The need to repent your sins is a central belief in Christianity. Accepting Jesus Christ into your life and asking Him to cleanse you of your sins is the only true way to live an eternal life in heaven. True repentance leads a person to say “I have sinned” in an honest, regretful acknowledgement of the sin with a commitment to change.
The Bible teaches us how to ask for forgiveness of our sins and the importance of doing so. God wanted to give us clear instructions on what we need to do when asking for repentance. These Bible verses are helpful when teaching others about repentance or for understanding it yourself on a deeper level.
Matthew 4:17
From that time Jesus began to preach his message: “Turn away from your sins, because the Kingdom of heaven is near!”
Proverbs 28:13
You will never succeed in life if you try to hide your sins. Confess them and give them up; then God will show mercy to you.
Acts 8:22
Repent, then, of this evil plan of yours, and pray to the Lord that He will forgive you for thinking such a thing as this.
Luke 15:10
In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
Matthew 3:8
Do those things that will show that you have turned from your sins.
Acts 3:19
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that He will forgive your sins.
Luke 17:3
So watch what you do! “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him."
2 Chronicles 7:14
Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.
2 Timothy 2:24-25
As the Lord’s servant, you must not quarrel. You must be kind toward all, a good and patient teacher, who is gentle as you correct your opponents, for it may be that God will give them the opportunity to repent and come to know the truth.
Mark 6:12
The apostles left and started telling everyone to turn to God.
Acts 2:38
Peter said to them, “Each one of you must turn away from your sins and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins will be forgiven; and you will receive God’s gift, the Holy Spirit.
Psalm 38:18
I told you my sins, and I am sorry for them.
Matthew 3:2
Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Isaiah 30:15
This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it."
Luke 5:31-32
Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
2 Corinthians 7:9
Yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us.
Romans 2:5
But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when His righteous judgment will be revealed.
Acts 11:18
When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because He does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
A Prayer For Daily Repentance
Asking for forgiveness should be something you want to do. This prayer is a great guideline for helping you ask Jesus for forgiveness. Make the prayer your own by using the Bible verses that resonated with you the strongest. Begin a conversation with God about your desire to cleanse yourself of evil and you will feel better for it.
Dear Lord, thank you for your forgiveness. Thank you for not abandoning us to our mistakes, but for reaching out instead to bring us home. Help convict me of sin and help me accept your mercy without shame. Thank you for the love you have poured out for me and all of your children. Help me live out of that love today. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
