Repent
Turning away from wrongdoing and toward God — a change of mind and direction, not just feeling bad about something.
What they actually mean
“"I was headed the wrong way. I've turned around."”
Heard in the wild
“Repent and believe the good news.”
“I had to repent of how I'd been treating my sister.”
The Lighter Side
Sounds like a guy with a sandwich board yelling on a corner. Actually means "turn around." The sandwich-board guy should have led with that.
The longer version
What it means
Repentance is a turn. The Greek word means a change of mind; the Hebrew word means to turn back or return. To repent is to recognize that you've been going the wrong direction — in an action, a habit, a relationship, or your whole life — and to change course toward God. Feeling sorry is part of it, but only part; a person can feel terrible and change nothing, and Christians would say that isn't repentance. Repentance is the turning.
The clearest picture in the Bible is the prodigal son, who "came to his senses" in a pigsty, got up, and went home. That's the whole idea in one scene.
Why people say it
Because it's the first thing Jesus asked for. "Repent and believe" opens His ministry, and Christians see repentance as the doorway into faith and the daily practice of staying in it. It's also freeing: if the problem is direction, the fix is available — turn. Christians find repentance hopeful, which surprises people who think of it as punishment.
How to respond
If someone tells you they've repented of something, they're admitting a wrong and telling you they've changed — take it seriously and don't minimize it ("oh, it wasn't that bad"). If someone tells you to repent, they're either a street preacher, in which case you can keep walking, or a friend who thinks you're in the wrong, in which case it's worth asking what they mean.
If you hear it in different churches
Universal. Catholics and Orthodox build repentance into the sacrament of confession and the season of Lent; Orthodox spirituality makes metanoia nearly a way of life. Evangelicals emphasize a first repentance at conversion; Lutherans and Reformed say the Christian life is daily repentance. Everyone quotes the prodigal son.
Where does “Repent” come from?
The Hebrew shuv, to turn or return, runs through the prophets: "Return to Me, and I will return to you." The Greek metanoia — a change of mind and heart — is John the Baptist's and Jesus' word (Matthew 3:2, Mark 1:15) and Peter's at Pentecost (Acts 2:38). Martin Luther's first of the 95 Theses (1517) declared that Jesus "willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance," a line that reframed it from an occasional act to a daily posture. The sandwich-board caricature comes from street preaching traditions of the 1800s onward.
Good to know
"Repent" shouted at strangers is a caricature; Christians mostly use the word about themselves. It doesn't require groveling. A Christian who says "I repented" means they recognized a wrong, turned from it, and asked forgiveness — the emotional temperature can be anything from tears to calm resolve.
You might also hear
Sin
Salvation & ConversionAnything that falls short of God's goodness — wrong actions, attitudes, or the underlying human condition of being turned away from God.
“"Doing wrong — and, deeper than that, the bent toward wrong that everyone has."”
Convicted
Salvation & ConversionThe uncomfortable inner sense that you're in the wrong and need to change — attributed by Christians to the Holy Spirit. Nothing to do with a courtroom.
“"My conscience is bothering me, and I think that's God."”
Confession
Catholic & OrthodoxTelling one's sins to a priest and receiving God's forgiveness through him — a sacrament in Catholic and Orthodox practice, also available in Anglican and Lutheran churches.
“"You tell the priest what you did wrong; he tells you God forgives you."”
Backslide
Salvation & ConversionDrifting or falling away from faith and its practice after having committed to it — usually gradual, often temporary.
“"I used to be serious about my faith, and I slipped."”
Common questions
Is repentance the same as feeling guilty?+
No. Guilt is a feeling; repentance is a turn. Christians would say guilt without change isn't repentance, and change without much feeling can be.
Do you only repent once?+
There's usually a first big turn at conversion, but most traditions say Christians keep repenting, daily, for the rest of their lives.
Does repenting mean I have to tell everyone?+
No. Repentance is between you and God, and sometimes the person you wronged. Public confession isn't required.
Further reading
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Written by Rev. Christopher D.F. Warrington, Ordained Minister, M.Div. · Updated September 2026
This entry was compiled with AI assistance and has not yet been reviewed by an ordained pastor.