50 Bible Verses about Repentance from Sin
The dictionary defines repentance as “to feel sorry, self-reproachful, or contrite for past conduct; to change one’s mind regarding past behavior.”
The Bible teaches that repentance is a change of heart and life regarding sin. It is a turning from our sinful ways and towards God. We repent because we have sinned against God and we want to be forgiven.
When we repent, we are acknowledging our need for God’s forgiveness and grace. We are confessing that we have sinned and want to turn away from our old way of life. We no longer want to live in disobedience to God. Instead, we want to know Him and follow His teachings. We want to worship God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
In order to repent, we must first understand what sin is. Sin is anything that goes against God’s laws. It is anything that falls short of His perfect standards. Sin can be an action, like lying or stealing, or it can be a thought, like hatred or jealousy.
No matter what our sin may be, the consequences are the same—separation from God. When we repent and turn back to Him, He forgives us and cleanses us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
Repentance is not optional if we want to have a relationship with God. In fact, it is the very first step in coming to faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38). Without repentance, there can be no forgiveness (Luke 13:3).
If you have never repented of your sins and turned to Jesus Christ as your Savior, I encourage you to do so today! The Bible says that now is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2). Don’t wait another day—come before God with a humble heart, confess your sins, and ask Him to forgive you and save you by His grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone!
Old Testament Bible Verses about Repentance
2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
Psalm 38:18
I confess my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin.
Psalm 51:13
Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.
Proverbs 28:13
Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
Isaiah 55:6-7
Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Jeremiah 26:3
It may be they will listen, and every one turn from his evil way, that I may relent of the disaster that I intend to do to them because of their evil deeds.
Ezekiel 18:21-23
But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done he shall live. Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?
Joel 2:13
And rend your hearts and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.
Jonah 3:10
When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.
Zechariah 1:3
Therefore say to them, Thus declares the Lord of hosts: Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts.
John the Baptist’s Message of Repentance
Matthew 3:8
Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.
Matthew 3:11
I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Mark 1:4
John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
Luke 3:3
And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
Acts 13:24
Before his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
Acts 19:4
And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.”
Jesus Preaches Repentance
Matthew 4:17
From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Matthew 9:13
Go and learn what this means, “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.” For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.
Mark 1:15
And saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
Luke 5:31-32
And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”
Luke 17:3
Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.
Luke 24:47
And that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
The Disciples Preach Repentance
Mark 6:12
So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent.
Acts 2:38
And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 3:19
Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out.
Acts 5:31
God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.
Acts 8:22
Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.
Acts 17:30
The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
Acts 20:21
Testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Acts 26:20
But declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.
James 5:19-20
My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
Joy for Repentant Sinners
Luke 15:7
Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
Luke 15:10
Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
Acts 11:18
When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
2 Corinthians 7:9-10
As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.
Warnings for Unrepentant Sinners
Luke 13:3
No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
Romans 2:4-5
Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.
Hebrews 6:4-6
For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.
Hebrews 12:17
For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.
1 John 1:6
If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
Revelation 2:5
Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.
Revelation 2:16
Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.
Revelation 3:3
Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.
The Role of God’s Grace in Repentance
Ezekiel 36:26-27
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
John 3:3-8
Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?”
Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
2 Timothy 2:25
God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
James 4:8
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Revelation 3:19
Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.
Christian Quotes about Repentance
"Repentance is not a once-for-all event. It is a continuous turning away from sin and a turning toward God." -Timothy Keller
"Repentance is a change of mind and heart about sin. It is a turning from our wicked ways and a turning to God." -John MacArthur
"True repentance is a turning from sin and a turning to God." - Charles Spurgeon
"Repentance is a grace of God's Spirit whereby a sinner, out of a true sense of his sin, and apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, does, with grief and hatred of his sin, turn from it unto God, with full purpose of, and endeavor after, new obedience." - Westminster Catechism
"There is no true saving faith, but where there is also a true repenting from sin." - Jonathan Edwards
"True repentance hath two parts: the one is a sorrow for sin, a true sense of our wickedness, which so grieves us, that we had rather part with anything in the world, than with our sin." - Thomas Watson
"Without true repentance, there can be no pardon, no peace, no joy, no hope of heaven." - Matthew Henry
"Repentance is a heart-sorrow and a will-turning from sin to God." - John Bunyan
"Repentance is not a once-for-all event at the beginning of the Christian life. It is a lifelong attitude and activity." - R. C. Sproul
"True repentance is not a turning from sin for a time, and then a turning back again; it is a turning from sin for ever." - J. C. Ryle
"Repentance is a change of mind and purpose and life, with regard to sin." - E. M. Bounds
A Prayer of Repentance
Dear God,
I am sorry for my sin. I know that you forgive me, but I also know that I need to repent and turn away from my way of life that displeases you. Help me to live a life that is pleasing to you. I know that you want what is best for me, and I am sorry for the times I have chosen my own way instead of following you.
Help me to be a person of integrity, and to always do what is right, no matter what the cost. I know that your ways are higher than my ways, and that your thoughts are higher than my thoughts. I am sorry for the times I have not trusted you, and I ask for your forgiveness.
I want to follow you with all my heart, and I pray that you would help me to do that. Thank you for your forgiveness, your love, and your grace.
In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
