Eleos is compassionate favor shown or sought, including God’s saving help and the merciful treatment of others.

The term most often denotes compassionate favor attributed to God or sought from him, in contexts of help, salvation, and hope. It also occurs in blessings pronounced upon people and in calls for merciful action rather than condemnation or mere ritual observance.

1. Compassionate favor from God · dominant

   The noun identifies God’s favor in acts of help and salvation: in Titus 3:5 the APB renders salvation as being according to God’s own “mercy,” in contrast to works done in righteousness. In 1 Peter 1:3 it is connected with being begotten toward living hope, while 2 Timothy 1:18 asks that a person find it from the Lord.

   Titus 3:51 Peter 1:32 Timothy 1:18Ephesians 2:4Hebrews 4:16Luke 1:58
2. Mercy invoked as a blessing · common

   In greeting and benediction clauses, the nominative form stands with grace, peace, or love as a benefit wished for the recipients. In 1 Timothy 1:2 the APB renders “grace, mercy, and peace,” and Jude 1:2 asks that “mercy, peace, and love” be multiplied.

   1 Timothy 1:22 Timothy 1:22 John 1:3Galatians 6:16Jude 1:2
3. Merciful conduct toward others · common

   The term can name conduct expected among people. In Luke 10:37 the APB renders the identifying reply as “The one who did the mercy with him,” followed by the command to act similarly; in James 2:13 it contrasts doing mercy with facing judgment without mercy. Matthew 9:13 and Matthew 12:7 place it in the saying, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice.”

   Luke 10:37James 2:13Matthew 9:13Matthew 12:7Matthew 23:23James 3:17

In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB usually presents the term with “mercy,” whether it describes God’s action, a requested blessing, or conduct toward another person. In Luke 10:37 it uses the unusual clause “did the mercy with him”; Its wording does not by itself define the term.