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ἐλεέω

eleéō

G1653 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To show or feel compassion, to extend mercy; primarily, to act out of a sense of mercy or compassion toward someone in need or distress. May denote both an internal feeling (pity, compassion) and its external expression in action (help, forgiveness, relief), depending on context. It may involve tangible acts helping the afflicted, or acts of forgiveness and forbearance.

Semantic Range

to feel compassion, to show mercy, to act mercifully, to have pity, to grant relief or forgiveness, to show benevolence, to act kindly in response to need or distress

Root / Etymology

From ἔλεος (eleos), 'mercy, compassion.' Formed with the verbal ending -έω indicating action or process. No clear cognates outside of Greek; not derived immediately from non-Greek sources.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, ἐλεέω referred to an emotional response of pity or compassion, frequently found in contexts involving supplication or appeals for help. In Hellenistic and Koine Greek, including the Septuagint and New Testament, the verb extends to the granting of mercy by both humans and the divine, encompassing both internal feeling and outward action. In the Septuagint, it often renders Hebrew חָנַן (ḥānan, 'to show favor') and רָחַם (rāḥam, 'to show compassion') as well as חֶסֶד (ḥesed, 'loving-kindness'). In the New Testament, frequently used for acts of divine or human mercy, often in response to pleas for help; the context determines whether the subject is God, Christ, or a human authority. Standard English translations use 'have mercy,' 'show compassion,' or 'have pity,' but these can obscure the word's active, benevolent aspect. Associated nouns: ἔλεος ('mercy'), ἐλεημοσύνη ('almsgiving, charitable deed'). In contrast to related terms (e.g., οἰκτείρω, σπλαγχνίζομαι), ἐλεέω often emphasizes beneficent action following the feeling of compassion.

Translation Consistency

primary "show" 23 occurrences

Most natural and flexible single-word verb that matches the common P2 renderings ("show," "shown," "showing"). It pairs naturally with objects like "mercy" or "compassion" to cover both inward feeling and outward action (e.g. "show mercy," "show compassion"), avoids the potentially condescending tone of "pity," and yields natural English across the semantic range of ἐλεέω.

Alternatives (9 occurrences):
"shown mercy" (4x) "having been shown mercy" (3x) "receive mercy" (1x) "might be shown mercy" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from ἔλεος; to compassionate (by word or deed, specially, by divine grace):--have compassion (pity on), have (obtain, receive, shew) mercy (on).

Root Family

ἐλεε- (eleeinós) — to show pity, to elicit compassion

Root ἐλεε- to have compassion, to show mercy
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
G1652 ἐλεεινός pitiable one

Word Forms

19 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G1653-10 ἐλέησον eleeson V AOR ACT IMP 2P SG have mercy Show mercy Show mercy 11
G1653-01 ἐλεᾶτε eleate V PRS ACT IMP 2P PL have mercy show mercy show mercy 2
G1653-08 ἠλέησέν eleesen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG had mercy showed mercy showed mercy 2
G1653-12 ἠλεήθην eleethen V AOR PASS IND 1P SG I obtained mercy I was shown mercy I was shown mercy 2
G1653-02 ἐλεεῖ eleei V PRS ACT IND 3P SG He has mercy he/she shows mercy he shows mercy 1
G1653-03 ἠλεημένοι eleemenoi V PRF PASS PTCP NOM M PL had received mercy having been shown mercy having been shown mercy 1
G1653-04 ἠλεημένος eleemenos V PRF PASS PTCP NOM M SG having received mercy having been shown mercy having been shown mercy 1
G1653-05 ἠλέησα eleesa V AOR ACT IND 1P SG had mercy I showed mercy showed mercy 1
G1653-06 ἐλεῆσαι eleesai V AOR ACT INF to have mercy to show mercy to show mercy 1
G1653-07 ἐλεήσῃ eleese V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG he might have mercy he may show mercy he may show mercy 1

Occurrences in Scripture

32 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G1653-14 Matthew 5:7 ἐλεηθήσονται eleethesontai V FUT PASS IND 3P PL shall receive mercy they will receive mercy they will receive mercy
G1653-10 Matthew 9:27 ἐλέησον eleeson V AOR ACT IMP 2P SG Have mercy Show mercy Show mercy
G1653-10 Matthew 15:22 ἐλέησόν eleeson V AOR ACT IMP 2P SG Have mercy Show mercy Show mercy
G1653-10 Matthew 17:15 ἐλέησόν eleeson V AOR ACT IMP 2P SG have mercy Show mercy Show mercy
G1653-06 Matthew 18:33 ἐλεῆσαι eleesai V AOR ACT INF to have mercy to show mercy to show mercy
G1653-05 Matthew 18:33 ἠλέησα eleesa V AOR ACT IND 1P SG had mercy I showed mercy showed mercy
G1653-10 Matthew 20:30 ἐλέησον eleeson V AOR ACT IMP 2P SG have mercy Show mercy Show mercy
G1653-10 Matthew 20:31 ἐλέησον eleeson V AOR ACT IMP 2P SG have mercy Show mercy Show mercy
G1653-08 Mark 5:19 ἠλέησέν eleesen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG had mercy showed mercy showed mercy
G1653-10 Mark 10:47 ἐλέησόν eleeson V AOR ACT IMP 2P SG have mercy Show mercy Show mercy
G1653-10 Mark 10:48 ἐλέησόν eleeson V AOR ACT IMP 2P SG have mercy Show mercy Show mercy
G1653-10 Luke 16:24 ἐλέησόν eleeson V AOR ACT IMP 2P SG have mercy Show mercy Show mercy
G1653-10 Luke 17:13 ἐλέησον eleeson V AOR ACT IMP 2P SG have mercy Show mercy Show mercy
G1653-10 Luke 18:38 ἐλέησόν eleeson V AOR ACT IMP 2P SG have mercy Show mercy Show mercy
G1653-10 Luke 18:39 ἐλέησόν eleeson V AOR ACT IMP 2P SG have mercy Show mercy Show mercy
G1653-09 Romans 9:15 ἐλεήσω eleeso V FUT ACT IND 1P SG I will have mercy I will show mercy I will show mercy
G1653-17 Romans 9:15 ἐλεῶ eleo V PRS ACT SUBJ 1P SG I have mercy I may show mercy I may show mercy
G1653-19 Romans 9:16 ἐλεῶντος eleontos V PRS ACT PTCP GEN M SG that sheweth mercy of the one showing mercy one showing mercy
G1653-02 Romans 9:18 ἐλεεῖ eleei V PRS ACT IND 3P SG He has mercy he/she shows mercy he shows mercy
G1653-15 Romans 11:30 ἠλεήθητε eleethete V AOR PASS IND 2P PL have been shown mercy you were shown mercy you were shown mercy
G1653-16 Romans 11:31 ἐλεηθῶσιν eleethosin V AOR PASS SUBJ 3P PL may obtain mercy they might be shown mercy they might be shown mercy
G1653-07 Romans 11:32 ἐλεήσῃ eleese V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG he might have mercy he may show mercy he may show mercy
G1653-18 Romans 12:8 ἐλεῶν eleon V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG shows mercy showing mercy showing mercy
G1653-04 1 Corinthians 7:25 ἠλεημένος eleemenos V PRF PASS PTCP NOM M SG having received mercy having been shown mercy having been shown mercy
G1653-11 2 Corinthians 4:1 ἠλεήθημεν eleethemen V AOR PASS IND 1P PL we received mercy we were shown mercy we were shown mercy
G1653-08 Philippians 2:27 ἠλέησεν eleesen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG had mercy showed mercy showed mercy
G1653-12 1 Timothy 1:13 ἠλεήθην eleethen V AOR PASS IND 1P SG I received mercy I was shown mercy I was shown mercy
G1653-12 1 Timothy 1:16 ἠλεήθην eleethen V AOR PASS IND 1P SG I obtained mercy I was shown mercy I was shown mercy
G1653-03 1 Peter 2:10 ἠλεημένοι eleemenoi V PRF PASS PTCP NOM M PL had received mercy having been shown mercy having been shown mercy
G1653-13 1 Peter 2:10 ἐλεηθέντες eleethentes V AOR PASS PTCP NOM M PL have received mercy having been shown mercy having been shown mercy
G1653-01 Jude 1:22 ἐλεᾶτε eleate V PRS ACT IMP 2P PL have mercy on show mercy show mercy
G1653-01 Jude 1:23 ἐλεᾶτε eleate V PRS ACT IMP 2P PL have mercy show mercy show mercy
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