KJV Dictionary Definition: repent

repent

RE'PENT, a. L. repo, to creep. Creeping; as a repent root.

REPENT', v. t. Latin re and paeniteo, from paena, pain. Gr. See Pain.

1. To feel pain, sorrow or regret for something done or spoken; as, to repent that we have lost much time in idleness or sensual pleasure; to repent that we have injured or wounded the feelings of a friend. A person repents only of what he himself has done or said.

2. To express sorrow for something past.

Enobarbus did before thy face repent

3. To change the mind in consequence of the inconvenience or injury done by past conduct.

Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return. Exodus 13.

4. Applied to the Supreme Being, to change the course of providential dealings. Genesis 6. Psalm 106.

5. In theology, to sorrow or be pained for sin, as a violation of God's holy law, a dishonor to his character and government, and the foulest ingratitude to a Being of infinite benevolence.

Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish. Luke 13. Acts 3.

REPENT', v. i.

1. To remember with sorrow; as, to repent rash words; to repent an injury done to a neighbor; to repent follies and vices. See Repentance.

2. With the reciprocal pronoun.

No man repented him of his wickedness. Jer 8.

repentance

REPENT'ANCE, n.

1. Sorrow for any thing done or said; the pain or grief which a person experiences in consequence of the injury or inconvenience produced by his own conduct.

2. In theology, the pain, regret or affliction which a person feels on account of his past conduct, because it exposes him to punishment. This sorrow proceeding merely from the fear of punishment, is called legal repentance, as being excited by the terrors of legal penalties, and it may exist without an amendment of life.

3. Real penitence; sorrow or deep contrition for sin, as an offense and dishonor to God, a violation of his holy law, and the basest ingratitude towards a Being of infinite benevolence. This is called evangelical repentance, and is accompanied and followed by amendment of life.

Repentance is a change of mind, or a conversion from sin to God.

Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation. 2Cor. 7. Matt. 3.

Repentance is the relinquishment of any practice, from conviction that it has offended God.

repentant

REPENT'ANT, a.

1. Sorrowful for past conduct or words.

2. Sorrowful for sin.

3. Expressing or showing sorrow for sin; as repentant tears; repentant ashes; repentant sighs.

REPENT'ANT, n.

1. One who repents; a penitent.

2. One that expresses sorrow for sin.

repenter

REPENT'ER, n. One that repents.

repenting

REPENT'ING, ppr. Grieving for what is past; feeling pain or contrition for sin.

REPENT'ING, n. Act of repenting. Hosea 11.

repentingly

REPENT'INGLY, adv. With repentance.