Μετανοήσατε– Repent (Acts 2:38)
Range of meaning from BDAG:
The lexical form of the word is μετανοέωwhich is translated to repent. There are two definitions given for this word within BDAG. The first definition is to “change one’s mind”. This correlates heavily with the noun version of the word, μετάνοια. According to BDAG, μετάνοια primarily means “a change of mind.” It would make sense to see the active verbal form mean “to change one’s mind,” or so it seems. According to BDAG, however, this definition doesn’t show up anywhere in the New Testament. According to BDAG, the second definition shows up throughout the entire New Testament – “to feel remorse, repent, be converted.” This definition is used throughout as a result of preaching, as a condemnation against those who didn’t turn from sin, and many other ways. It denotes a turning from something accompanied with a feeling of remorse. It is important still to note the root meaning of the word means to change the mind.
Range of meaning from Louw-Nida:
According to Louw-Nida, the single definition is, “to change one’s way of life as the result of a complete change of thought and attitude with regard to sin and righteousness — ‘to repent, to change one’s way, repentance.” However, while it seems to be cut and dry, black and white, the author does make a note, “Though it would be possible to classify μετανοέω and μετάνοια in Domain 30 Think, the focal semantic feature of these terms is clearly behavioral rather than intellectual.” While the basic definition given seems to be concrete, the reasoning seems to be subjective to the context of its usage, which leaves room for interpretation.
Range of meaning from Mounce Greek Dictionary:
Mounce provides two different definitions, which he attributes both to New Testament texts. First, it means “to undergo a change in frame of mind and feeling, to repent”. These are attributed to verses such as Luke 17:3. The second definition is “to make a change of principle and practice, to reform.” This definition is attributes to verses such as Matt. 3:2.
Range of meaning from the NAS Greek Dictionary:
The NAS Greek Dictionary only gives one definition and that is “to change one’s mind or purpose.”
Range of meaning from the Liddell-Scott-Jones:
The Liddell-Scott-Jones agrees with the NAS Greek Dictionary exactly.
Other Places the Word is Used:
There are 33 other uses of the lexical form of this word throughout the New Testament. Below are all of their occurrences with the NA28 Greek Text on the left and the NASB on the right. The Greek word for repent, in its various forms, are highlighted and underlined.
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[καὶ] λέγων· μετανοεῖτε· ἤγγικεν γὰρ ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν.
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“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
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Ἀπὸ τότε ἤρξατο ὁ Ἰησοῦς κηρύσσειν καὶ λέγειν· μετανοεῖτε· ἤγγικεν γὰρ ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν.
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From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
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Τότε ἤρξατο ὀνειδίζειν τὰς πόλεις ἐν αἷς ἐγένοντο αἱ πλεῖσται δυνάμεις αὐτοῦ, ὅτι οὐ μετενόησαν·
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Then He began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent.
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οὐαί σοι, Χοραζίν, οὐαί σοι, Βηθσαϊδά· ὅτι εἰ ἐν Τύρῳ καὶ Σιδῶνι ἐγένοντο αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ γενόμεναι ἐν ὑμῖν, πάλαι ἂν ἐν σάκκῳ καὶ σποδῷ μετενόησαν.
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“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, theywould have repentedlong ago in sackcloth and ashes.
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Ἄνδρες Νινευῖται ἀναστήσονται ἐν τῇ κρίσει μετὰ τῆς γενεᾶς ταύτης καὶ κατακρινοῦσιν αὐτήν, ὅτι μετενόησαν εἰς τὸ κήρυγμα Ἰωνᾶ, καὶ ἰδοὺ πλεῖον Ἰωνᾶ ὧδε.
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“The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.
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καὶ λέγων ὅτι πεπλήρωται ὁ καιρὸς καὶ ἤγγικεν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ· μετανοεῖτεκαὶ πιστεύετε ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ.
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and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
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Καὶ ἐξελθόντες ἐκήρυξαν ἵνα μετανοῶσιν,
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They went out and preached that menshould repent.
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Οὐαί σοι, Χοραζίν, οὐαί σοι, Βηθσαϊδά· ὅτι εἰ ἐν Τύρῳ καὶ Σιδῶνι ἐγενήθησαν αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ γενόμεναι ἐν ὑμῖν, πάλαι ἂν ἐν σάκκῳ καὶ σποδῷ καθήμενοι μετενόησαν.
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2“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had been performed in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, theywould have repentedlong ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
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ἄνδρες Νινευῖται ἀναστήσονται ἐν τῇ κρίσει μετὰ τῆς γενεᾶς ταύτης καὶ κατακρινοῦσιν αὐτήν· ὅτι μετενόησαν εἰς τὸ κήρυγμα Ἰωνᾶ, καὶ ἰδοὺ πλεῖον Ἰωνᾶ ὧδε.
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2“The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.
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οὐχί, λέγω ὑμῖν, ἀλλʼ ἐὰν μὴ μετανοῆτεπάντες ὁμοίως ἀπολεῖσθε.
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1“I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
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οὐχί, λέγω ὑμῖν, ἀλλʼ ἐὰν μὴ μετανοῆτεπάντες ὡσαύτως ἀπολεῖσθε.
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1“I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
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λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι οὕτως χαρὰ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ἔσται ἐπὶ ἑνὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ μετανοοῦντι ἢ ἐπὶ ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα δικαίοις οἵτινες οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν μετανοίας.
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1“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 persons who need no repentance.
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οὕτως, λέγω ὑμῖν, γίνεται χαρὰ ἐνώπιον τῶν ἀγγέλων τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπὶ ἑνὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ μετανοοῦντι.
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1“In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
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ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· οὐχί, πάτερ Ἀβραάμ, ἀλλʼ ἐάν τις ἀπὸ νεκρῶν πορευθῇ πρὸς αὐτοὺς μετανοήσουσιν.
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1“But he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’
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προσέχετε ἑαυτοῖς. Ἐὰν ἁμάρτῃ ὁ ἀδελφός σου ἐπιτίμησον αὐτῷ, καὶ ἐὰν μετανοήσῃ ἄφες αὐτῷ.
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1“Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.
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καὶ ἐὰν ἑπτάκις τῆς ἡμέρας ἁμαρτήσῃ εἰς σὲ καὶ ἑπτάκις ἐπιστρέψῃ πρὸς σὲ λέγων· μετανοῶ, ἀφήσεις αὐτῷ.
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1“And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”
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Πέτρος δὲ πρὸς αὐτούς· μετανοήσατε, [φησίν,] καὶ βαπτισθήτω ἕκαστος ὑμῶν ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ εἰς ἄφεσιν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ὑμῶν καὶ λήμψεσθε τὴν δωρεὰν τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος.
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1Peter saidto them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
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μετανοήσατε οὖν καὶ ἐπιστρέψατε εἰς τὸ ἐξαλειφθῆναι ὑμῶν τὰς ἁμαρτίας,
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1“Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;
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μετανόησον οὖν ἀπὸ τῆς κακίας σου ταύτης καὶ δεήθητι τοῦ κυρίου, εἰ ἄρα ἀφεθήσεταί σοι ἡ ἐπίνοια τῆς καρδίας σου,
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“Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you.
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τοὺς μὲν οὖν χρόνους τῆς ἀγνοίας ὑπεριδὼν ὁ θεός, τὰ νῦν παραγγέλλει τοῖς ἀνθρώποις πάντας πανταχοῦ μετανοεῖν,
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“Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all peopleeverywhere should repent,
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ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἐν Δαμασκῷ πρῶτόν τε καὶ Ἱεροσολύμοις, πᾶσάν τε τὴν χώραν τῆς Ἰουδαίας καὶ τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἀπήγγελλον μετανοεῖν καὶ ἐπιστρέφειν ἐπὶ τὸν θεόν, ἄξια τῆς μετανοίας ἔργα πράσσοντας.
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but keptdeclaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and thenthroughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance.
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μὴ πάλιν ἐλθόντος μου ταπεινώσῃ με ὁ θεός μου πρὸς ὑμᾶς καὶ πενθήσω πολλοὺς τῶν προημαρτηκότων καὶ μὴ μετανοησάντωνἐπὶ τῇ ἀκαθαρσίᾳ καὶ πορνείᾳ καὶ ἀσελγείᾳ ᾗ ἔπραξαν.
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I am afraid that when I come again my God may humiliate me before you, and I may mourn over many of those who have sinned in the past and not repented of the impurity, immorality and sensuality which they have practiced.
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μνημόνευε οὖν πόθεν πέπτωκας καὶ μετανόησονκαὶ τὰ πρῶτα ἔργα ποίησον· εἰ δὲ μή, ἔρχομαί σοι καὶ κινήσω τὴν λυχνίαν σου ἐκ τοῦ τόπου αὐτῆς, ἐὰν μὴ μετανοήσῃς.
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‘Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent.
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μετανόησον οὖν· εἰ δὲ μή, ἔρχομαί σοι ταχὺ καὶ πολεμήσω μετʼ αὐτῶν ἐν τῇ ῥομφαίᾳ τοῦ στόματός μου.
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‘Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth.
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καὶ ἔδωκα αὐτῇ χρόνον ἵνα μετανοήσῃ, καὶ οὐ θέλει μετανοῆσαι ἐκ τῆς πορνείας αὐτῆς.
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‘I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality.
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ἰδοὺ βάλλω αὐτὴν εἰς κλίνην καὶ τοὺς μοιχεύοντας μετʼ αὐτῆς εἰς θλῖψιν μεγάλην, ἐὰν μὴ μετανοήσωσιν ἐκ τῶν ἔργων αὐτῆς,
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‘Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds.
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μνημόνευε οὖν πῶς εἴληφας καὶ ἤκουσας καὶ τήρει καὶ μετανόησον. ἐὰν οὖν μὴ γρηγορήσῃς, ἥξω ὡς κλέπτης, καὶ οὐ μὴ γνῷς ποίαν ὥραν ἥξω ἐπὶ σέ.
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‘So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it,and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.
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ἐγὼ ὅσους ἐὰν φιλῶ ἐλέγχω καὶ παιδεύω· ζήλευε οὖν καὶ μετανόησον.
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‘Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.
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Καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, οἳ οὐκ ἀπεκτάνθησαν ἐν ταῖς πληγαῖς ταύταις, οὐδὲ μετενόησαν ἐκ τῶν ἔργων τῶν χειρῶν αὐτῶν, ἵνα μὴ προσκυνήσουσιν τὰ δαιμόνια καὶ τὰ εἴδωλα τὰ χρυσᾶ καὶ τὰ ἀργυρᾶ καὶ τὰ χαλκᾶ καὶ τὰ λίθινα καὶ τὰ ξύλινα, ἃ οὔτε βλέπειν δύνανται οὔτε ἀκούειν οὔτε περιπατεῖν,
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The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, didnot repentof the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk;
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καὶ οὐ μετενόησαν ἐκ τῶν φόνων αὐτῶν οὔτε ἐκ τῶν φαρμάκων αὐτῶν οὔτε ἐκ τῆς πορνείας αὐτῶν οὔτε ἐκ τῶν κλεμμάτων αὐτῶν.
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and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts.
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καὶ ἐκαυματίσθησαν οἱ ἄνθρωποι καῦμα μέγα καὶ ἐβλασφήμησαν τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ἔχοντος τὴν ἐξουσίαν ἐπὶ τὰς πληγὰς ταύτας καὶ οὐ μετενόησανδοῦναι αὐτῷ δόξαν.
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Men were scorched with fierce heat; and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory.
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καὶ ἐβλασφήμησαν τὸν θεὸν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἐκ τῶν πόνων αὐτῶν καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἑλκῶν αὐτῶν καὶ οὐ μετενόησαν ἐκ τῶν ἔργων αὐτῶν.
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and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores; and they did not repent of their deeds.
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The context of Acts 2:38 seems to clearly point to a change of mind. Peter gives this amazing explanation and gospel presentation of what is happening on the day of Pentecost. He is speaking to the “Men of Israel”[1]who had, in recent days, crucified the Jesus that Peter was claiming was made Lord and Christ.[2]The murder was done on the basis of blasphemy. The men of Israel crucified Jesus because they believed Him to be lying about who He was. Peter is exclaiming that Jesus was in fact telling the truth! The men of Israel then ask, “what shall we do?” Peter’s response is to repent, Μετανοήσατε. Change your mind about Jesus!
Range of Meaning in Liddell-Scott-Jones:
There are four definitions given in the Liddell-Scott-Jones. First, is to “change one’s mind or purpose.” Second is to “repent.” Third is to “repent of.” Lastly, it can mean “to perceive afterward or too late.” This last definition seems to add some incite but doesn’t seem to line up with the Biblical uses.
Theological Dictionary of the New Testament:
Interestingly, TDNT seems to try and draw out the connection between the two different definitions given in BDAG. In summary, TDNT explains that the meaning, at its core, is to change one’s mind. However, “if the change of mind derives from recognition that the earlier view was foolish, improper or evil, there arises the sense ‘to regret.’”
Translations:
The NASB, KJV, NLT, ESV, NKJV, and NET all translate the term as “repent”.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, BDAG doesn’t seem to contribute the definition “to change one’s mind” to any uses of μετανοέω in the New Testament, obviously leaving out Acts 2:38. However, it does validate the definition and attributes the definition to many ancient texts. Louw-Nida seems to also shy away from this definition but does acknowledge that it is also a possibility. Liddell-Scott-Jones, NAS Greek Dictionary, and Mounce’s Greek Dictionary favor the definition. Ultimately, the range of meaning is set: 1. To change one’s mind or 2. To make a change of principle and practice. TDNT seems to try and link the two definitions, making the second definition a possible result of the first definition. It also seems the context of Acts 2 not only allows for μετανοέω to mean the first definition, but suggests it. Arguably, a better translation would be to “change your mind [about Jesus Christ] and be baptized…”
It doesn’t seem right to go against some major lexicons, such as BDAG, but within the context of Acts 2, μετανοέω doesn’t seem to point to this “remorse”. Remorse could very well be a result, and seems to be the norm throughout Scripture, but it doesn’t seem to be a requirement. Those who are listening must μετανοέω or change their mind about who Jesus is–from thinking Him to be the blasphemer to the Christ.
[1]Acts 2:22
[2]Acts 2:37
