📖 Biblical Definition
Biblical repentance is not mere remorse, regret, or sorrow over consequences; it is a complete reorientation of the heart and life. Hebrew shub (turn, return) and Greek metanoeo (change one's mind) together carry the full sense: a turning from sin and to God, with the mind reordered, the will reset, and the conduct reformed. John the Baptist preached repentance (Matt 3:2), Christ's first recorded sermon was repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matt 4:17), and Paul summarized his ministry as testifying to repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21). Scripture distinguishes godly sorrow that works repentance from worldly sorrow that works death (2 Cor 7:10). True repentance produces visible fruit (Luke 3:8) — not just better feelings, but a changed life. It is gift (2 Tim 2:25) and command (Acts 17:30) at once.
📜 KJV Continual Tense
In KJV: repenteth — the ongoing turning, not one moment's decision.
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Luke 15:7: "joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance." The continuous tense paints repentance not as a transaction but as a turning-and-keeping-turned.
The Reformed tradition rightly distinguishes initial repentance (the first turn at conversion) from ongoing repentance (the daily turning of the believer). KJV's -eth carries the second sense throughout.
"He that repenteth" is not "he who once repented" but "he who is repenting" — the lifestyle Luther named in his first thesis: "the entire life of believers should be one of repentance."
📖 Key Scripture
• Consult a concordance for key passages related to this term.
Usage
• "Biblical repentance is not mere remorse but a complete change of direction."