Proverbs 1:22-23

1:22 “How long will you simpletons love naiveté?

How long will mockers delight in mockery

and fools hate knowledge?

1:23 If only you will respond to my rebuke,

then I will pour out my thoughts to you

and I will make my words known to you.

Proverbs 8:4-5

8:4 “To you, O people, I call out,

and my voice calls to all mankind.

8:5 You who are naive, discern wisdom!

And you fools, understand discernment!

Proverbs 9:4-6

9:4 “Whoever is naive, let him turn in here,”

she says to those who lack understanding.

9:5 “Come, eat some of my food,

and drink some of the wine I have mixed.

9:6 Abandon your foolish ways so that you may live,

and proceed in the way of understanding.”

Isaiah 1:16-20

1:16 Wash! Cleanse yourselves!

Remove your sinful deeds

from my sight.

Stop sinning!

1:17 Learn to do what is right!

Promote justice!

Give the oppressed reason to celebrate!

Take up the cause of the orphan!

Defend the rights of the widow!

1:18 Come, let’s consider your options,” says the Lord.

“Though your sins have stained you like the color red,

you can become white like snow;

though they are as easy to see as the color scarlet,

you can become white like wool.

1:19 If you have a willing attitude and obey,

then you will again eat the good crops of the land.

1:20 But if you refuse and rebel,

you will be devoured by the sword.”

Know for certain that the Lord has spoken.

Isaiah 55:6-7

55:6 Seek the Lord while he makes himself available;

call to him while he is nearby!

55:7 The wicked need to abandon their lifestyle

and sinful people their plans.

They should return to the Lord, and he will show mercy to them,

and to their God, for he will freely forgive them.

Jeremiah 4:3-4

4:3 Yes, the Lord has this to say

to the people of Judah and Jerusalem:

“Like a farmer breaking up hard unplowed ground,

you must break your rebellious will and make a new beginning;

just as a farmer must clear away thorns lest the seed is wasted,

you must get rid of the sin that is ruining your lives.

4:4 Just as ritual circumcision cuts away the foreskin

as an external symbol of dedicated covenant commitment,

you must genuinely dedicate yourselves to the Lord

and get rid of everything that hinders your commitment to me,

people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem.

If you do not, my anger will blaze up like a flaming fire against you

that no one will be able to extinguish.

That will happen because of the evil you have done.”

Jeremiah 7:3-7

7:3 The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says: Change the way you have been living and do what is right. If you do, I will allow you to continue to live in this land. 7:4 Stop putting your confidence in the false belief that says, “We are safe! The temple of the Lord is here! The temple of the Lord is here! The temple of the Lord is here!” 7:5 You must change the way you have been living and do what is right. You must treat one another fairly. 7:6 Stop oppressing foreigners who live in your land, children who have lost their fathers, and women who have lost their husbands. Stop killing innocent people in this land. Stop paying allegiance to other gods. That will only bring about your ruin. 7:7 If you stop doing these things, I will allow you to continue to live in this land which I gave to your ancestors as a lasting possession.

Ezekiel 18:30-31

18:30 “Therefore I will judge each person according to his conduct, O house of Israel, declares the sovereign Lord. Repent and turn from all your wickedness; then it will not be an obstacle leading to iniquity. 18:31 Throw away all your sins you have committed and fashion yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why should you die, O house of Israel?

Hosea 14:1

Prophetic Call to Genuine Repentance

14:1 Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God,

for your sin has been your downfall!

Matthew 3:8

3:8 Therefore produce fruit that proves your repentance,

Acts 3:19

3:19 Therefore repent and turn back so that your sins may be wiped out,

Acts 17:30

17:30 Therefore, although God has overlooked such times of ignorance, he now commands all people everywhere to repent,

James 4:8

4:8 Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and make your hearts pure, you double-minded.