“Ah, souls, you can easily sin as the saints—but can you repent with the saints? Many can sin with David and Peter, that cannot repent with David and Peter—and so must perish forever!”

“Lord Peter Wimsey: The worst sin - perhaps the only sin - passion can commit, is to be joyless.”

Dorothy L. Sayers book Gaudy Night

“No sin is unforgivable except the sin that is not repented of.”

Sophrony (Sakharov) (1896–1993) Russian monk, theologian and writer

“759. Give not S. Peter so much, to leave Saint Paul nothing.”

George Herbert (1593–1633) Welsh-born English poet, orator and Anglican priest

“Though man comes from the dust, sin is not a part of his nature. Man can overcome sin, and through repentance attain to at-one-ment with his Maker.”

Joseph H. Hertz (1872–1946) British rabbi

“As the oil is in the olive, so is the teshuvah, repentance, hidden within sin.”

Martin Buber (1878–1965) German Jewish Existentialist philosopher and theologian

“In this Sight mine understanding was lifted up into Heaven, and then God brought merrily to my mind David, and others in the Old Law without number; and in the New Law He brought to my mind first Mary Magdalene, Peter and Paul, and those of Inde; and Saint John of Beverley; and others also without number: how they are known in the Church in earth with their sins, and it is to them no shame, but all is turned for them to worship. And therefore our courteous Lord sheweth for them here in part like as it is there in fulness: for there the token of sin is turned to worship.”

Julian of Norwich (1342–1416) English theologian and anchoress

“Repentance is a pure gospel grace. The covenant of works admitted no repentance; there it was, sin and die. Repentance came in by the gospel. Christ has purchased in his blood that repenting sinners shall be saved.”

Thomas Watson (1616–1686) English nonconformist preacher and author

“Neither angel, nor archangel, nor yet even the Lord Himself (who alone can say "I am with you"), can, when we have sinned, release us, unless we bring repentance with us.”

Ambrose (339–397) bishop of Milan; one of the four original doctors of the Church

“If a man has sinned and denies it, saying: 'I have not sinned,' do not reprimand him; for that will discourage him.
But say to him, 'Do not lose heart, brother, but be on guard in future,' and you will stir his soul to repentance.”

Poemen (340–450) Egyptian monk and desert father