<p>5:7&nbsp;<em>Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy</em>- This is apparently missing in Luke's record. He says instead that the reviled and excluded will be blessed (Lk. 6:22). Samuel Lachs suggests another original text actually read &quot;Happy are they who are excommunicated for they shall receive mercy&quot; (Samuel T. Lachs,&nbsp;<em>A Rabbinic Commentary of the New Testament</em>&nbsp;(Jersey City: Ktav, 1987) p. 75). There's a clear connection with Ps. 18:25: &quot;With the merciful you will show yourself merciful. With the perfect man, you will show yourself perfect&quot;. This verse was clearly in the Lord's mind, and it may shed light on His later challenge to be perfect as the Father is perfect (Mt. 5:48)- in this case, He would be inviting us to forgive others as God does. Paul in 2 Tim. 1:16 saw Onesiphorus as the merciful man of Mt. 5:7; and the Jerusalem ecclesia (Heb. 10:34) as the persecuted people of Mt. 5:12.</p>