- He repented of his sin before he died.
- I sincerely repent of my sins.
- She repented of her decision to leave Iran.
- We repent for it
Oxford has a number of examples using both prepositions, including
- ‘Wonder if Janet will repent for her theft, or get caught further and further in a web of deceit.’
- ‘Miss Macleod added that her expiring brother said that he had always repented of his actions.’
A different preposition would normally change the meaning, but there's no indication in the examples that it does here. Is there a difference, or are of and for completely interchangeable?
Best Answer
The difference is subtle, and while "repent for" is becoming more common simply because it sounds more consistent with other phrases, that is a shame since "repent of" conveys something meaningful that "repent for" does not.
"Repent for" indicates a simple cause-and-effect relationship, e.g. "I committed some sins, now I have to repent for committing them." Just like, "I got a speeding ticket, and now I have to pay a fine for speeding."
"Repent of" has a more subtle meaning. It's closer to "repent about", but not quite: The idea is that you are attempting to take something within yourself - a part of yourself - and reform it, or distance yourself from it. Consider it a combination of "meditate on", and "dispose of".
That's a pretty different - and I'd say a more powerful - idea than simply facing consequences for an act.