What Is Repentance?

Wikipedia’s article on “repentance” has this definition:

In Biblical Hebrew, the idea of repentance is represented by two verbs: shuv (to return) and nicham (to feel sorrow). In the New Testament, the word translated as 'repentance' is the Greek word μετάνοια (metanoia), "after/behind one's mind", which is a compound word of the preposition 'meta' (after, with), and the verb 'noeo' (to perceive, to think, the result of perceiving or observing). In this compound word the preposition combines the two meanings of time and change, which may be denoted by 'after' and 'different'; so that the whole compound means: 'to think differently after'. Metanoia is therefore primarily an after-thought, different from the former thought; a change of mind accompanied by regret and change of conduct, "change of mind and heart", or, "change of consciousness". A description of repentance in the New Testament can be found in the parable of the prodigal son found in the Gospel of Luke (15 beginning at verse 11).

Another example can be found in the history of Naaman, the Syrian general found in 2 Kings 5. Naaman has leprosy. He wished to be healed of this but had no hope or medical treatment to cure him. Naaman also had an Israel servant girl who, “... said to her mistress, ‘Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.’"

Naaman went to Elisha, the prophet. He expected something different then this: “Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, "Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean." But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, "Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?" So he turned and went away in a rage.” (2 Kings 5:10-12)

Naaman was not going to be healed. He thought it had to be done a certain way. He never would have been healed if he had not repented. So now we see a good example of the word repent. What did Naaman do? “His servants went up to him and said, ‘Sir, if the prophet had told you to do something difficult, you would have done it. Now why can't you just wash yourself, as he said, and be cured?’ So Naaman went down to the Jordan, dipped himself in it seven times, as Elisha had instructed, and he was completely cured. His flesh became firm and healthy like that of a child.” (2 Kings 5:13-14 emphasis added.)

He had a change of attitude and action. The attitude came first, but the action proved it. This is repentance.