Strong's Lexicon
eleos: Mercy, compassion, pity
Original Word:ἔλεος
Part of Speech:Noun, Masculine; Noun, Neuter
Transliteration:eleos
Pronunciation:EL-eh-os
Phonetic Spelling:(el'-eh-os)
Definition:Mercy, compassion, pity
Meaning:pity, mercy, compassion.
Word Origin:Derived from the Greek verb ἐλεέω (eleeō), meaning "to show mercy" or "to have compassion."
Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: -H2617 (חֶסֶד, chesed): Often translated as "lovingkindness" or "steadfast love," it conveys a sense of loyalty and covenantal love.
-H7356 (רַחַם, racham): Meaning "compassion" or "mercy," it emphasizes a deep emotional response to the needs of others.
Usage:In the New Testament, "eleos" refers to the compassionate treatment of those in distress, especially when it is within one's power to punish or harm. It is often used to describe God's mercy towards humanity, as well as the expected mercy believers should show to one another. The term encompasses both the feeling of compassion and the action that results from it.
Cultural and Historical Background:In the Greco-Roman world, mercy was not always considered a virtue, often seen as a weakness. However, in Jewish and Christian thought, mercy is a central attribute of God and a fundamental ethical requirement for His followers. The concept of mercy in the Bible is deeply rooted in the covenant relationship between God and His people, where God’s mercy is a response to human sin and suffering.
HELPS Word-studies
1656éleos (translating OT2617/kataisxýnō, "covenant-loyalty, covenant-love" in the OT-LXX over 170 times) – properly, "mercy" as it is defined byloyalty to God's covenant.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origina prim. word
Definitionmercy, pity, compassion
NASB Translationcompassion (2), mercy (25).
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 1656: ἔλεος (1)ἔλεος (1),
ἐλέου,
ὁ,
mercy: that of God toward sinners,
Titus 3:5;
ἔλεονλαμβάνειν, to receive i. e. experience,
Hebrews 4:16; that of men: readiness to help those in trouble,
Matthew 9:13 and
Matthew 12:7 (from
Hosea 6:6);
Matthew 23:23. But in all these passages
LTTrWH have adopted the neuter form
τόἔλεος (which see), much more common in Hellenistic writings than the masculine
ὁἔλεος, which is the only form in classic Greek (
Sophocles (Lexicon, under the word) notes
ἔλεος in
Polybius 1, 88, 2; and
Pape in
Diodorus Siculus 3, 18 variant). The Greek manuscripts of the O. T. also frequently waver between the two forms. Cf. (
WHs Appendix, p. 158);
Winers Grammar, 66 (64);
Buttmann, 22 (20).
STRONGS NT 1656: ἔλεος (2)ἔλεος (2),ἐλέους,τό (a form more common in Hellenistic Greek than the classicὁἔλεος, which see), "mercy; kindness or good will toward the miserable and afflicted, joined with a desire to relieve them";
1. of men toward men:Matthew 9:13;Matthew 12:7;Matthew 23:23 (in these three passages, accusatives toLTTrWH);James 2:13;James 3:17;ποιεῖνἔλεος, to exercise the virtue of mercy, show oneself merciful,James 2:13; with the addition ofμετάτίνος (in imitation of the very common Hebrew phraseפּעִםחֶסֶדעָשָׂה,Genesis 21:23;Genesis 24:12;Judges 1:24, etc.; cf.Thiersch, De Pentateuchi vers. Alex., p. 147; (Winer's Grammar, 33 (32); 376 (353))), to show, afford, mercy to one,Luke 10:37.
2. of God toward men;
a. universally:Luke 1:50; in benedictions:Galatians 6:16;1 Timothy 1:2;2 Timothy 1:2; ((probably)Titus 1:4RL);2 John 1:3;Jude 1:2.ἐμεγάλυνεκύριοςτόἔλεοςαὐτοῦμετ'αὐτῆς, magnified his mercy toward her, i. e. showed distinguished mercy to her (after the Hebrew, seeGenesis 19:19),Luke 1:58.
b. especially the mercy and clemency of God in providing and offering to men salvation by Christ:Luke 1:54;Romans 15:9;Ephesians 2:4; (Titus 3:5LTTrWH;Hebrews 4:16LTTrWH);1 Peter 1:3;σπλάγχναἐλέους (the genitive of quality (cf.Winers Grammar, 611 (568))), wherein mercy dwells, as we should say,the heart of mercy,Luke 1:78;ποιεῖνἔλεοςμετάτίνος (see 1 above),Luke 1:72;σκεύηἐλέους, vessels (fitted for the reception) of mercy, i. e. men whom GOd has made fit to obtain salvation through Christ,Romans 9:23;τῷὑμετέρῳἐληι, by (in consequence of, moved by) the mercy shown you in your conversion to Christ,Romans 11:31 (cf.Winers Grammar, § 22, 7 (cf. § 61, 3 a.);Buttmann, 157 (137)).
3. the mercy of Christ, whereby at his return to judgment he will bless true Christians with eternal life:Jude 1:21; (2 Timothy 1:16, 18 (on the repetition ofκύριος in2 Timothy 1:18 cf.Genesis 19:24;1 Samuel 3:21;1 Samuel 15:22;2 Chronicles 7:2;Genesis 1:27, etc.Winer's Grammar, § 22, 2); but Prof. Grimm understandsκύριος here as referring to God; seeκύριος, c.α.). (Cf.Trench, § xlvii.; and seeἐληω at the end.)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
tender mercy.Of uncertain affinity; compassion (human or divine, especially active) -- (+ tender) mercy.
Forms and Transliterations
ελεει ελεεί ελέει ἐλέει ελεή ελέη έλεον έλεόν Ελεος ελεός έλεος έλεός Ἔλεος ελεους ελέους ἐλέους eleei eléei Eleos Éleos eleous eléousLinks
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