for their peace or well being for a very long time. That way you may be strong, living on the good of the land, and handing it on to your children for a heritage for as long as they live. After all this and because of our evil-doing and our great sin, and seeing that the punishment that you, O God, have given us, is less than the measure of our sins, and that you have kept from death those of us who are here; Are we again to go against your orders, taking wives from among the people who do these disgusting things? Would you not be angry with us till our destruction was complete, till there was not one who got away safe? O Jehovah, God of Israel, righteousness is yours. We are only a small band that has been kept from death this day. See, we are before you in our sin. For no one may keep his place before you because of this.

We turned away from you. But soon we wanted to return. After you had punished us we hung our heads in grief. We were ashamed and disgraced because we sinned when we were young.'

You will remember how you have acted, and be ashamed of it when you get your older sister and your younger sister back. I will let them be like daughters to you, even though this was not part of my covenant with you.'

Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.

Come, and let us return to Jehovah. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us. He has wounded us but he will bandage us.

I confess my guilt. My sin troubles me.

JOB REPLIED TO JEHOVAH:

A voice is heard on the bare hills. It is the crying and the pleading of the people of Israel. They are perverted and have forgotten Jehovah their God.

The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you killed. You hanged him on a stake. God exalted him to his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

When the Pharisees saw it, they asked his disciples: Why does your Teacher eat with the tax collectors and sinners? When he heard it, he said: People who are well do not have need of a physician. The sick do. You should learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice'; for I came, not to call the righteous, but sinners.

When the scribes of the Pharisees saw he was eating with the tax collectors and sinners they asked his disciples: Why does he take food and drink with such men? Jesus heard this. He said to them: Those who are well have no need of a medical man but those who are ill do. I have come to care for sinners not the upright.

And the Pharisees and their scribes complained to Jesus disciples. They asked: Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners? Jesus answered them: Those who have good health do not need a physician. The sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.

Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.

Listen when I reprove you. I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make my words known to you. I called you! I stretched out my hand to you. You paid no attention to me. You have ignored all my counsel. You accept no correction. read more.
I also will laugh at your trouble. I will mock when your fear comes. Trouble and distress will surround you like a whirlwind, like a great storm. You will ask for my help, but I will not listen. You will search, but you will not find me. You have no use for knowledge and you refuse to respect Jehovah. You rejected my advice and paid no attention when I warned you. Now you will get what you deserve for what you have done. Your own advice will make you sick. Sin and self-satisfaction bring destruction and death to stupid fools. Whoever listens to me will be secure and will be free from the fear of evil.

Thus says Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel: Amend (make right) your ways and your deeds, and I will let you dwell in this place.

For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly practice justice between a man and his neighbor,

Perhaps the people will listen and give up their evil ways. If they do I will change my mind about the destruction I plan to bring on them for all their wicked deeds.

Many of the believers confessed openly about the evil things they had done.

The man who covers his sins will not be blessed; but whoever confesses and leaves them will have mercy.

Now when they heard this, they were stabbed to the heart, and said to Peter and to the rest of the apostles: Men and brothers, what shall we do?

listen to their prayers. If any of your people Israel, out of heartfelt sorrow, stretch out their hands in prayer toward this Temple,

However, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, pray, search for me, and turn from their evil ways, I will hear their prayer from heaven, forgive their sins, and heal their country.

If you come back to me and obey my orders, even if you have been forced out and are living in the farthest horizons, I will gather you from there, and bring you to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my name.'

If you return to Jehovah, your brothers and your sons will find compassion before those who led them captive and will return to this land. Jehovah your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn his face away from you if you return to him.

Then Peter said: Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Repent therefore, and turn around, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times (seasons) of refreshing shall come from the presence of Jehovah. (Deuteronomy 18:18, 19)

Therefore tell the nation of Israel: This is what the Lord Jehovah says: Change the way you think and act! (Repent!) Turn away from your idols, and do not return to any of your disgusting things.

That is why I will judge each of you by what you have done, people of Israel, declares the Lord Jehovah. Change the way you think and act. (Repent!) Turn away from all the rebellious things that you have done so that you will not fall into sin.

Some people there gave him an account of how Pilate killed some Galilaeans while they offered sacrifices. Jesus said: Do you think the way those Galileans were killed prove they were worse sinners than all Galileans? It does not! I tell you; if you do not turn from your sins, you will die as they did. read more.
What about the eighteen people in Siloam killed when the castle tower fell on them? Do you think this proves that they were worse than all the other people living in Jerusalem? It does not! I tell you if you do not turn from your sins, you will die as they did.

To the angel of the congregation of Ephesus write: The one who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lamp stands, says: I know your works, and your labor, and your patience. I also know how you cannot tolerate those who are evil. You tested those who say they are apostles. They are not apostles. You found them to be liars. You have endured and are patient. You suffer for my name's sake and have not grown weary. read more.
However I have this against you: you do not love me now as you did at first. Think how far you have fallen! Turn from your sins (repent) and do what you did at first. If you do not turn from your sins, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place.

Listen to him and give him his desire. Let all the peoples of the earth know about your name. Let them worship you as your people Israel, and that they may see that this house which I have built is truly named by your name. When your people go to war against their enemies, they pray to you, O Jehovah, toward the city you have chosen and the temple I built for your name. Hear their prayer for mercy in heaven, and do what is right for them. read more.
They may sin against you, for everyone sins. You may become angry with them and hand them over to an enemy far or near who takes them to another country as captives. If they come to their senses and are sorry for what they have done, and plead with you in the land where they are captives, saying: We have sinned. We have done wrong. We have been wicked. If they change their attitude toward you in the land of their enemies where they are captives, if they pray to you toward the land that you gave their ancestors, and the city you have chosen, and the temple I have built for your name, then in heaven, the place where you live, hear their prayer for mercy. Do what is right for them. Forgive your people, who have sinned against you. Forgive all their wrongs when they rebelled against you. Cause those who captured them to have mercy on them.

When a wicked person turns away from the wicked things that he has done and does what is fair and right, he will live. He realized what he was doing and turned away from all the rebellious things that he had done. He will certainly live. He will not die. But the nation of Israel says: Jehovah's way is unfair. Is my way not fair, nation of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unfair? read more.
That is why I will judge each of you by what you have done, people of Israel, declares the Lord Jehovah. Change the way you think and act. (Repent!) Turn away from all the rebellious things that you have done so that you will not fall into sin. Give up all the evil you have been doing. Get yourselves new minds and hearts. Why do you Israelites want to die? I do not want anyone to die,' says the Lord Jehovah. 'Turn away from (repent of) your sins and live.'

Say to them: 'As I am alive! Declares the Lord Jehovah. I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked. Only that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back! Turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?' Son of man, tell the Israelites that when someone good sins, the good he has done will not save him. If an evil person stops doing evil he will not be punished, and if a good man starts sinning, his life will not be spared. I may promise life to someone good, but if he starts thinking that his past goodness is enough and begins to sin, I will not remember any of the good he did. He will die because of his sins. read more.
I may warn someone evil that he is going to die, but if he stops sinning and does what is right and good, and if he returns the security he took for a loan or gives back what he stole, if he stops sinning and follows the laws that give life, he will not die, but he will live. None of the sins that he has done will be remembered. He has done what is fair and right. He will certainly live.' But your people say: 'Jehovah's way is not right.' Yet, their ways are not right. If the righteous person turns from the right things that he has done and does evil, he will die because of it. If the wicked person turns from his wickedness and does what is fair and right, he will live because of it. The people of Israel say: 'Jehovah's way is not right.' I will judge each of you by your own ways, people of Israel.

With weeping they will come. By supplication I will lead them. I will make them walk by streams of waters on a straight path in which they will not stumble. For I am a father to Israel and Ephraim is my firstborn.

Go and proclaim this message to the north: 'Come back, unfaithful Israel. It is Jehovah speaking. I will no longer frown on you because I am merciful,' declares Jehovah. 'I will no longer be angry with you.

Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to Jehovah, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

They were disobedient while the ark was being built. Yet God waited patiently in the days of Noah. But few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water.

Jehovah is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness. He is longsuffering (patient) toward you. He does not wish that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Jehovah said: My Spirit will not contend (judge) (plead) with man forever, for he is mortal and corrupt. Therefore his days will be a hundred and twenty years.

Then he denounced the cities where most of his mighty works were done, because they did not repent. Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon that were done in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. I say to you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the Day of Judgment than for you. read more.
Will you, Capernaum, be exalted into heaven? You will go down into the grave. If the mighty works had been done in Sodom, which were done in you, it would have remained until this day. But I say to you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the Day of Judgment, than for you.

It does not! I tell you; if you do not turn from your sins, you will die as they did.

It does not! I tell you if you do not turn from your sins, you will die as they did.

John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near. Isaiah spoke of John when he said: He is a voice shouting in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of Jehovah. Make his paths straight.' (Isaiah 40:3) read more.
John wore clothes made from camel's hair. He had a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey. People from Jerusalem, Judea, and the whole Jordan Valley went to him. They confessed their sins and were baptized by John in the Jordan River. He saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism. You offspring of vipers, he said, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance! Do not presume that Abraham is your father. I tell you that God can make descendants for Abraham from these stones! The ax is ready to cut down the trees at the roots. Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. I baptize you with water because of your repentance. He that comes after me is mightier than I. He will baptize you with Holy Spirit and fire. I am not even good enough to carry his sandals.

Paul said: John baptized with the baptism of repentance. He told the people they should believe in Jesus, the one who came after John.

This was in the time when Annas and Caiaphas were chief priests. The word of God was delivered to John the son of Zechariah. He was in the wilderness. John traveled in the region near the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

Jesus said: The time has come. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the good news.

I witnessed to both Jews and to Greeks about repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him. Even the tax collectors and prostitutes believed him. When you saw this, you did not regret your sins and did not have faith in him.

All those people speak about how you received us when we visited you, and how you turned away from idols to God, to serve the true and living God,

Therefore tell the nation of Israel: This is what the Lord Jehovah says: Change the way you think and act! (Repent!) Turn away from your idols, and do not return to any of your disgusting things.

Men were scorched with great heat. They blasphemed the name of God, who has power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.

The rest of the men who were not killed by these plagues did not repent of the works of their hands. They did not stop worshipping demons, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk.

However, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, pray, search for me, and turn from their evil ways, I will hear their prayer from heaven, forgive their sins, and heal their country.

Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the presence of God, and he will exalt you.

Think how far you have fallen! Turn from your sins (repent) and do what you did at first. If you do not turn from your sins, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place.

Turn away from your sins! If you do not repent I will come to you soon. And I will fight against those people with the sword that comes out of my mouth.

Then Peter said: Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Repent therefore, and turn around, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times (seasons) of refreshing shall come from the presence of Jehovah. (Deuteronomy 18:18, 19)

Repent of this wickedness, and pray to God, that the thought in your heart may be forgiven you.

David said to Nathan: I have sinned against Jehovah. Nathan replied: Jehovah has taken away your sin. You will not die.

I swear to you that I will cause someone from your own family to bring trouble to you. You will see it when I take your wives from you and give them to another man. He will have intercourse with them in broad daylight.

You are that man! Nathan said to David. And this is what the Lord Jehovah the God of Israel says: 'I made you king of Israel and rescued you from Saul. I gave you his kingdom and his wives. Then I made you king over Israel and Judah. If this had not been enough, I would have given you twice as much. Why have you disobeyed my commands? Why did you do this evil thing? You had Uriah killed in battle! You let the Ammonites kill him. Then you took his wife! read more.
In every generation some of your descendants will die a violent death because you have disobeyed me and have taken Uriah's wife. I swear to you that I will cause someone from your own family to bring trouble to you. You will see it when I take your wives from you and give them to another man. He will have intercourse with them in broad daylight. You did this secretly. I will make this happen in broad daylight in front of all Israel.' David said to Nathan: I have sinned against Jehovah. Nathan replied: Jehovah has taken away your sin. You will not die. You have shown total contempt for Jehovah by this affair. Therefore the son that is born to you must die.

Think how far you have fallen! Turn from your sins (repent) and do what you did at first. If you do not turn from your sins, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place.

Remember what you received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If you do not stay awake, I will come to you like a thief. You will not know the hour when I will come to you.

I reprove and discipline those whom I love: be zealous therefore, and repent.

If they come to their senses and are sorry for what they have done, and plead with you in the land where they are captives, saying: We have sinned. We have done wrong. We have been wicked.

Elijah finished speaking. Ahab tore his clothes and took them off. He dressed in sackcloth. He refused food (fasted) and slept in the sackcloth. He was gloomy and depressed.

And the word of Jehovah came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying: Go to Ahab, king of Israel, in Samaria. He is in the garden of Naboth the Jezreelite. He went there to take it as his heritage. Say to him: 'Jehovah says: Have you put a man to death and taken his heritage?' Then say: 'Jehovah says: Your blood will become the drink of dogs! You will go to the same place where the dogs drink the blood of Naboth.' read more.
Ahab said to Elijah: Have you come face to face with me, O my enemy? Elijah said: I have come to you because you have given yourself up to do evil in the eyes of Jehovah. Jehovah says to you: I will bring disaster on you. I will do away with you and get rid of every male in your family, young and old alike. Your family will become like the family of King Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the family of King Baasha son of Ahijah. This is because you have stirred up my anger by leading Israel into sin. Concerning Jezebel, Jehovah says: Dogs will eat her body in the city of Jezreel. Dogs will eat your relatives dying in the city. Vultures will eat your dead relatives in the country. No one else devoted himself so completely to doing wrong in Jehovah's sight as Ahab all at the urging of his wife Jezebel. He committed the most shameful sins by worshiping idols the way the Amorites had done. Jehovah drove the Amorites from the land as the people of Israel advanced. Elijah finished speaking. Ahab tore his clothes and took them off. He dressed in sackcloth. He refused food (fasted) and slept in the sackcloth. He was gloomy and depressed. Jehovah said to the prophet Elijah: Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Since he has done this, I will not bring disaster on him during his lifetime. It will be during his son's lifetime that I will bring disaster on Ahab's family.

Peter remembered what Jesus told him: Before the rooster crows you will deny me three times. He went out and wept bitterly.

Then a rooster crowed. Peter remembered what Jesus said: Before the rooster crows two times, you will deny me three times. He broke down and cried.

He left there and wept bitterly.

God overlooked the times of ignorance; but now he commands men everywhere to repent.

That is why I will judge each of you by what you have done, people of Israel, declares the Lord Jehovah. Change the way you think and act. (Repent!) Turn away from all the rebellious things that you have done so that you will not fall into sin. Give up all the evil you have been doing. Get yourselves new minds and hearts. Why do you Israelites want to die? I do not want anyone to die,' says the Lord Jehovah. 'Turn away from (repent of) your sins and live.'

If the wicked man turns from all his sins and observes all my statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall live; he shall not die.

Tell them, Jehovah of Hosts has said: Jehovah of Hosts says return to me and I will return to you.

Then Saul told Samuel: I have sinned by not following Jehovah's command or your instructions. I was afraid of the people and listened to them.

He sent a warning to the Kenites, a people whose ancestors had been kind to the Israelites when they came from Egypt: Go away and leave the Amalekites. That way I will not kill you along with them. So the Kenites left. Saul defeated the Amalekites. He fought all the way from Havilah to Shur, east of Egypt. He captured King Agag of Amalek alive and with the sword he killed all the people. read more.
Saul and his men spared Agag's life and did not kill the best sheep and cattle, the best calves and lambs, or anything else that was good. They destroyed only what was useless or worthless. Jehovah spoke to Samuel: I am sorry that I made Saul king. He has turned away from me and disobeyed my commands. Samuel was angry. All night long he pleaded with Jehovah. Early the following morning he went off to find Saul. He heard that Saul had gone to the town of Carmel. There in Carmel he built a monument to himself. Then he went to Gilgal. Samuel went up to Saul. Saul said: Jehovah bless you, Samuel! I have obeyed Jehovah's command. Samuel asked: Why do I hear the sound of cows and sheep? Saul answered: The army brought them from the Amalekites. They spared the best sheep and cows to sacrifice to Jehovah your God. But the rest they claimed for God and destroyed them. Be quiet, Samuel told Saul, Let me tell you what Jehovah told me last night. Speak, Saul replied. Samuel said to Saul: You are little in your own eyes. Even though you are a leader of all of the tribes of Israel that Jehovah anointed king over Israel. Jehovah sent you on a mission. He said: Go and destroy those sinners, the Amalekites. Fight against them until every one is dead. Why then did you not obey the voice of Jehovah? Why did you pounce on the plunder? Why did you do evil in the sight of Jehovah? Then Saul said to Samuel: I did obey the voice of Jehovah. I went on the mission Jehovah sent me. I brought back Agag the king of Amalek. I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. The people took from the plunder of the flock the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to Jehovah your God in Gilgal. Samuel said: What is more pleasing to Jehovah, burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Obeying is better than sacrifice. To pay attention is better than the fat of rams. The sin of divination is rebellion. Wickedness and idolatry are arrogance. They are evil. Because you rejected the word of Jehovah, he rejects you as king. Then Saul told Samuel: I have sinned by not following Jehovah's command or your instructions. I was afraid of the people and listened to them. But now I beg you, forgive my sin and return with me, so that I can worship Jehovah. I will not return with you, Samuel answered. You rejected Jehovah's command. He has rejected you as king of Israel. Samuel turned to leave, but Saul caught hold of his cloak, and it tore. Samuel said to him: Jehovah has torn the kingdom of Israel away from you today. He gave it to someone who is a better man than you. The Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind. He is not a mortal who changes his mind. Saul replied: I have sinned! Now please honor me in front of the elders of my people and in front of Israel. Come back with me. Let me worship Jehovah your God! Then Samuel turned and followed Saul. Saul worshiped Jehovah.

I paid attention and listened, but they were not honest. They do not turn away from their wickedness. They do not ask: 'What have we done?' They go their own ways like horses charging into battle.'

John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him. Even the tax collectors and prostitutes believed him. When you saw this, you did not regret your sins and did not have faith in him.

However if they confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors and the treacherous things they did to oppose me,

He comes to men and says: 'I sinned, and perverted what was right, but I did not get what I deserved.'

Balaam replied: I have sinned. I did not know that you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you think it is wrong for me to go on I will return home.

Where the road went through the vineyards, it was narrow, with stonewalls on both sides. Now the angel of Jehovah stood there. The donkey saw the angel and it moved over against the wall and crushed Balaam's foot against it. Again Balaam beat the donkey. Once more the angel moved ahead. He stood in a narrow place where there was no room at all to pass on either side. read more.
This time, when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down. Balaam lost his temper and began to beat the donkey with his stick. Jehovah gave the donkey the power of speech. The donkey said to Balaam: What have I done to you? Why have you beaten me these three times? Balaam answered: It is because you have made a fool of me! If I had a sword, I would kill you. The donkey replied: Am I not the same donkey on which you have ridden all your life? Have I ever treated you like this before? No, he answered. Then Jehovah let Balaam see the angel standing there with his sword. Balaam threw himself face down on the ground. The angel demanded: Why have you beaten your donkey three times like this? I have come to bar your way, because you should not be making this journey. But your donkey saw me and turned aside three times. If it had not, I would have killed you and spared the donkey. Balaam replied: I have sinned. I did not know that you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you think it is wrong for me to go on I will return home. But the angel said: Go on with these men, but say only what I tell you to say. Thus Balaam went on with them.

The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it. After all, they repented at the preaching of Jonah. Yet someone greater than Jonah is here.

The people of Nineveh believed God and they proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. The news reached the king of Nineveh. He left his throne, and took off his robe and covered himself with sackcloth. Then he sat in ashes. He made proclamation and published it in Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; let them not eat, nor drink water. read more.
Let them be covered with sackcloth, both man and beast. Let them sincerely call on God! Let them turn away each one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in his hands.

When they heard this they objected no more and praised God, saying: God has granted the people of the nations repentance to life.

He should instruct those who oppose using meekness. Perhaps God will give them repentance that they may know the truth.

But the tax collector stood far away and would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven. He beat his breast, saying: God, be merciful to me a sinner.

I will go to my father and say: 'Father I have sinned against God and against you. I am not fit to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired workers.' He went to his father. He was a long way from home when his father saw him. His heart filled with pity. He ran and threw his arms around his son and kissed him. read more.
Father, the son said: 'I have sinned against God and against you. I am not fit to be called your son.'

When your people Israel have sinned against you their enemies defeat them. They can turn to you and come to this Temple, humbly praying to you for forgiveness.

Repent of this wickedness, and pray to God, that the thought in your heart may be forgiven you.

Jesus said: The time has come. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the good news.

From that time on Jesus preached this message: Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is near.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

It is the same. I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine good people who do not need to repent.

Repent therefore, and turn around, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times (seasons) of refreshing shall come from the presence of Jehovah. (Deuteronomy 18:18, 19)

I preached first to Damascus, and to Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judea, and then to the people of the nations, that they should repent and turn to God, and prove their repentance by deeds.

When he experienced distress, he begged Jehovah his God to be kind and humbled himself in front of the God of his ancestors. He prayed to Jehovah. And Jehovah accepted his prayer and listened to his request. Jehovah brought him back to his kingdom in Jerusalem. Then Manasseh knew that Jehovah is God.

Once again the Israelites did evil against Jehovah by worshiping the Baals and the Astartes. They also worshiped the gods of Syria, of Sidon, of Moab, of Ammon, and of the Philistines. They abandoned Jehovah and stopped worshiping him. The anger of Jehovah burned against Israel. So he allowed the Philistines and the Ammonites to conquer them. They afflicted and oppressed the sons of Israel. For eighteen years they lived in Amorite country east of the Jordan River in Gilead. read more.
The Ammonites crossed the Jordan to fight the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim. Israel was greatly distressed. The children of Israel cried out to Jehovah: We sinned against you. We left our God and served the Baals. Jehovah answered: Did I free you from the Egyptians, the Amorites, the Ammonites, and the Philistines? Did I save you from the Sidonians, the Amalekites, and the Maonites? They oppressed you and you cried out to me. You still left me and worshiped other gods. I am not going to rescue you again. Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen! Let them save you in your time of trouble. But the people of Israel said to Jehovah: We have sinned. Do to us what seems best to you, only please, save us today! So they removed the foreign gods and worshiped Jehovah. He could bear the distress of Israel no longer.

Samuel told the entire nation of Israel: If you return to Jehovah with all your hearts you must get rid of the foreign gods you have, including the statues of the goddess Astarte. You must dedicate your lives to Jehovah and serve him only. Then he will rescue you from the Philistines. So the Israelites got rid of their idols of Baal and Astarte. They worshiped only Jehovah. Samuel called all the Israelites to meet at Mizpah. He told them: I will pray to Jehovah for you there. read more.
The Israelites gathered at Mizpah. They drew some water, poured it out in front of Jehovah and fasted that day. They confessed: We have sinned against Jehovah. So Samuel judged Israel in Mizpah.

This man obtained a field with the reward of his wickedness; and falling headlong, he burst open and all his intestines spilled out. (Matthew 27:5 says he hanged himself. The rope broke or the branch on which it was tied broke. Then he fell to the ground and burst open.)

Judas, his betrayer, heard he was to be put to death. Out of regret, he took the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and those in authority. He said: I have done wrong in giving a righteous man to you. He left the silver in the Temple. Then he went away and hanged himself.

Brothers, the Scripture needed to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who guided those who arrested Jesus.

I witnessed to both Jews and to Greeks about repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

They went out to preach that men should repent.

However, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, pray, search for me, and turn from their evil ways, I will hear their prayer from heaven, forgive their sins, and heal their country.

However if they confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors and the treacherous things they did to oppose me, I will oppose them and bring them into the lands of their enemies. Then, if they humble their uncircumcised hearts and accept their guilt, I will remember my promise to Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham. I will also remember the land.

I tell you, it is the same for the angels of God who rejoice over one sinner who repents.

It is the same. I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine good people who do not need to repent.

For godly sorrow works repentance leading to salvation. This is a repentance that brings no regret: but the sorrow of the world works death.

For godly sorrow works repentance leading to salvation. This is a repentance that brings no regret: but the sorrow of the world works death.

For godly sorrow works repentance leading to salvation. This is a repentance that brings no regret: but the sorrow of the world works death.

For godly sorrow works repentance leading to salvation. This is a repentance that brings no regret: but the sorrow of the world works death.

This very thing that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it made in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, yes what vindication! You demonstrated yourself to innocent in the matter.

They said to one another: Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw his distress when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen. Therefore this distress has come upon us.

You are to say to Joseph: Let the wrongdoing of your brothers be overlooked, and the evil they did to you. If it is your pleasure, forgive the sin of the servants of your father's God.' Upon hearing these words Joseph was overcome with weeping. Then his brothers also came and immediately bowed down in front of him. We are your slaves! they said.

When the sky is shut and there is no rain because they are sinning against you and they pray toward this place, praise your name, and turn away from their sin because you made them suffer,

Then Saul told Samuel: I have sinned by not following Jehovah's command or your instructions. I was afraid of the people and listened to them. But now I beg you, forgive my sin and return with me, so that I can worship Jehovah. I will not return with you, Samuel answered. You rejected Jehovah's command. He has rejected you as king of Israel. read more.
Samuel turned to leave, but Saul caught hold of his cloak, and it tore. Samuel said to him: Jehovah has torn the kingdom of Israel away from you today. He gave it to someone who is a better man than you. The Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind. He is not a mortal who changes his mind. Saul replied: I have sinned! Now please honor me in front of the elders of my people and in front of Israel. Come back with me. Let me worship Jehovah your God!

The king sent for Moses and Aaron and said: This time I have sinned. Jehovah is in the right. My people and I are in the wrong.

Pharaoh quickly called for Moses and Aaron and said: I have sinned against Jehovah your God and against you. Please forgive my sin one more time. Pray to Jehovah your God to take this deadly plague away from me.

I now rejoice, not because you were made sorry, but that you were made sorry to repentance; for you were made sorry after a godly fashion, that you might not suffer loss by us.

Jesus said: The time has come. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the good news.

From that time on Jesus preached this message: Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is near.

Elijah finished speaking. Ahab tore his clothes and took them off. He dressed in sackcloth. He refused food (fasted) and slept in the sackcloth. He was gloomy and depressed. Jehovah said to the prophet Elijah: Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Since he has done this, I will not bring disaster on him during his lifetime. It will be during his son's lifetime that I will bring disaster on Ahab's family.

When the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their towns. All the people came together like one man into the wide place in front of the Water Gate. They requested Ezra the scribe that he would bring them the book of the Law of Moses that Jehovah gave to Israel. Ezra the priest brought the law to the meeting of the people. They were all able to listen to it. It was the first day of the seventh month. He read it in the wide place in front of the Water Gate from early morning till the middle of the day. Everyone who could understand it, men and women alike were able to listen to it. All the people got to hear the Book of the Law. read more.
Ezra the scribe took his place on a tower (podium) of wood that they had made for the purpose. By his side were placed Mattithiah and Shema and Anaiah and Uriah and Hilkiah and Maaseiah on the right; and on the left, Pedaiah and Mishael and Malchijah and Hashum and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam. Ezra took the book and opened it before the eyes of all the people for he was higher than the people. When it was open, all the people stood on their feet. Ezra praised Jehovah, the great God. And all the people said: Amen! With lifted hands and bent heads they worshiped Jehovah. They dropped to their faces on the earth. And Jeshua and Bani and Sherebiah and Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites made the law clear to the people: and the people kept in their places. They read from the book the Law of God making it clear (translating it), so that their minds were able to take it in. Nehemiah, who was the Tirshatha (Governor), and Ezra, the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were the teachers of the people, said to all the people: This day is holy to Jehovah your God. Let there be no sorrow or weeping. For all the people were weeping on hearing the words of the law. He said to them: Go away now, and take the fat for your food and the sweet for your drink, and send some to him for whom nothing is made ready. This day is holy to our Lord. Let there be no grief in your hearts. The joy of Jehovah is your strong place. So the Levites made all the people quiet, saying: Be quiet, for the day is holy; and do not give way to grief. All the people went away to take food and drink, and to send food to others, and to be glad, because the words that were said to them had been clearly communicated.

Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel came together, taking no food and putting sackcloth and dust on their bodies. The seed of Israel made themselves separate from all the men of other nations. They publicly requested forgiveness for their sins and the wrongdoing of their fathers. For a fourth part of the day, upright in their places, they read from the book of the Law of their God. For a fourth part of the day they requested forgiveness and worshipped Jehovah their God.

But the people of Israel said to Jehovah: We have sinned. Do to us what seems best to you, only please, save us today! So they removed the foreign gods and worshiped Jehovah. He could bear the distress of Israel no longer.

I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality.

I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of kindness and of supplication. They will look to the one whom they pierced; and they will mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son. There will be a bitter lamentation for him, like one who grieves for his first-born.

Judas, his betrayer, heard he was to be put to death. Out of regret, he took the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and those in authority. He said: I have done wrong in giving a righteous man to you. He left the silver in the Temple. Then he went away and hanged himself.

David said to Nathan: I have sinned against Jehovah. Nathan replied: Jehovah has taken away your sin. You will not die.

They heard it said: He that once persecuted us now preaches the faith he once tried to destroy.

Wash yourselves! Become clean! Get your evil deeds out of my sight. Stop doing evil. Learn to do good (well) (right). Seek justice. Correct oppressors. Defend orphans. Plead the case of widows.

The other rebuked him saying: Do you not respect God, seeing you are also condemned? We are indeed justly condemned for we receive the due reward of our deeds. But this man has done nothing wrong.

Peter remembered what Jesus told him: Before the rooster crows you will deny me three times. He went out and wept bitterly.

The first son said in answer, 'I will not.' Later he changed his mind and went to work.

Finally it dawned on him, my father's hired workers have more than they can eat and I am about to starve! I will go to my father and say: 'Father I have sinned against God and against you. I am not fit to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired workers.'

You had a change of heart and humbled yourself in front of Jehovah when you heard my words against this place and those who live here. I said that those who live here would be destroyed and cursed. You also tore your clothes in distress and cried in front of me. So I will listen to you,' declares Jehovah.

Elijah finished speaking. Ahab tore his clothes and took them off. He dressed in sackcloth. He refused food (fasted) and slept in the sackcloth. He was gloomy and depressed.

The rich man responded: It is not enough father Abraham! If someone from the dead went to them they would repent. Abraham said: If they would not listen to Moses and the prophets, they would not listen to someone from the dead.

Then he denounced the cities where most of his mighty works were done, because they did not repent.

Those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good Word of God, and the powers of the age to come, if they shall fall away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance. This is because they personally impale the Son of God again, and expose him to public shame.

When the king heard what the book of the Law said, he tore his clothes in distress. The king gave an order to the priest Hilkiah, to Ahikam son of Shaphan, Achbor son of Micaiah, the scribe Shaphan, and the royal official Asaiah. He said: Go inquire of Jehovah on my behalf and for the people. This is concerning the words in this book that has been found. Jehovah's fierce anger is directed towards us because our ancestors did not obey the things in this book or do everything written in it. read more.
So the priest Hilkiah, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to talk to the prophet Huldah. She was the wife of Shallum, son of Tikvah and grandson of Harhas. Shallum was in charge of the royal wardrobe. Huldah was living in the Second Part of Jerusalem. She told them: This is what Jehovah God of Israel says: Tell the man who sent you to me: This is what Jehovah says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and on the people living here. This is according to everything written in the book that the king of Judah has read. I will do this because they abandoned me. They sacrificed to other gods in order to make me furious. Therefore, my burning anger against this place will never be extinguished.' Huldah added: Tell Judah's king who sent you to me to ask Jehovah a question. This is what Jehovah God of Israel says about the words you heard: You had a change of heart and humbled yourself in front of Jehovah when you heard my words against this place and those who live here. I said that those who live here would be destroyed and cursed. You also tore your clothes in distress and cried in front of me. So I will listen to you,' declares Jehovah. That is why I will bring you to your ancestors. I will bring you to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see any of the disaster I will bring on this place.' They reported this to the king.

When he experienced distress, he begged Jehovah his God to be kind and humbled himself in front of the God of his ancestors. He prayed to Jehovah. And Jehovah accepted his prayer and listened to his request. Jehovah brought him back to his kingdom in Jerusalem. Then Manasseh knew that Jehovah is God.

Years ago when Hezekiah was king of Judah, a prophet named Micah from the town of Moresheth said: 'Jehovah of Hosts says, Jerusalem will be plowed under and left in ruins. Thorns will cover the mountain where the Temple now stands.' Then the leaders continued: No one put Micah to death for saying that. Instead, King Hezekiah prayed to Jehovah with reverence and trembling and asked him to have mercy. Then Jehovah decided not to destroy Jerusalem, even though he had already said he would. People of Judah, if Jeremiah is killed we will bring a terrible disaster on ourselves.

So then, stand where you are, and you will see the great thing that Jehovah will do. It is the dry season and the wheat harvest. I will pray and Jehovah will send thunder and rain. When this happens, you will realize that you committed a great sin against Jehovah when you asked him for a king. Samuel prayed. That same day Jehovah sent thunder and rain. Then all the people became afraid of Jehovah and of Samuel. read more.
They said to Samuel: Please pray to Jehovah your God for us, that we will not die. We now realize that we have added to all our sins the evil of asking for a (human) king. Do not be afraid! Samuel answered. Even though you have done such an evil thing, do not turn away from Jehovah. Serve him with all your heart.

Let no one become immoral or unspiritual like Esau. He sold his birthright for a single meal! Afterward, you know, he wanted to receive (inherit) his father's blessing. He was turned back, because he could not find any way to change what he had done. He was in tears when he looked for it.

One day a large number of tax collectors and other outcasts came to listen to Jesus. Pharisees and teachers of the Law complained: This man welcomes sinners and even eats with them! Then Jesus told them an illustration: read more.
If you have a hundred sheep and lose one of them, what do you do? You leave the other ninety-nine sheep in the pasture and go looking for the one you lost until you find it. When you find it you are happy. You carry it on your shoulders. You bring it back home. You invite your friends and neighbors together to celebrate. You say, 'I am so happy I found my lost sheep.' It is the same. I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine good people who do not need to repent. Suppose a woman with ten silver coins loses one of them. What does she do? She lights a lamp and sweeps her house. She looks carefully everywhere until she finds it. When she finds it she calls her friends and says let us celebrate. I am happy I found the lost coin. I tell you, it is the same for the angels of God who rejoice over one sinner who repents.

For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today hear His voice! Do not harden your hearts, as in the day of strife, as in the day of testing in the wilderness.

You should learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice'; for I came, not to call the righteous, but sinners.

Samuel told the entire nation of Israel: If you return to Jehovah with all your hearts you must get rid of the foreign gods you have, including the statues of the goddess Astarte. You must dedicate your lives to Jehovah and serve him only. Then he will rescue you from the Philistines.

Rehoboam established his kingdom and made himself strong. He and all Israel abandoned Jehovah's teachings. King Shishak of Egypt attacked Jerusalem. This took place in the fifth year of Rehoboam's reign. It happened because all Israel was not loyal to Jehovah. Shishak had twelve hundred chariots, sixty thousand horses, and an army of countless Libyans, Sukkites, and Sudanese from Egypt. read more.
He captured the fortified cities of Judah and came as far as Jerusalem. Shemaiah the prophet approached Rehoboam and the princes of Judah who had gathered at Jerusalem because of Shishak. He said to them: Jehovah says: 'You have forsaken me, so I also have forsaken you to Shishak.' Then the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said: Jehovah is righteous. Jehovah saw that they humbled themselves. The word of Jehovah came to Shemaiah. He said: They have humbled themselves. I will not destroy them. I will grant them deliverance. I will not use Shishak to pour out my anger on Jerusalem. However, they will become his servants. They must learn the difference between serving me and serving foreign kings. King Shishak of Egypt attacked Jerusalem and took away the treasures from Jehovah's temple and the royal palace. He took them all! He even took the gold shields Solomon had made. As a result King Rehoboam made bronze shields to replace them. He put them by the entrance to the royal palace, where the captains of the guards were stationed. When the king went into Jehovah's Temple, guards carried the shields and then returned them to the guardroom. When Rehoboam humbled himself, the anger of Jehovah turned from him. He did not completely destroy him. So things went well in Judah.

Finally it dawned on him, my father's hired workers have more than they can eat and I am about to starve! I will go to my father and say: 'Father I have sinned against God and against you. I am not fit to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired workers.' read more.
He went to his father. He was a long way from home when his father saw him. His heart filled with pity. He ran and threw his arms around his son and kissed him. Father, the son said: 'I have sinned against God and against you. I am not fit to be called your son.'

God's Spirit came to Azariah, son of Oded. Azariah went to Asa and said: Listen to me Asa and all you men from Judah and Benjamin. Jehovah is with you when you are with him. If you will dedicate your lives to serve him, he will accept you. But if you abandon him, he will abandon you. Israel was without the true God for a long time. They were without a priest who taught correctly, and without law. read more.
When they were in trouble they turned to Jehovah the God of Israel. When they searched for him, he let them find him. No one could come and go in peace at that time. This is because everyone living in the land had a lot of turmoil. One nation crushed another nation. One city crushed another. God tormented them with every kind of trouble. But you must remain strong and not become discouraged. Your actions will be rewarded. Asa heard the prophet Oded's words of prophecy. He was encouraged and put away the detestable idols from all of Judah, Benjamin, and the cities he had captured in the mountains of Ephraim. He also repaired Jehovah's altar in front of Jehovah's entrance hall. Then Asa gathered all the people from Judah and Benjamin and the foreigners who had come from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon. Many of them had come to him from Israel when they saw that Asa's God, Jehovah, was with him. In the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa's reign, they gathered in Jerusalem. They sacrificed to Jehovah a part of the loot they brought with them: seven hundred cattle and seven thousand sheep. They made an agreement with one another to dedicate their lives to serve the true God Jehovah, the God of their ancestors with all their heart and all their being. All people, young and old, male and female, who refused to dedicate their lives to the true God Jehovah the God of Israel were to be killed. Asa and the people swore their oath to Jehovah with shouts, singing, and the blowing of trumpets and rams' horns. All the people of Judah were overjoyed because of the oath. They took the oath wholeheartedly. They took great pleasure in looking for Jehovah. And he let them find him. So Jehovah surrounded them with rest and peace.

A prophet of Jehovah named Oded was there. He went to meet the army coming home to Samaria. He said: Jehovah the God of your ancestors handed Judah over to you in his anger. You killed them in a rage that reaches up to heaven. Now you intend to enslave the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem. But are you not also guilty of sinning against Jehovah your God? Listen to me. Return the prisoners you have captured from your relatives, because Jehovah is very angry with you. read more.
Then Azariah, son of Jehohan, Berechiah, son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah, son of Shallum, and Amasa, son of Hadlai, some leaders of Ephraim, opposed those coming home from the army. They said to the army: Do not bring the prisoners here. You will make us responsible for this sin against Jehovah. Do you intend to add to all our sins? Jehovah is very angry at Israel because we have already sinned. Thus the army left the prisoners and the loot in front of the leaders and the whole assembly. Then the men who were mentioned by name took charge of the prisoners and gave clothes from the loot to all the prisoners who were naked. They provided clothes for them, gave them sandals, gave them something to eat and drink, and let them bathe. They put everyone who was exhausted on donkeys and brought them to Jericho, the City of Palms, near their own people. Then they returned to Samaria.

The news reached the king of Nineveh. He left his throne, and took off his robe and covered himself with sackcloth. Then he sat in ashes. He made proclamation and published it in Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; let them not eat, nor drink water. Let them be covered with sackcloth, both man and beast. Let them sincerely call on God! Let them turn away each one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in his hands. read more.
Who knows whether God will turn back and change his mind, and turn away from his fierce anger that we will not perish?

Moses told these things to all the Israelites. The people mourned bitterly, as if someone had died. Early the next morning they headed into the mountains. They said: We have sinned. Now we will go to the place Jehovah promised. Moses asked: Why are you disobeying Jehovah's command? Your plan will not work! read more.
Do not go! Your enemies will defeat you because Jehovah is not with you. The Amalekites and Canaanites are there. You will die in battle. Now that you have turned away from Jehovah, he will not be with you. But they headed into the mountains anyway. The Ark of the Jehovah's promise and Moses stayed in the camp. The Amalekites and Canaanites who lived there came down from those mountains, attacked the Israelites, and defeated them at Hormah.

Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.

Jehovah is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness. He is longsuffering (patient) toward you. He does not wish that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Do you despise the riches of his goodness, forbearance, and long-suffering? Do you not know that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

A sinful woman went to the Pharisee's house. She brought an alabaster vase filled with ointment. Standing by his feet weeping, she wet his feet with her tears. She wiped them with the hair of her head. Then she kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. The Pharisee saw it and thought to himself if this man were a prophet he would know what kind of woman touched him. She is a sinner. read more.
Jesus said to Simon: I have something to tell you. He replied: What teacher? A certain lender had two debtors. One owed five hundred shillings and the other fifty. They did not have money to pay the debt so he forgave them both. Which of them did he love the most? Simon answered: I suppose it was the one whom he forgave the most. Jesus said: Your judgment is correct. Turning to the woman, he said to Simon: See this woman? I entered into your house and you gave me no water for my feet. She watered my feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair. You did not kiss me. Since the time I came in she has not ceased kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil. She anointed my feet with ointment. She loved much! She has many sins and they are forgiven. When little is forgiven, little love is shown. He said to her: Your sins are forgiven!

Father, the son said: 'I have sinned against God and against you. I am not fit to be called your son.'

But the tax collector stood far away and would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven. He beat his breast, saying: God, be merciful to me a sinner.

Then a rooster crowed. Peter remembered what Jesus said: Before the rooster crows two times, you will deny me three times. He broke down and cried.

Repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

Do you despise the riches of his goodness, forbearance, and long-suffering? Do you not know that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

When they heard this they objected no more and praised God, saying: God has granted the people of the nations repentance to life.

The people of Nineveh believed God and they proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. The news reached the king of Nineveh. He left his throne, and took off his robe and covered himself with sackcloth. Then he sat in ashes. He made proclamation and published it in Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; let them not eat, nor drink water. read more.
Let them be covered with sackcloth, both man and beast. Let them sincerely call on God! Let them turn away each one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in his hands. Who knows whether God will turn back and change his mind, and turn away from his fierce anger that we will not perish?

Hezekiah and the people living in Jerusalem humbled themselves when they realized they had become conceited. Thus Jehovah did not vent his anger on them during Hezekiah's time.

He said: I called to Jehovah because of my affliction. And he answered me! Out of the belly of the grave I cried and you heard my voice. For you threw me into the deep, in the heart of the seas. The current was all around me. All your waves, your huge breakers passed over me! And I said: I have been cast out of your sight. Yet I will look again toward your Holy Temple. read more.
The waters encompassed me and threatened my life. The deep sea surrounded me. The sea weeds were wrapped about my head. I went down to the bottom of the mountains! The earth with its bars closed upon me for a very long time. Yet you have brought my life up from the pit, O Jehovah my God? My life was leaving me and I remembered Jehovah! My prayer came to you, into your Holy Temple. They that regard lying vanities forsake their own mercy. But I will sacrifice to you with the voice of thanksgiving! I will pay that which I have vowed. Salvation is from Jehovah!

Then there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their countrymen the Jews. Some said: We with our sons and our daughters are a great number. Let us get grain, so that we may have food for our needs. There were some who said: We are giving our fields and our vine-gardens and our houses for debt. Let us get grain because we are in need. read more.
Yet others said: We have given up our fields and our vine-gardens to get money for the king's taxes. But our flesh is the same as the flesh of our countrymen, and our children as their children. Now we give our sons and daughters into the hands of others, to be their servants. Some of our daughters are servants even now. We have no power to stop this. For other men have our fields and our vine-gardens. On hearing their outcry and what they said I was very angry. After giving it much thought, I made a protest to the chiefs and the rulers, and said to them: Everyone of you is collecting interest from his brothers. I organized a big meeting of protest. I said to them: We have given whatever we were able to give, to make our brothers the Jews free. They were servants and prisoners of the nations. Would you now give up your brothers for a price? Are they to become our property? They said nothing. They answered not a word! I said: What you are doing is not good. Is it not necessary for you to walk out of respect for our God, because of the shame the nations put on us? Even I and my servants have been collecting interest (Usury) for the money and the grain we have let them have. So now, let us give this up. Give back to them this very day their fields, their vine-gardens, their olive-gardens, and their houses, as well as a hundredth part of the money and the grain and the wine and the oil that you have taken from them. They said: We will give them back, and take nothing for them. We will do as you say. Then I sent for the priests and made them take an oath that they would keep this agreement. Shaking out the folds of my robe, I said: So, may God send out from his house and his work every man who does not keep this agreement. Even so let him be sent out and made as nothing. All the people said: Amen! They praised Jehovah. The people did as they said.

Nevertheless some men of Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem.

Go to that land flowing with milk and honey. I will not be with you, because you are impossible to deal with. I would probably destroy you on the way. The people heard this bad news and acted as if someone had died. No one wore any jewelry.

They moved from Mount Hor following the road that goes to the Red Sea. That way they could go around Edom. The people became impatient on the trip and criticized God and Moses. They said: Why did you make us leave Egypt only to let us die in the desert? There is no bread or water, and we cannot stand this awful food! Jehovah sent poisonous snakes among the people. They bit the people, and many of the Israelites died. read more.
The people came to Moses and said: We sinned when we criticized Jehovah and you. Pray to Jehovah so that he will take the snakes away from us. So Moses prayed for the people.

While Ezra was saying his prayer and his confession of wrongdoing he wept and fell down before the house of God. A very great number of men and women and children out of Israel came together around him, for the people were weeping bitterly.

Then Peter said: Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

God exalted him to his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.

Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.

Many of the believers confessed openly about the evil things they had done.

Achan answered Joshua: Indeed I have sinned against Jehovah the God of Israel. This I have done.

The first son said in answer, 'I will not.' Later he changed his mind and went to work.

The children of Israel, who had come back, and all those who were joined to them, after separating themselves from the evil ways of the people of the land to become the servants of Jehovah, the God of Israel, ate together.

An angel of Jehovah came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said: I led you out of Egypt and brought you to the land about which I swore to your fathers that I would never break my covenant with you. You will make no covenant with people of this land. You will throw down their altars. You have not obeyed my voice. Why have you done this? I also said: 'I will not drive them out from before you. They will be thorns in your sides. Their gods will snare (trap) you.' read more.
When the angel of Jehovah spoke these words to all the children of Israel the people wept loudly. They called that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there to Jehovah.

Then Jehoahaz prayed to Jehovah. Jehovah listened to him. He saw how cruelly the king of Aram crushed Israel.

They confessed their sins and were baptized by John in the Jordan River.

The news reached the king of Nineveh. He left his throne, and took off his robe and covered himself with sackcloth. Then he sat in ashes. He made proclamation and published it in Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; let them not eat, nor drink water. Let them be covered with sackcloth, both man and beast. Let them sincerely call on God! Let them turn away each one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in his hands. read more.
Who knows whether God will turn back and change his mind, and turn away from his fierce anger that we will not perish?