Faith and Salvation

What Does Repentance Mean in the Bible?

Repentance is a genuine change of mind and heart about sin that results in turning away from it and turning toward God, involving sincere sorrow, confession, and a decisive redirection of life.

Published 2026-09-13 · Updated 2026-09-27

Written and reviewed by the Word Oasis Editorial Team. Read our editorial policy.

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Biblical explanation

John the Baptist and Jesus both began their ministries with the call to “repent” (; ), showing that repentance is foundational to receiving the gospel. Paul describes “godly sorrow” as producing repentance that leads to salvation, distinguishing it from mere worldly regret over consequences (). True repentance is more than feeling bad; it involves confessing sin honestly to God, who is “faithful and just to forgive us our sins” (), and it is accompanied by a real change in direction, described as bringing forth “fruits meet for repentance” (). Repentance is not a one-time event only at conversion but an ongoing posture of humility and honesty before God throughout the Christian life.

In brief

John the Baptist and Jesus both began their ministries with the call to “repent” (; ), showing that repentance is foundational to receiving the gospel.

Bible references

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Editorial note

This answer is written and reviewed by the Word Oasis Editorial Team, and is presented with supporting references so you can examine each passage in context. If you notice an error or unclear statement, please suggest a correction.