Luke 18:13

The common translation of ἱλάσθητί as "be merciful" is misleading, undertranslated at best. The term derives from ἱλάσκομαι, meaning “to make propitiation” or “to appease wrath,” and is used in contexts of atonement, not mere compassion. It more properly conveys a plea for divine reconciliation or expiation of guilt, akin to the Hebrew כפר (kipper).