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Jeremiah 31:18-20
I have surely heard Ephraim moaning,“ You disciplined me, and I have been disciplined like an untrained calf. Take me back, so that I can return, for you, LORD, are my God.After my return, I felt regret; After I was instructed, I struck my thigh in grief. I was ashamed and humiliated because I bore the disgrace of my youth.”Isn’t Ephraim a precious son to me, a delightful child? Whenever I speak against him, I certainly still think about him. Therefore, my inner being yearns for him; I will truly have compassion on him. This is the LORD’s declaration.
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Acts 20:21
I testified to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus.
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2 Corinthians 10 8-2 Corinthians 10 10
For if I boast a little too much about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for tearing you down, I will not be put to shame.I don’t want to seem as though I am trying to terrify you with my letters.For it is said,“ His letters are weighty and powerful, but his physical presence is weak and his public speaking amounts to nothing.”
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2 Corinthians 13 8-2 Corinthians 13 10
For we can’t do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.We rejoice when we are weak and you are strong. We also pray that you become fully mature.This is why I am writing these things while absent, so that when I am there I may not have to deal harshly with you, in keeping with the authority the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down.
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Ecclesiastes 7:3
Grief is better than laughter, for when a face is sad, a heart may be glad.
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Isaiah 6:9-11
And he replied: Go! Say to these people: Keep listening, but do not understand; keep looking, but do not perceive.Make the minds of these people dull; deafen their ears and blind their eyes; otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears, understand with their minds, turn back, and be healed.Then I said,“ Until when, Lord?” And he replied: Until cities lie in ruins without inhabitants, houses are without people, the land is ruined and desolate,
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Luke 15:17-24
When he came to his senses, he said,‘ How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food, and here I am dying of hunger!I’ll get up, go to my father, and say to him,“ Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight.I’m no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired workers.”’So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him.The son said to him,‘ Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.’“ But the father told his servants,‘ Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.Then bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast,because this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.
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Luke 15:7
I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who don’t need repentance.
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2 Corinthians 7 6-2 Corinthians 7 7
But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the arrival of Titus,and not only by his arrival but also by the comfort he received from you. He told us about your deep longing, your sorrow, and your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more.
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Luke 15:32
But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
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2 Corinthians 2 16
To some we are an aroma of death leading to death, but to others, an aroma of life leading to life. Who is adequate for these things?
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2 Corinthians 7 10-2 Corinthians 7 11
For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly grief produces death.For consider how much diligence this very thing— this grieving as God wills— has produced in you: what a desire to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what deep longing, what zeal, what justice! In every way you showed yourselves to be pure in this matter.
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2 Corinthians 1 12
Indeed, this is our boast: The testimony of our conscience is that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you, with godly sincerity and purity, not by human wisdom but by God’s grace.
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Zechariah 12:10
“ Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the house of David and the residents of Jerusalem, and they will look at me whom they pierced. They will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child and weep bitterly for him as one weeps for a firstborn.
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Psalms 38:18
So I confess my iniquity; I am anxious because of my sin.
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Luke 15:10
I tell you, in the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”