Mercy

“Do not despair of the Lord’s mercy, no matter how great your sins, for great mercy will take away your sins.” + St. Jerome

40 New Testament Mercy Verses

#	Ref.	Detail	Description	Verse
1.	Jesus	Teaching	Blessed / merciful / mercy…	Mt 5:7
2.	Jesus	Teaching	I desire mercy, not sacrifice…	Mt 9:13
3.	Jesus	Teaching	I desire mercy, not sacrifice…	Mt 12:7
4.	Jesus	Upbraiding	Neglected / judgment / mercy…	Mt 23:23
5.	St. Mary	Canticle	His mercy is from age to age…	Lk 1:50
6.	St. Mary	Canticle	He helped Israel / His mercy…	Lk 1:54
7.	God	Mercy	Lord shown great mercy to her…	Lk 1:58
8.	Zechariah	Canticle	To show mercy to our fathers…	Lk 1:72
9.	Zechariah	Canticle	Tender mercy of our God…	Lk 1:78
10.	Jesus	Teaching	Treated him with mercy…	Lk 10:37
11.	God	Providence	I will show mercy / whom I will…	Rom 9:15
12.	God	Providence	Depends / God / shows mercy…	Rom 9:16
13.	God	Providence	He has mercy / He wills…	Rom 9:18
14.	God	Chosen	His glory / vessels of mercy…	Rom 9:23
15.	God	Grace	You now have received mercy…	Rom 11:30
16.	God	Grace	By the mercy shown to you…	Rom 11:31
17.	God	Grace	God delivered / have mercy…	Rom 11:32
18.	Disciple	Works	If one acts of mercy…	Rom 12:8
19.	Christ	Servant	Gentiles / glorify God / mercy…	Rom 15:9
20.	St. Paul	Chosen	As one by the Lord’s mercy…	1 Cor 7:25
21.	St. Paul	Chosen	This ministry / thru mercy shown…	2 Cor 4:1
22.	St. Paul	Teaching	Peace / mercy / who follow God…	Gal 6:16
23.	God	Kindness	God, who is rich in mercy…	Eph 2:4
24.	Disciple	Attribute	Any compassion and mercy…	Phil 2:1
25.	God	Kindness	God had mercy on him…	Phil 2:27
26.	God	Forgiveness	Grace, mercy, peace from God…	1 Tim 1:2
27.	God	Forgiveness	Grace, mercy, peace from God…	2 Tim 1:2
28.	God	Compassion	May the Lord grant mercy…	2 Tim 1:16
29.	God	Compassion	Lord grant him / find mercy…	2 Tim 1:18
30.	God	Grace	His mercy / saved us…	Ti 3:5
31.	God	Grace	Throne of grace / receive mercy…	Heb 4:16
32.	God	Principle	Mercy triumphs / judgment…	Jas 2:13
33.	God	Holy	Wisdom / pure, full of mercy…	Jas 3:17
34.	God	Grace	Jesus Christ / in His great mercy…	1 Pt 1:3
35.	God	Grace	Now you have received mercy…	1 Pt 2:10
36.	God	Forgiveness	Grace, mercy / peace be with us…	2 Jn 1:3
37.	God	Forgiveness	Love, mercy and peace be yours…	Jude 1:2
38.	Christ	Compassion	Wait for the mercy of our Lord…	Jude 1:21
39.	Disciple	Works	On those who waver, have mercy…	Jude 1:22
40.	Disciple	Works	On others have mercy w fear…	Jude 1:23

“I am the Lord: I search the mind and probe the heart; I give to each one as his deeds deserve.” Divine Office Vol IV p.1170

The 7 Spiritual Works of Mercy

“The Spirit comes with the tenderness of a true friend and protector to save, to heal, to teach, to counsel, to strengthen, to console.” + St. Cyril

#1 Admonish the Sinner

“God rebukes but also encourages, He brings fear and He brings consolation, He strikes and He heals. Do not reject Him.” + St. Augustine

Iron is sharpened by iron; one person sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17

I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance. Luke 15:7

Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. Luke 17:3

Proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching. 2 Timothy 4:2

2. Instruct the Uninformed

“All blessings come to us through our Lord. He will teach us, for in beholding his life we find that He is the best example.” + St. Teresa of Avila

Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

But later, as the eleven were at table, he appeared to them and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they had not believed those who saw him after he had been raised. He said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”  Mark 16:14-18

And that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” Luke 24:47-49

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” John 20:21

All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that one who belongs to God may be competent, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingly power: proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching. For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine but, following their own desires and insatiable curiosity, will accumulate teachers and will stop listening to the truth and will be diverted to myths. But you, be self-possessed in all circumstances; put up with hardship; perform the work of an evangelist; fulfill your ministry. 2 Timothy 4:1-5

3. Counsel the Doubtful

“The disbelief of Thomas has done more for our faith than the faith of the other disciples. As he touches Christ and is won over to belief, every doubt is cast aside and our faith is strengthened.” + St. Gregory the Great

Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables? The sower sows the word. These are the ones on the path where the word is sown. As soon as they hear, Satan comes at once and takes away the word sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground who, when they hear the word, receive it at once with joy. But they have no root; they last only for a time. Then when tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Those sown among thorns are another sort. They are the people who hear the word, but worldly anxiety, the lure of riches, and the craving for other things intrude and choke the word, and it bears no fruit. But those sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.” Mark 4:13-20

“This is the meaning of the parable. The seed is the word of God. Those on the path are the ones who have heard, but the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts that they may not believe and be saved. Those on rocky ground are the ones who, when they hear, receive the word with joy, but they have no root; they believe only for a time and fall away in time of trial. As for the seed that fell among thorns, they are the ones who have heard, but as they go along, they are choked by the anxieties and riches and pleasures of life, and they fail to produce mature fruit. But as for the seed that fell on rich soil, they are the ones who, when they have heard the word, embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit through perseverance. Luke 8:11-15

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.  John 14:27

4. Bear Wrongs Patiently

“Endure with Christ, suffer for him, if you wish to reign with him.” + Thomas a Kempis

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect,  just as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:38-48

“But to you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Luke 6:27-28

Slaves, be subject to your masters with all reverence, not only to those who are good and equitable but also to those who are perverse. For whenever anyone bears the pain of unjust suffering because of consciousness of God, that is a grace. 1 Peter 2:18-19

5. Forgive Offenses Willingly

“The sinner who is forgiven is made whiter than snow.” + St. Ambrose

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; Matthew 6:12

If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions. Matthew 6:14-15

When you stand to pray, forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance, so that your heavenly Father may in turn forgive you your transgressions.” Mark 11:25

He was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test.” Luke 11:1-4

He said to his disciples, “Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to the person through whom they occur. It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he wrongs you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times saying, ‘I am sorry,’ you should forgive him.”  Luke 17:1-4

6. Comfort the Afflicted

“The person who shows love and compassion to those in any kind of affliction is blessed, not only with the virtue of good will but also with the gift of peace.” + St. Leo

The LORD rules forever, has set up his throne for judgment. It is he who judges the world with justice, who judges the peoples with fairness. The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you; you never forsake those who seek you, LORD. Psalms 9:8-11

Then I will proclaim your name to my brethren; in the assembly I will praise you: “You who fear the LORD, give praise! All descendants of Jacob, give honor; show reverence, all descendants of Israel! For He has not spurned or disdained the misery of this poor wretch, Did not turn away from me, but heard me when I cried out. I will offer praise in the great assembly; my vows I will fulfill before those who fear him. The poor will eat their fill; those who seek the LORD will offer praise. May your hearts enjoy life forever!”  Psalms 22:23-27

One thing I ask of the LORD; this I seek: To dwell in the LORD’s house all the days of my life, To gaze on the LORD’s beauty, to visit his temple. For God will hide me in his shelter in time of trouble, He will conceal me in the cover of his tent; and set me high upon a rock. Psalms 27:4-5

I praise you, LORD, for you raised me up and did not let my enemies rejoice over me. O LORD, my God, I cried out to you for help and you healed me. LORD, you brought my soul up from Sheol; you let me live, from going down to the pit. Psalms 30:2-4

God is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in distress. Psalms 46:2

Whatever bitter afflictions you sent me, you would turn and revive me. From the watery depths of the earth once more raise me up. Restore my honor; turn and comfort me, That I may praise you with the lyre for your faithfulness, my God, And sing to you with the harp, O Holy One of Israel! Psalms 71:20-22

Remember your word to your servant by which you give me hope. This is my comfort in affliction, your promise that gives me life. Psalms 119:49-50

For I know well the plans I have in mind for you—oracle of the LORD—plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope. When you call me, and come and pray to me, I will listen to you. When you look for me, you will find me. Yes, when you seek me with all your heart, I will let you find me—oracle of the LORD—and I will change your lot; I will gather you together from all the nations and all the places to which I have banished you—oracle of the LORD—and bring you back to the place from which I have exiled you. Jeremiah 29:11-14

But this I will call to mind; therefore I will hope: The LORD’s acts of mercy are not exhausted, his compassion is not spent; They are renewed each morning— great is your faithfulness! The LORD is my portion, I tell myself, therefore I will hope in him. Lamentations 3:21-24

For the Lord does not reject forever;  Though he brings grief, he takes pity, according to the abundance of his mercy; He does not willingly afflict or bring grief to human beings. Lamentations 3:31-33

The LORD is good to those who wait for him, a refuge on the day of distress, Taking care of those who look to him for protection, when the flood rages; He makes an end of his opponents, and pursues his enemies into darkness. Nahum 1:7-8

“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” Matthew 11:28-30

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it remains with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. John 14:15-18

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. John 14:27

So you also are now in anguish. But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. On that day you will not question me about anything. Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name He will give you. John 16:22-23

So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, for the old order has passed away.” Revelation 21:4

7. Pray for the Living and the Dead

“We pray in public as a community, and not for one individual but for all. For the people of God are all one.” + St. Cyprian

Judas rallied his army and went to the city of Adullam. As the seventh day was approaching, they purified themselves according to custom and kept the sabbath there. On the following day, since the task had now become urgent, Judas and his companions went to gather up the bodies of the fallen and bury them with their kindred in their ancestral tombs. But under the tunic of each of the dead they found amulets sacred to the idols of Jamnia, which the law forbids the Jews to wear. So it was clear to all that this was why these men had fallen. They all therefore praised the ways of the Lord, the just judge who brings to light the things that are hidden. Turning to supplication, they prayed that the sinful deed might be fully blotted out. The noble Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves free from sin, for they had seen with their own eyes what had happened because of the sin of those who had fallen. He then took up a collection among all his soldiers, amounting to two thousand silver drachmas, which he sent to Jerusalem to provide for an expiatory sacrifice. In doing this he acted in a very excellent and noble way, inasmuch as he had the resurrection in mind; for if he were not expecting the fallen to rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. But if he did this with a view to the splendid reward that awaits those who had gone to rest in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be absolved from their sin. 2 Maccabees 12:38-46

Father, they are your gift to me. I wish that where I am they also may be with me, that they may see my glory that you gave me, because you loved me before the foundation of the world. John 17:24

The 7 Corporal Works of Mercy

“May you have mercy and peace in abundance from Almighty God and Jesus Christ our Savior.” + St. Polycarp

1. Feed the Hungry

“Give to the poor, and you give to yourself.” + St. Peter Chrysologus

I would give my bread to the hungry and clothing to the naked. Tobit 1:17a

The generous will be blessed, for they share their food with the poor. Proverbs 22:9

If you lavish your food on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted; Then your light shall rise in the darkness, and your gloom shall become like midday; Isaiah 58:10

A man came from Baal-shalishah bringing the man of God twenty barley loaves made from the first fruits, and fresh grain in the ear. Elisha said, “Give it to the people to eat.” But his servant objected, “How can I set this before a hundred?” Elisha again said, “Give it to the people to eat, for thus says the LORD: You will eat and have some left over.” He set it before them, and when they had eaten, they had some left over, according to the word of the LORD. 2 Kings 4:42-44

When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said, “This is a deserted place and it is already late; dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.” Jesus said to them, “There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves.” But they said to him, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.” Then he said, “Bring them here to me,” and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the fragments left over —twelve wicker baskets full. Those who ate were about five thousand men, not counting women and children. Matthew 14:15-21

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, Matthew 25:35

He said to them in reply, “Whoever has two tunics should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise.” Luke 3:11

As the day was drawing to a close, the Twelve approached him and said, “Dismiss the crowd so that they can go to the surrounding villages and farms and find lodging and provisions; for we are in a deserted place here.” He said to them, “Give them some food yourselves.” They replied, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have, unless we ourselves go and buy food for all these people.” Now the men there numbered about five thousand. Then he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty.” They did so and made them all sit down. Then taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing over them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. They all ate and were satisfied. And when the leftover fragments were picked up, they filled twelve wicker baskets. Luke 9:12-17

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst. John 6:35

2. Give Drink to the Thirsty

“The Lord himself, our God Jesus Christ, is the fountain of life, and accordingly he invites us to himself as to a fountain, that we may drink.” + St. Columban

All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come, buy grain and eat; Come, buy grain without money, wine and milk without cost! Isaiah 55:1

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me. Matthew 25:35

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst. John 6:35

On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and exclaimed, “Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as scripture says: ‘Rivers of living water will flow from within him.’” He said this in reference to the Spirit that those who came to believe in him were to receive. There was, of course, no Spirit yet, because Jesus had not yet been glorified. John 7:37-39

He said to me, “They are accomplished. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give a gift from the spring of life-giving water. Revelation 21:6

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” Let the hearer say, “Come.” Let the one who thirsts come forward, and the one who wants it receive the gift of life-giving water. Revelation 22:17

3. Clothe the Naked

“If we share with the poor, out of love for God, whatever he has given to us, we shall receive according to his promise a hundredfold in eternal happiness.” + St. John of God

I would give my bread to the hungry and clothing to the naked. Tobit 1:17a

Naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Matthew 25:36

4. Shelter the Homeless

“If you consider the poor in light of faith, then you will observe that they are taking the place of the Son of God who chose to be poor.” + St. Vincent de Paul

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me. Matthew 25:35

5. Visit the Sick

“Do not adorn the church and ignore your afflicted brother, for he is the most precious temple of all.” + St. John Chrysostom

Naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Matthew 25:36

6. Visit the Imprisoned

“Follow the ways of God, and have respect for one another; let no one judge his neighbor as the world does, but love one another always in Jesus Christ.” + St. Ignatius

Naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Matthew 25:36

7. Bury the Dead

“Christ is risen. His rising brings life to the dead, forgiveness to sinners, and glory to the saints.” + St. Maximus

I would give my bread to the hungry and clothing to the naked. If I saw one of my people who had died and been thrown behind the wall of Nineveh, I used to bury him. Sennacherib returned from Judea, having fled during the days of the judgment enacted against him by the King of Heaven because of the blasphemies he had uttered; whomever he killed I buried. Tobit 1:17-18a

My brothers, one can confidently say to you about the patriarch David that he died and was buried, and his tomb is in our midst to this day. Acts 2:29

Catechism of the Works of Mercy

The works of mercy are charitable actions by which we come to the aid of our neighbor in his spiritual and bodily necessities.

Instructing, advising, consoling, comforting are spiritual works of mercy, as are forgiving and bearing wrongs patiently.

The corporal works of mercy consist especially in feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, and burying the dead.

Among all these, giving alms to the poor is one of the chief witnesses to fraternal charity: it is also a work of justice pleasing to God:

He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none and he who has food must do likewise. But give for alms those things which are within; and behold, everything is clean for you. If a brother or sister is ill-clad and in lack of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit?

Source: Catechism of the Catholic Church #2447