When Jonah is called by God the second time, this time he surrenders to God's call. The message of God proclaimed by Jonah to the Ninevites is that of destruction. The response of the Ninevites contains a key word of conversion "turn". The king proclaims that everyone should "turn" from their evils ways; then perhaps Yahweh might "turn" and "repent" of retaliating against Nineveh. Indeed, the Ninevites "turn" and Yahweh "repents". In the New Testament, the words, "turn" and "repent" merge into the concept of 'metanoia' or 'conversion'. In his letter to the Corinthians, since the "time is short", Paul teaches the believers to 'turn' towards virginity and to live a life a heavenly existence instead of becoming more attached to this world, since in heaven, there is no marriage.

It is with the message "Therefore, repent and put all your trust in the gospel of God that I "bear" that Jesus inaugurates his ministry. Soon after he had preached about the kingdom of God and repentance, Jesus effects what he preaches. Immediately after Jesus says "Come after me" to the brothers Simon and Andrew, James and John, they "turn" from family and work as fishermen, to follow him. After that, their lives were never the same. As disciples of Christ, we too have received the call to follow Jesus. The manner in which we follow him, however, we depend on how ready and how often we are willing to 'turn' from our own ways and open ourselves to Jesus and to his gospel way of loving service.