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BIBLE QUESTION DOSSIER

What does “repent” really mean in Hebrew and Greek?

Short answer

Repentance in Scripture is bigger than feeling sorry. Greek metanoeō/metanoia describe a changed mind or orientation, while Hebrew shuv commonly describes turning or returning. Biblical repentance includes a changed direction expressed in life.

The popular slogan “repent literally means change your mind” is incomplete. Etymology alone does not define usage. The New Testament uses repentance for a moral and relational turning toward God, and the Hebrew prophetic background repeatedly uses “return.”

1. What do the English translations actually say?

The five translations below are stored locally on Born Again Daily, so you can see the wording before anyone tells you what to think about it.

Mark 1:15

Jesus calls people to repent and believe the gospel.

KJV

And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

BSB

“The time is fulfilled,” He said, “and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe in the gospel!”

WEB

and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Good News.”

ASV

and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe in the gospel.

YLT

and saying—‘Fulfilled hath been the time, and the reign of God hath come nigh, reform ye, and believe in the good news.’

Acts 2:38

Peter calls for repentance in response to the gospel.

KJV

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

BSB

Peter replied, “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.

WEB

Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

ASV

And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

YLT

and Peter said unto them, ‘Reform, and be baptized each of you on the name of Jesus Christ, to remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit,

Luke 3:8

John the Baptist speaks of fruits consistent with repentance.

KJV

Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to [our] father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

BSB

Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.

WEB

Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and don’t begin to say among yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father;’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones!

ASV

Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

YLT

make, therefore, fruits worthy of the reformation, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have a father—Abraham; for I say to you, that God is able out of these stones to raise children to Abraham;

Joel 2:12-13

The prophetic language of returning to God with the heart.

KJV

12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye [even] to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he [is] gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

BSB

12 “Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning.” 13 So rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion. And He relents from sending disaster.

WEB

12 “Yet even now,” says Yahweh, “turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.” 13 Tear your heart, and not your garments, and turn to Yahweh, your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and relents from sending calamity.

ASV

12 Yet even now, saith Jehovah, turn ye unto me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto Jehovah your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

YLT

12 And also now—an affirmation of Jehovah, Turn ye back unto Me with all your heart, And with fasting, and with weeping, And with lamentation. 13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, And turn back unto Jehovah your God, For gracious and merciful is He, Slow to anger, and abundant in kindness, And He hath repented concerning the evil.

2. What do the Hebrew and Greek words say?

Important: a lexicon gives a word’s possible senses and usage; it does not magically choose the correct sense without context. “The true meaning” of a biblical word is the meaning it carries in its actual sentence and historical usage.

μετανοέω (metanoeō)

To repent/change one’s mind or purpose; New Testament usage gives the term its moral and theological force.

G3340 • μετανοέωmetanoeō — to repent

μετα-νοέω, -ῶ [in LXX for נָחַם ni., 1Ki.15:29, Jer.4:28, al. ;] to change one's mind or purpose, hence, to repent; in NT (exc. Luk.17:3-4), of repentance from sin, involving amendment: before ἀπό, Act.8:22; ἔκ, Rev.2:21-22 9:20-21 16:11 (מִן שׁוּב); ἐπί, 2Co.12:21; absol., Mat.3:2 4:17 11:20 12:41, Mrk.1:15 6:12, Luk.11:32 13:3, 5 15:7, 10 16:30 17:3-4, Act.2:38 3:19 17:30 26:20 2:5, 16 2:21 3:3, 19; with inf., Rev.16:9; ἐν σάκκῳ κ. σποδῷ, Mat.11:21, Luk.10:13.† SYN.: μεταμέλομαι, q.v (AS)

μετάνοια (metanoia)

Repentance/change of mind or direction.

G3341 • μετάνοιαmetanoia — repentance

μετάνοια, -οίας, ἡ (μετανοέω), [in LXX: Pro.14:15, Wis.11:23 12:10, 19, Sir.44:16 * ;] after-thought, change of mind, repentance: Heb.12:17; of repentance from sin, Mat.3:8, 11 Luk.3:8 15:7 24:47, Act.26:20, 2Co.7:9-10; βάπτισμα (which see) μετανοίας, Mrk.1:4, Luk.3:3, Act.13:24 19:4; ἡ εἰς θεὸν Act.20:21; μ. ἀπὸ νεκρῶν ἔργων, Heb.6:1; εἰς μ. καλεῖν, Luk.5:32; id. ἄγειν, Rom.2:4; ἀνακαινίζειν, Heb.6:6; εἰς μ. χωρῆσαι, 2Pe.3:9; μ. δοῦναι, Act.5:31 11:18, 2Ti.2:25.† (AS)

שׁוּב (shuv)

To turn back or return; a major Hebrew background for prophetic calls to return to God.

H7725 • שׁוּבshuv — to return: return

: return 1) to return, turn back 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to turn back, return 1a1a) to turn back 1a1b) to return, come or go back 1a1c) to return unto, go back, come back 1a1d) of dying 1a1e) of human relations (fig) 1a1f) of spiritual relations (fig) 1a1f1) to turn back (from God), apostatise 1a1f2) to turn away (of God) 1a1f3) to turn back (to God), repent 1a1f4) turn back (from evil) 1a1g) of inanimate things 1a1h) in repetition 1b) (Polel) 1b1) to bring back 1b2) to restore, refresh, repair (fig) 1b3) to lead away (enticingly) 1b4) to show turning, apostatise 1c) (Pual) restored (participle) 1d) (Hiphil) to cause to return, bring back 1d1) to bring back, allow to return, put back, draw back, give back, restore, relinquish, give in payment 1d2) to bring back, refresh, restore 1d3) to bring back, report to, answer 1d4) to bring back, make requital, pay (as recompense) 1d5) to turn back or backward, repel, defeat, repulse, hinder, reject, refuse 1d6) to turn away (face), turn toward 1d7) to turn against 1d8) to bring back to mind 1d9) to show a turning away 1d10) to reverse, revoke 1e) (Hophal) to be returned, be restored, be brought back 1f) (Pulal) brought back

3. Where interpretation begins

Intellectual change

Repentance includes recognizing that one’s former beliefs or path were wrong.

Moral turning

Biblical calls to repent regularly expect changed behavior, not merely a new opinion.

Return to God

The prophetic background frames repentance relationally: turn/return to the Lord.

4. A careful conclusion

Biblical repentance includes a change of mind, but the evidence does not support reducing it to mental assent. It is a reorientation—a turning toward God that produces changed allegiance and conduct.

Further study

Compare historical commentaries on Mark 1:15 →

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