Ecclesiastes 7:3
3Sorrow is better than laughter,afor by sadness of face the heart is made glad.
Jeremiah 31:18-20
18I have heard bEphraim grieving,‘You have disciplined me, and I was disciplined,
like an untrained calf;
cbring me back that I may be restored,
for you are the Lord my God.
19For after dI had turned away, I relented,
and after I was instructed, eI struck my thigh;
fI was ashamed, and I was confounded,
because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’
20 gIs Ephraim my dear son?
hIs he my darling child?
For as often as I speak against him,
I do remember him still.
iTherefore my heart ▼
▼Hebrew bowels
yearns for him;I will surely have mercy on him,
declares the Lord.
Zechariah 12:10
Him Whom They Have Pierced
10“And kI will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and lpleas for mercy, so that, mwhen they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, nthey shall mourn for him, oas one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.Luke 15:7
7Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who prepents than over ninety-nine qrighteous persons who need no repentance.Luke 15:10
10Just so, I tell you, there is joy before rthe angels of God over one sinner who repents.”Luke 15:17-24
17“But swhen he tcame to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, uI have sinned against vheaven and before you. 19 wI am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and xran and yembraced him and zkissed him. 21And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. aaI am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ ▼▼Some manuscripts add treat me as one of your hired servants
22But the father said to his servants, ▼▼Greek bondservants
‘Bring quickly adthe best robe, and put it on him, and put aea ring on his hand, and afshoes on his feet. 23And bring agthe fattened calf and kill it, and ahlet us eat and celebrate. 24For this my son aiwas dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. Luke 15:32
32It was fitting ajto celebrate and be glad, for this your brother akwas dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”2 Corinthians 7:6-7
6But alGod, who comforts the downcast, amcomforted us by the coming of Titus, 7and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted by you, as he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more.2 Corinthians 7:10
10For angodly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas aoworldly grief produces death.
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