Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful — the summary command: be merciful (oiktirmones, compassionately merciful) as your Father is merciful. The Father's mercy is the standard for the disciples' mercy — not a human-achievable goal but the divine character as the aspiration. The parallel to Matthew 5:48 (be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect) communicates that perfection and mercy are the same thing: the complete expression of the Father's character.

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