From that time Jesus began to preach his message: "Turn away from your sins, because the Kingdom of heaven is near!"

The people in the towns where Jesus had performed most of his miracles did not turn from their sins, so he reproached those towns.

On the Judgment Day the people of Nineveh will stand up and accuse you, because they turned from their sins when they heard Jonah preach; and I tell you that there is something here greater than Jonah!

'I don't want to,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

Which one of the two did what his father wanted?" "The older one," they answered. So Jesus said to them, "I tell you: the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the Kingdom of God ahead of you.

listen to your people's prayers. If there in that land they repent and pray to you, confessing how sinful and wicked they have been, hear their prayers, O LORD.

So I am ashamed of all I have said and repent in dust and ashes.

"Now I, the Sovereign LORD, am telling you Israelites that I will judge each of you by what you have done. Turn away from all the evil you are doing, and don't let your sin destroy you.

I do not want anyone to die," says the Sovereign LORD. "Turn away from your sins and live."

Tell them that as surely as I, the Sovereign LORD, am the living God, I do not enjoy seeing sinners die. I would rather see them stop sinning and live. Israel, stop the evil you are doing. Why do you want to die?

So John appeared in the desert, baptizing and preaching. "Turn away from your sins and be baptized," he told the people, "and God will forgive your sins."

"The right time has come," he said, "and the Kingdom of God is near! Turn away from your sins and believe the Good News!"

So they went out and preached that people should turn away from their sins.

No indeed! And I tell you that if you do not turn from your sins, you will all die as they did.

No indeed! And I tell you that if you do not turn from your sins, you will all die as they did."

In the same way, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine respectable people who do not need to repent.

In the same way, I tell you, the angels of God rejoice over one sinner who repents."

The rich man answered, 'That is not enough, father Abraham! But if someone were to rise from death and go to them, then they would turn from their sins.'

and in his name the message about repentance and the forgiveness of sins must be preached to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem.

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.

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that he will forgive your sins. If you do,

When they heard this, they stopped their criticism and praised God, saying, "Then God has given to the Gentiles also the opportunity to repent and live!"

God has overlooked the times when people did not know him, but now he commands all of them everywhere to turn away from their evil ways.

To Jews and Gentiles alike I gave solemn warning that they should turn from their sins to God and believe in our Lord Jesus.

First in Damascus and in Jerusalem and then in the whole country of Israel and among the Gentiles, I preached that they must repent of their sins and turn to God and do the things that would show they had repented.

For the sadness that is used by God brings a change of heart that leads to salvation---and there is no regret in that! But sadness that is merely human causes death.

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.

Let us go forward, then, to mature teaching and leave behind us the first lessons of the Christian message. We should not lay again the foundation of turning away from useless works and believing in God;

The Lord is not slow to do what he has promised, as some think. Instead, he is patient with you, because he does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants all to turn away from their sins.

Think how far you have fallen! Turn from your sins and do what you did at first. If you don't turn from your sins, I will come to you and take your lampstand from its place.

I have given her time to repent of her sins, but she does not want to turn from her immorality.

"Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor; the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them!

"Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires; the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them!

So then, whoever disobeys even the least important of the commandments and teaches others to do the same, will be least in the Kingdom of heaven. On the other hand, whoever obeys the Law and teaches others to do the same, will be great in the Kingdom of heaven.

I tell you, then, that you will be able to enter the Kingdom of heaven only if you are more faithful than the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees in doing what God requires.

may your Kingdom come; may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Instead, be concerned above everything else with the Kingdom of God and with what he requires of you, and he will provide you with all these other things.

Go and preach, 'The Kingdom of heaven is near!'

I assure you that John the Baptist is greater than anyone who has ever lived. But the one who is least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than John.

From the time John preached his message until this very day the Kingdom of heaven has suffered violent attacks, and violent men try to seize it.

Jesus answered, "The knowledge about the secrets of the Kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.

Jesus told them another parable: "The Kingdom of heaven is like this. A man sowed good seed in his field.

Jesus told them another parable: "The Kingdom of heaven is like this. A man takes a mustard seed and sows it in his field.

Jesus told them still another parable: "The Kingdom of heaven is like this. A woman takes some yeast and mixes it with a bushel of flour until the whole batch of dough rises."

"The Kingdom of heaven is like this. A man happens to find a treasure hidden in a field. He covers it up again, and is so happy that he goes and sells everything he has, and then goes back and buys that field.

"Also, the Kingdom of heaven is like this. A man is looking for fine pearls,

"Also, the Kingdom of heaven is like this. Some fishermen throw their net out in the lake and catch all kinds of fish.

So he replied, "This means, then, that every teacher of the Law who becomes a disciple in the Kingdom of heaven is like a homeowner who takes new and old things out of his storage room."

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, asking, "Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?"

and said, "I assure you that unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the Kingdom of heaven.

"The Kingdom of heaven is like this. Once there was a man who went out early in the morning to hire some men to work in his vineyard.

"The Kingdom of heaven is like this. Once there was a king who prepared a wedding feast for his son.

"How terrible for you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You lock the door to the Kingdom of heaven in people's faces, but you yourselves don't go in, nor do you allow in those who are trying to enter!

"At that time the Kingdom of heaven will be like this. Once there were ten young women who took their oil lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

"At that time the Kingdom of heaven will be like this. Once there was a man who was about to leave home on a trip; he called his servants and put them in charge of his property.

At the time of those rulers the God of heaven will establish a kingdom that will never end. It will never be conquered, but will completely destroy all those empires and then last forever.

Jesus looked at his disciples and said, "Happy are you poor; the Kingdom of God is yours!

Then he sent them out to preach the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick,

heal the sick in that town, and say to the people there, 'The Kingdom of God has come near you.'

'Even the dust from your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. But remember that the Kingdom of God has come near you!'

Jesus answered, "I am telling you the truth: no one can see the Kingdom of God without being born again."

"I am telling you the truth," replied Jesus, "that no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.

He rescued us from the power of darkness and brought us safe into the kingdom of his dear Son,