Word study · Greek
eleos
mercy
Say it: EL-eh-oss (approximate)
ἔλεος
What it means
Kindness toward someone in need. When Jesus quotes Hosea 6:6, the Greek Old Testament uses eleos for the Hebrew hesed, the loyal love at the heart of Ruth.
Range of meaning
- PityFeeling for someone in trouble.
- Kindness shownActing to help the one in need.
- God's mercyGod's faithful kindness to his people.
In Matthew
- Chapter 9
"I desire mercy, not sacrifice" (9:13).
- Chapter 12
Hosea again: "I desire mercy, not sacrifice" (12:7).
Every verse (3)
Verses where G1656 is tagged in the Hebrew text: STEPBible Data (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. About our sources