19 Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away,

38 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.

30 Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent.

17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."

8 Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance.

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

7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous ones who do not need to repent.

10 In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents."

32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."

32 For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death, declares the Lord GOD. So repent and live![’’]

21 But if the wicked man turns from all the sins he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die.

1 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 "What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel:

‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes,

and the teeth of the children are set on edge’?

3 As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. 4 Behold, every soul belongs to Me; both father and son are Mine. The soul who sins is the one who will die.

5 Now suppose a man is righteous and does what is just and right:

6 He does not eat at the mountain

or look to the idols of the house of Israel.

He does not defile his neighbor’s wife

or approach a woman during her period.

7 He does not oppress another,

but restores the pledge to the debtor.

He does not commit robbery,

but gives his bread to the hungry

and covers the naked with clothing.

8 He does not engage in usury

or take excess interest,

but he withholds his hand from iniquity

and executes true justice between men.

9 He follows My statutes

and faithfully keeps My ordinances.

That man is righteous;

surely he will live,

declares the Lord GOD.

10 Now suppose that man has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these things, 11 though the father has done none of them:

Indeed, the son eats at the mountain

and defiles his neighbor’s wife.

12 He oppresses the poor and needy;

he commits robbery

and does not restore a pledge.

He lifts his eyes to idols;

he commits abominations.

13 He engages in usury

and takes excess interest.

Will this son live? He will not! Since he has committed all these abominations, he will surely die; his blood will be on his own head.

14 Now suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father has committed, considers them, and does not do likewise:

15 He does not eat at the mountain

or look to the idols of the house of Israel.

He does not defile his neighbor’s wife.

16 He does not oppress another,

or retain a pledge, or commit robbery.

He gives his bread to the hungry

and covers the naked with clothing.

17 He withholds his hand from harming the poor*

and takes no interest or usury.

He keeps My ordinances

and follows My statutes.

Such a man will not die for his father’s iniquity. He will surely live.

18 As for his father, he will die for his own iniquity, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what was wrong among his people.

19 Yet you may ask, ‘Why shouldn’t the son bear the iniquity of his father?’

Since the son has done what is just and right, carefully observing all My statutes, he will surely live.

20 The soul who sins is the one who will die. A son will not bear the iniquity of his father, and a father will not bear the iniquity of his son. The righteousness of the righteous man will fall upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked man will fall upon him.

21 But if the wicked man turns from all the sins he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die. 22 None of the transgressions he has committed will be held against him. Because of the righteousness he has practiced, he will live. 23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Lord GOD. Wouldn’t I prefer that he turn from his ways and live?

24 But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, committing the same abominations as the wicked, will he live? None of the righteous acts he did will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness and sin he has committed, he will die.

25 Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’

Hear now, O house of Israel: Is it My way that is unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust?

26 If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, he will die for this. He will die because of the iniquity he has committed.

27 But if a wicked man turns from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will save his life. 28 Because he considered and turned from all the transgressions he had committed, he will surely live; he will not die.

29 Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’

Are My ways unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?

30 Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so that your iniquity will not become your downfall. 31 Cast away from yourselves all the transgressions you have committed, and fashion for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel?

32 For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death, declares the Lord GOD. So repent and live![’’]

9 The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.

7 Let the wicked man forsake his way

and the unrighteous man his thoughts;

let him return to the LORD,

that He may have compassion,

and to our God,

for He will freely pardon.

22 I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud,

and your sins like a mist.

Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.

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.

14 and if My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.

1 Then Hezekiah sent word throughout all Israel and Judah, and he also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh inviting them to come to the house of the LORD in Jerusalem to keep the Passover of the LORD, the God of Israel. 2 For the king and his officials and the whole assembly in Jerusalem had decided to keep the Passover in the second month,* 3 since they had been unable to keep it at the regular time, because not enough priests had consecrated themselves and the people had not been gathered in Jerusalem.

4 This plan pleased the king and the whole assembly. 5 So they established a decree to circulate a proclamation throughout Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, that the people should come to keep the Passover of the LORD, the God of Israel, in Jerusalem. For they had not observed it in great numbers as prescribed.

6 At the command of the king, the couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with letters from the king and his officials, which read:

"Children of Israel, return to the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, so that He may return to those of you who remain, who have escaped the grasp of the kings of Assyria. 7 Do not be like your fathers and brothers who were unfaithful to the LORD, the God of their fathers, so that He made them an object of horror, as you can see.

8 Now do not stiffen your necks as your fathers did. Submit to the LORD and come to His sanctuary, which He has consecrated forever. Serve the LORD your God, so that His fierce anger will turn away from you. 9 For if you return to the LORD, your brothers and sons will receive mercy in the presence of their captors and will return to this land. For the LORD your God is gracious and merciful; He will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him."

10 And the couriers traveled from city to city through the land of Ephraim and Manasseh as far as Zebulun, but the people scorned and mocked them. 11 Nevertheless, some from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 12 Moreover, the power of God was on the people in Judah to give them one heart to obey the command of the king and his officials according to the word of the LORD.

13 In the second month, a very great assembly gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread.* 14 They proceeded to remove the altars in Jerusalem and to take away the incense altars and throw them into the Kidron Valley. 15 And on the fourteenth day of the second month they slaughtered the Passover lamb. The priests and Levites were ashamed, and they consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the house of the LORD.

16 They stood at their prescribed posts, according to the Law of Moses the man of God. The priests splattered the blood, which they received from the hand of the Levites. 17 Since there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves, the Levites were in charge of slaughtering the Passover lambs for every unclean person to consecrate the lambs to the LORD.

18 A large number of the people— many from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun— had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover, contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah interceded for them, saying, "May the LORD, who is good, provide atonement for everyone 19 who sets his heart on seeking God — the LORD, the God of his fathers — even if he is not cleansed according to the purification rules of the sanctuary."

20 And the LORD heard Hezekiah and healed the people. 21 The Israelites who were present in Jerusalem celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy, and the Levites and priests praised the LORD day after day, accompanied by loud instruments of praise to the LORD.* 22 And Hezekiah encouraged all the Levites who performed skillfully before the LORD. For seven days they ate their assigned portion, sacrificing peace offerings and giving thanks to the LORD, the God of their fathers.

23 The whole assembly agreed to observe seven more days, so they observed seven days with joy. 24 For Hezekiah king of Judah contributed a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep for the assembly, and the officials contributed a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep for the assembly, and a great number of priests consecrated themselves.

25 Then the whole assembly of Judah rejoiced along with the priests and Levites and the whole assembly that had come from Israel, including the foreigners who had come from Israel and those who lived in Judah. 26 So there was great rejoicing in Jerusalem, for nothing like this had happened there since the days of Solomon son of David king of Israel.

27 Then the priests and the Levites stood to bless the people, and God heard their voice, and their prayer came into His holy dwelling place in heaven.

1 In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, saying:

2 "The LORD was very angry with your fathers. 3 So tell the people that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Return to Me, declares the LORD of Hosts, and I will return to you, says the LORD of Hosts.’

4 Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Turn now from your evil ways and deeds.’

But they did not listen or pay attention to Me, declares the LORD.

5 Where are your fathers now? And the prophets, do they live forever? 6 But did not My words and My statutes, which I commanded My servants the prophets, overtake your fathers? They repented and said, ‘Just as the LORD of Hosts purposed to do to us according to our ways and deeds, so He has done to us.’"

7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month of Shebat,* in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo.

8 I looked out into the night and saw a man riding on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in the hollow, and behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses.

9 "What are these, my lord?" I asked.

And the angel who was speaking with me replied, "I will show you what they are."

10 Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, "They are the ones the LORD has sent to patrol the earth."

11 And the riders answered the angel of the LORD who was standing among the myrtle trees, "We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth is at rest and tranquil."

12 Then the angel of the LORD said, "How long, O LORD of Hosts, will You withhold mercy from Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, with which You have been angry these seventy years?"

13 So the LORD spoke kind and comforting words to the angel who was speaking with me.

14 Then the angel who was speaking with me said, "Proclaim this word: This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion, 15 but I am fiercely angry with the nations that are at ease. For I was a little angry, but they have added to the calamity.*’

16 Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there My house will be rebuilt, declares the LORD of Hosts, and a measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem.’

17 Proclaim further that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘My cities will again overflow with prosperity; the LORD will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem.’"

18 Then I looked up and saw four horns. 19 So I asked the angel who was speaking with me, "What are these?"

And he told me, "These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem."

20 Then the LORD showed me four craftsmen.

21 "What are these coming to do?" I asked.

And He replied, "These are the horns that scattered Judah so that no one could raise his head; but the craftsmen have come to terrify them and throw down these horns of the nations that have lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it."

19 Those I love I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent.

5 Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry.

13 Do not present the parts of your body to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and present the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness.

1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.

21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and every expression of evil, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save your souls.