The noun “conversion” (ἐπιστροφή, epistrophḗ) occurs in only one passage in the Bible, “They passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles” (Acts 15:3). Derived forms of the verb “convert” are used in the Revised Version in James 5:19, “convert,” “converteth” (James 5:20), “converted” (Psalms 51:13, margin “return”), “converts” (Isaiah 1:27, margin “they that return”). In other instances where the King James Version uses forms of the verb “convert” the Revised Version employs “turn again” (Isaiah 6:10; Luke 22:32; Acts 3:19), or “turn” (Isaiah 60:5; Matthew 13:15; 18:3; Mark 4:12; John 12:40; Acts 28:27). In Psalms 19:7 the reading of the King James Version, “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul,” has been changed by the revisers into “restoring the soul.” The words commonly used in the English Bible as equivalent with the Hebrew and Greek terms are “turn,” “return,” “turn back,” “turn again” (compare Deuteronomy 4:30; Isaiah 55:7; Jeremiah 3:12; 25:5; 35:15; Ezekiel 18:21-23; 33:11; Malachi 3:7). Thus “convert” is synonymous with “turn,” and “conversion” with “turning.”
The principal Hebrew word is:שׁוּב, shubh; other words are פנה, pānāh, הפך, hāphakh, סבב, ṣābhabh, in Hiphil. They are used (1) in the literal sense, for instance, Genesis 14:7; Deuteronomy 17:16; Psalms 56:9; Isaiah 38:8. (2) In the later prophetical writings the verb shūbh refers, both in the Qal and Hiphil forms, to the return from the captivity (Isaiah 1:27; Jeremiah 29:14; 30:3; Ezekiel 16:53; Zephaniah 2:7). (3) In the figurative, ethical or religious sense (a) from God (Numbers 14:43; 1 Samuel 15:11; 1 Kings 9:6); (b) more frequently to turn back to God (1 Samuel 7:3; 1 Kings 8:33; Isaiah 19:22; Joel 2:12; Amos 4:6; Hosea 6:11; 7:10).
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Author: International Std. Bible Encyclopedia
Keywords: Conversion
Source: James Orr (editor), The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 5 volume set.
Page indexed by: inWORD Bible Software.