# 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](../kt/compassion.md), [forgive](../kt/forgive.md))

## Bible References:

* [1 Peter 01:3-5](rc://en/tn/help/1pe/01/03)
* [1 Timothy 01:13](rc://en/tn/help/1ti/01/13)
* [Daniel 09:17](rc://en/tn/help/dan/09/17)
* [Exodus 34:06](rc://en/tn/help/exo/34/06)
* [Genesis 19:16](rc://en/tn/help/gen/19/16)
* [Hebrews 10:28-29](rc://en/tn/help/heb/10/28)
* [James 02:13](rc://en/tn/help/jas/02/13)
* [Luke 06:35-36](rc://en/tn/help/luk/06/35)
* [Matthew 09:27](rc://en/tn/help/mat/09/27)
* [Philippians 02:25-27](rc://en/tn/help/php/02/25)
* [Psalms 041:4-6](rc://en/tn/help/psa/041/004)
* [Romans 12:01](rc://en/tn/help/rom/12/01)

## Examples from the Bible stories:

* __[19:16](rc://en/tn/help/obs/19/16)__ They (the prophets) all told the people to stop worshiping idols and to start showing justice and __mercy__  to others.
* __[19:17](rc://en/tn/help/obs/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](rc://en/tn/help/obs/20/12)__ The Persian Empire was strong but __merciful__  to the people it conquered.
* __[27:11](rc://en/tn/help/obs/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](rc://en/tn/help/obs/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.”
* __[34:09](rc://en/tn/help/obs/34/09)__ “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, G1653, G1655, G1656, G2433, G2436, G3628, G3629, G3741, G4698
