The New American Standard Concordance translates the following Old Testament Hebrew words as “repent,” nā·ḥăm, šûḇ, and “repentance,” šû·ḇā(h). Additionally, NASU translates the following New Testament Greek words as “repentance,” metanoeō, and “repentance,” metanoia. Of these two New Testament words, the two most important to a Christian's fundamental salvation are metanoeō and metanoia. These will be compared and contrasted here. The most common definition of the word metanoeō is a change of mentality. More specifically, James A. Swanson gives the definition of “changing one's life, based on a complete change of attitude and thinking regarding sin and righteousness.” Logos Bible Software reveals that this word occurs thirty-five times in the New According to Eugene E. Carpenter and Philip W. Comfort, "The Greek word for 'repentance' is a compound word derived from meta, meaning 'after,' and suggests 'some kind of change" and nous, meaning "mind". Therefore, metanoia strictly denotes “a change of mentality,” a rejection of the sinful ways of the past.” Logos Bible Software reveals that this word is used 22 times in the New Testament, and in each instance it uses the English word “repentance.” It is used most often in Acts (6 times), but can also be seen in the Gospels (8 times) and the New Testament Epistles (8 times). Therefore it can be viewed in several genres, which include gospel, fiction, letter, and prophecy. Repentance was a common theme among epistle writers. Paul and Peter's use of repentance was the greatest. Lunde writes that “John the Baptist, Jesus, and the evangelists express the “turning away” of people from their sinful ways, along with the corresponding “turning to” God.” Other New Testament letter writers make the same call for repentance. Matera notes that Paul uses the term “repentance” very rarely, but often encourages his readers to resist sin and return to virtue. Regarding Paul's message of repentance, Clark Palmer writes: The preaching in the book of Acts contains the call to repentance (Acts 2:38; 3:19; 8:22). On the one hand, Paul's speech in Athens reveals God as the One who "commands all men, wherever they may be, to repent" (17.30 HCSB). On the other hand, repentance is shown to be the result of God's initiative: “God has granted life-giving repentance even to the Gentiles” (Acts 11:18; 2 Tim. 2:24–26). The abundance of New Testament references makes it clear that repentance is an essential element of salvation