Holy Bible Online 
Sincere repentance results in joy and blessing. Here, you will find biblical stories of repentance that led to transformed lives through the forgiveness received.
1. Peter
The story of when Peter denied knowing Jesus is well-known. Peter was one of the twelve disciples, one of the closest people to Jesus. But when the difficult moment came when Jesus was arrested, Peter, who had seemed very brave and willing until then, denied Jesus three times.
Although Jesus had prophesied that this would happen, it was a very bitter moment for Peter, and it deeply affected him. However, this is not the end of the story. In John 21:15-19, a beautiful encounter between Jesus and Peter is narrated, after the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In that conversation, Peter confirmed his love for Jesus. Jesus knew that Peter was ashamed and repentant for denying Him, and with that conversation, He gave Peter the opportunity for a new beginning.
Jesus entrusted Peter with the task of feeding His sheep. Peter had made a mistake, but God's heart is a forgiving heart. Jesus knew Peter deeply and knew that he was sorry for denying Him. As a sign of God's forgiveness, Jesus gave Peter the responsibility to care for those who would join the church.
The forgiveness Peter received marked the beginning of years of perseverance in spreading the message of salvation through Jesus.
Get to know more about the life of Peter and understand his denial.
2. The sinful woman who anointed the feet of Jesus
Jesus was eating at the house of a Pharisee named Simon, when suddenly a woman from the city, a sinner, entered. As soon as she heard that Jesus was there, she ran in and brought with her an alabaster jar of perfume. The woman fell at Jesus’ feet, crying. She began to kiss His feet and anoint them with the perfume.
Her tears fell on Jesus' feet, and she wiped them with her long hair. The Pharisee, alarmed, said to himself: "This man, if he were a prophet, would know who and what kind of woman is touching him, that she is a sinner." (Luke 7:39b).
Jesus, knowing the heart of the Pharisee, began to tell a parable with three characters: a creditor and two debtors. To one, the creditor forgave a small debt. To the other, he forgave a very large debt. Jesus asked which of them would love him more. The Pharisee answered: the one who was forgiven more.
Then Jesus told him that the same was true between him and the woman. He considered himself righteous, without needing Jesus. However, she approached Jesus with humility, recognizing her sin and her need for Him. She knew in her heart that Jesus was God and that He could forgive her and transform her life.
She brought as an offering to God not only the perfume, but also her tears of repentance and her open heart to receive God's forgiveness. Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven. Your faith has saved you; go in peace." (Luke 7:48 and 50).
For the woman, her humility and repentance before Jesus resulted in forgiveness, salvation, and peace.
Read more about the life of Jesus and the miracles He did.
3. The Prodigal Son
We find the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32. This parable tells of a young man who asked his father to give him his inheritance. The young man went to a distant country and there squandered his inheritance living recklessly.
Just when he had spent everything, a time of scarcity began in the place where he was. So, he had to find a job, but he only found work in the fields tending pigs. The young man was starving and longed to eat the food the pigs ate.
While he worked, he remembered the happy years with his father and the abundance he had enjoyed there. He decided to return home and prepared for the worst. He thought his father would reject him angrily, so he prepared a speech to convince his father to at least give him a job.
However, when he was still far off, his father saw him and ran to meet him. The Bible says that the father had compassion, ran to him, embraced him, and kissed him. The son asked his father for forgiveness for what he had done and said that he didn’t even deserve to be called his son. But the father ordered a great feast to be prepared to celebrate his return. The father not only received him, but forgave his foolish actions and gave him a new opportunity.
In the same way, God is always with open arms, ready to receive and forgive those who truly repent.
Here is the Parable of The Prodigal Son: Meaning And Main Message Explained.
4. Jonah
One day, God spoke to Jonah and gave him a task: go to Nineveh and warn them about the punishment that God had prepared for the city. The people of Nineveh were very wicked, and God had decided to punish them.
Jonah was very afraid and decided to flee from the presence of the Lord. He boarded a ship that was headed in the opposite direction of Nineveh, thinking that he would be safe. Obviously, God knew where Jonah was. A great storm came, and Jonah knew it was his fault. To calm the sea, he told the sailors to throw him into the water.
In the sea, a great fish swallowed Jonah. He stayed there for three days and three nights, in the belly of the great fish. From there, Jonah cried out to God, repented, and decided to do what God had commanded. The fish vomited Jonah onto dry land, and he went to Nineveh to deliver God's warning.
Jonah's repentance led him to obey God. Thanks to his obedience, the people of Nineveh also repented of their evil ways and experienced God's mercy.
Delve into story of Jonah.
5. David
King David fell in love with a beautiful woman named Bathsheba, who was married. His desire for her was so strong that he called for her and slept with her. She became pregnant, and David plotted how to get rid of her husband, Uriah, a good man who served in the king’s army.
Uriah died in the middle of a battle, and David took Bathsheba as his wife. The baby, the result of David and Bathsheba’s adulterous affair, was born. God was displeased with David’s behavior, and seeing that David continued his life without repenting, He sent the prophet Nathan with a message.
Nathan told a story about two men, one rich and one poor. The rich man desired the most prized possession of the poor man and took it from him. David became very angry upon hearing the story. He said that the rich man deserved to die. Nathan then said, "That rich man is you" (2 Samuel 12:7-10).
David realized that he had acted very wrongly and repented before God. God forgave him, but Nathan told him that his sin would have great consequences. The baby that had been born would die, and his family would suffer much because of the sin.
After his repentance, David wrote Psalm 51, pouring out his soul before God and asking for purification. Over time, David and Bathsheba had another son, Solomon, who became the third king of Israel and was known for his wisdom.
Here is the Story of King David in The Bible (From Shepherd to Ruler of Israel)
6. The Philippian Jailer
After performing a miracle of deliverance in Philippi, Paul and Silas were imprisoned (Acts 16). They had been accused of causing an uproar in the city. As a result, their clothes were torn off and they were beaten with rods. After being beaten for a while, they were thrown into prison, under the care of a jailer.
They were placed in the innermost cell, their feet fastened in stocks. At midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God. Suddenly, there was a great earthquake, and everything shook. All the prison doors opened, and everyone’s chains were loosed.
The jailer, seeing the situation, drew his sword to kill himself. But Paul called out to him, telling him not to harm himself because they were all still there. The jailer fell at the feet of Paul and Silas and asked what he must do to be saved. They answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household” (Acts 16:31).
He took Paul and Silas to his house, and there they explained the gospel of Jesus to him and his family. The jailer treated their wounds, and both he and his family were baptized that day. Their hearts were filled with joy upon believing in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The jailer's repentance brought salvation through Jesus, not only to his life but also to his entire family.
Do you want to learn more about repentance and God’s forgiveness?