What the Bible says
What does the Bible say about mercy?
Mercy is God’s compassion toward the miserable and undeserving. “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end” (Lamentations 3:22-23), and God, being rich in mercy, made us alive together with Christ when we were dead in our trespasses (Ephesians 2:4-5). Those who have received mercy are to show it, being merciful even as their Father is merciful (Luke 6:36).
Key Bible verses about mercy
- Lamentations 3:22-23
It is because of the LORD’s loving kindnesses that we are not consumed, because his mercies don’t fail. They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness.
- Ephesians 2:4-5
But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
- Titus 3:5
not by works of righteousness which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,
- Micah 7:18
Who is a God like you, who pardons iniquity, and passes over the disobedience of the remnant of his heritage? He doesn’t retain his anger forever, because he delights in loving kindness.
- Psalm 103:8
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness.
- Psalm 136:1
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.
- Romans 9:15-16
For he said to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who has mercy.
- Hebrews 4:16
Let’s therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace for help in time of need.
- 1 Peter 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
- Luke 6:36
“Therefore be merciful, even as your Father is also merciful.
- Matthew 5:7
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
- James 2:13
For judgment is without mercy to him who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Scripture: World English Bible (public domain). Short quotations in the introduction are from the ESV. Read each passage in its chapter for the full context.
From the Baptist Catechism
- Q24. Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery?
God, out of His mere good pleasure, from all eternity, having chosen a people to everlasting life, did enter into a covenant of grace, to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of salvation, by a Redeemer.