Mercy, compassion, pity for the afflicted — the disposition to spare and help the suffering. Eleos translates Hebrew chesed (lovingkindness) in the Septuagint, linking God's covenant faithfulness with His tender mercy toward the broken.
Mercy is the attribute that moves God to act on behalf of the undeserving. 'Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy' (Matthew 5:7). Paul declares, 'God, being rich in mercy...' (Ephesians 2:4). Mary's Magnificat celebrates mercy spanning generations (Luke 1:50). The tax collector's prayer — 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner' (Luke 18:13) — is the model prayer of faith. Mercy is not weakness but strength choosing compassion.