What does the Bible say about repentance?

Key Bible verses about repentance

1. Mark 1:15

   and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and God’s Kingdom is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Good News.”

2. Acts 3:19

   “Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, so that there may come times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord,

3. Acts 17:30

   The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked. But now he commands that all people everywhere should repent,

4. Acts 20:21

   testifying both to Jews and to Greeks repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus.

5. Luke 15:7

   I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.

6. Luke 24:47

   and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

7. 2 Corinthians 7:10

   For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, which brings no regret. But the sorrow of the world produces death.

8. Psalm 51:1-4

   For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, God, according to your loving kindness. According to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity. Cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions. My sin is constantly before me. Against you, and you only, I have sinned, and done that which is evil in your sight, so you may be proved right when you speak, and justified when you judge.

9. Proverbs 28:13

   He who conceals his sins doesn’t prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

10. Joel 2:12-13

    “Yet even now,” says the LORD, “turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.” Tear your heart and not your garments, and turn to the LORD, your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and relents from sending calamity.

11. Ezekiel 18:30-32

    “Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, everyone according to his ways,” says the Lord GOD. “Return, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions, so iniquity will not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions in which you have transgressed; and make yourself a new heart and a new spirit. For why will you die, house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him who dies,” says the Lord GOD. “Therefore turn yourselves, and live!

12. 2 Peter 3:9

    The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but he is patient with us, not wishing that anyone should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

13. 1 John 1:9

    If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Scripture: World English Bible (public domain). Short quotations in the introduction are from the ESV. Read each passage in its chapter for the full context.