26 Bible Verses About Mercy (NIV & KJV)

Mercy is one of the most beautiful aspects of God's character. It is His tender compassion toward us, His willingness to withhold the judgment we deserve and to meet us with kindness instead. From cover to cover, Scripture testifies that the Lord is rich in mercy and full of compassion.

These Bible verses about mercy gather Scripture's witness to God's forgiving heart and His call for us to be merciful in turn. They remind us that no matter how far we have fallen, His mercies are new every morning, and that as we have received mercy, we are called to extend it to others.

Every verse below is in both the NIV and KJV. Let them reassure you of God's compassion and inspire you to show that same mercy to those around you.

💙 God Is Rich in Mercy

The Lord's mercy flows from His loving, compassionate heart.

“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”— Ephesians 2:4-5 (NIV)“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)”— Ephesians 2:4-5 (KJV)

“The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.”— Psalm 103:8 (NIV)“The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.”— Psalm 103:8 (KJV)

“But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.”— Psalm 86:15 (NIV)“But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.”— Psalm 86:15 (KJV)

“The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.”— Psalm 145:8 (NIV)“The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.”— Psalm 145:8 (KJV)

“And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,”— Exodus 34:6 (NIV)“And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,”— Exodus 34:6 (KJV)

🌅 His Mercies Never End

God's compassion is fresh and faithful every single day.

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”— Lamentations 3:22-23 (NIV)“It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”— Lamentations 3:22-23 (KJV)

“Psalm 136 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever.”— Psalm 136:1 (NIV)“O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”— Psalm 136:1 (KJV)

“For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;”— Psalm 103:11 (NIV)“For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.”— Psalm 103:11 (KJV)

“As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;”— Psalm 103:13 (NIV)“Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.”— Psalm 103:13 (KJV)

“You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you.”— Psalm 86:5 (NIV)“For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.”— Psalm 86:5 (KJV)

✝️ Saved by God's Mercy

We are forgiven and redeemed because of His mercy.

“he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,”— Titus 3:5 (NIV)“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”— Titus 3:5 (KJV)

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”— 1 Peter 1:3 (NIV)“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”— 1 Peter 1:3 (KJV)

“Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”— Proverbs 28:13 (NIV)“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”— Proverbs 28:13 (KJV)

“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”— Hebrews 4:16 (NIV)“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”— Hebrews 4:16 (KJV)

“His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.”— Luke 1:50 (NIV)“And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.”— Luke 1:50 (KJV)

🤝 Showing Mercy to Others

As we receive mercy, God calls us to give it.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”— Matthew 5:7 (NIV)“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.”— Matthew 5:7 (KJV)

“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”— Luke 6:36 (NIV)“Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.”— Luke 6:36 (KJV)

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”— Micah 6:8 (NIV)“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”— Micah 6:8 (KJV)

“because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”— James 2:13 (NIV)“For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.”— James 2:13 (KJV)

“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”— James 3:17 (NIV)“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.”— James 3:17 (KJV)

🙏 Crying Out for Mercy

We can always come to God seeking His mercy.

“Psalm 51 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.”— Psalm 51:1 (NIV)“Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.”— Psalm 51:1 (KJV)

““But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’”— Luke 18:13 (NIV)“And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.”— Luke 18:13 (KJV)

“May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you.”— Psalm 33:22 (NIV)“Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.”— Psalm 33:22 (KJV)

“Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old.”— Psalm 25:6 (NIV)“Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.”— Psalm 25:6 (KJV)

“For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.””— Hebrews 8:12 (NIV)“For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.”— Hebrews 8:12 (KJV)

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.”— Lamentations 3:22 (NIV)“It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.”— Lamentations 3:22 (KJV)

What Does the Bible Say About Mercy?

The Bible says that mercy is at the very heart of who God is. He is described as "merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy," and "rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us." His compassions "fail not," they are "new every morning," and His mercy "endureth for ever." Because of His mercy, not our works, He saves and forgives all who call upon Him.

Scripture also teaches that those who receive God's mercy are called to extend it to others. Jesus said, "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy," and urged His followers to "be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful." Micah summarizes God's desire for us: to "do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God." Mercy is both God's gift to us and His calling upon our lives.

May you rest in God's endless mercy and freely share it with others. For more encouragement, explore Bible verses about grace, Bible verses about forgiveness, and Bible verses about kindness.