mercy, merciful

Definition

The terms “mercy” and “merciful” refer to helping people who are in need, especially when they are in a lowly or humbled condition.

• The term “mercy” can also include the meaning of not punishing people for something they have done wrong.
• A powerful person such as a king is described as “merciful” when he treats people kindly instead of harming them.
• Being merciful also means to forgive someone who has done something wrong against us.
• We show mercy when we help people who are in great need.
• God is merciful to us, and he wants us to be merciful to others.

Translation Suggestions

• Depending on the context, “mercy” could be translated as “kindness” or “compassion” or “pity.”
• The term “merciful” could be translated as “showing pity” or “being kind to” or “forgiving.”
• To “show mercy to” or “have mercy on” could be translated as “treat kindly” or “be compassionate toward.”

(See also: compassion, forgive)

Bible References

• 1 Peter 1:3-5
• 1 Timothy 1:13
• Daniel 9:17
• Exodus 34:6
• Genesis 19:16
• Hebrews 10:28-29
• James 2:13
• Luke 6:35-36
• Matthew 9:27
• Philippians 2:25-27
• Psalms 41:4-6
• Romans 12:1

Examples from the Bible stories

• __19:16 They (the prophets) all told the people to stop worshiping idols and to start showing justice and mercy__ to others.
• __19:17 He (Jeremiah) sank down into the mud that was in the bottom of the well, but then the king had mercy__ on him and ordered his servants to pull Jeremiah out of the well before he died.
• __20:12 The Persian Empire was strong but merciful__ to the people it conquered.
• __27:11 Then Jesus asked the law expert, “What do you think? Which one of the three men was a neighbor to the man who was robbed and beaten?” He replied, “The one who was merciful__ to him.”
• __32:11 But Jesus said to him, “No, I want you to go home and tell your friends and family about everything that God has done for you and how he has had mercy__ on you.”
• __34:9 “But the tax collector stood far away from the religious ruler, did not even look up to heaven. Instead, he pounded on his chest and prayed, ‘God, please be merciful__ to me because I am a sinner.’”

Word Data

• Strong’s: H2551, H2603, H2604, H2616, H2617, H2623, H3722, H3727, H4627, H4819, H5503, H5504, H5505, H5506, H6014, H7349, H7355, H7356, H7359, G16530, G16550, G16560, G24330, G24360, G36280, G36290, G37410, G46980