What does repent mean in the Bible?

Q: What does repent mean in the Bible?

To repent (Greek metanoeo) means to change your mind so completely that your direction changes — a turning from sin toward God. It was the opening word of the preaching of John the Baptist, Jesus, and the apostles.

The Greek verb metanoeo (G3340) is built from meta ("after, change") and nous ("mind") — a change of mind, a re-thinking so deep that life turns around. Its Hebrew counterpart shub (H7725) is even more physical: to turn back, to return. Repentance in Scripture is not primarily feeling sorry; it is turning around and coming home.

It is, strikingly, the first word of the gospel as preached. Jesus opens His public ministry with it:

“From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”Matthew 4:17 (KJV)

And Peter's first sermons make it the doorway to refreshing, not condemnation:

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;”Acts 3:19 (KJV)

Note the direction of the word: repentance is less about what you turn from than whom you turn to. The prodigal son "came to himself" — changed his mind — and then came home. That is metanoia in one story.

See every call to repent (G3340) →

What does repent mean in the Bible?

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