grace / mercy
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mercy
An act of mercy, forgiveness, or remission of punishment, especially by someone in a position of power.
Der zum Tode Verurteilte richtete ein Gnadengesuch an den Präsidenten.
The person sentenced to death submitted a petition for mercy to the president.
grace
In a religious context, God's undeserved, loving favor toward human beings.
Im Christentum ist die göttliche Gnade ein zentraler Glaubensinhalt.
In Christianity, divine grace is a central article of faith.
without mercy
Ruthlessly, mercilessly, or brutally.
Der Boxer griff seinen Gegner ohne Gnade an.
The boxer attacked his opponent without mercy.
The adjective 'gnädig' (merciful) and the verb 'begnadigen' (to pardon) are derived from 'Gnade' (grace/mercy). All of these words share the basic idea of forgiveness from a position of power.
Der König erwies sich als gnädiger Herrscher.
The king proved to be a merciful ruler.
The word 'Gnade' (grace/mercy) belongs more to elevated or formal language. It is used less often in everyday speech, except in fixed expressions such as 'ohne Gnade' (without mercy).
Er bat um Gnade, aber der Richter blieb hart.
He begged for mercy, but the judge remained harsh.
In a legal or power-political context, 'Gnade' (mercy) is often combined with verbs like 'bitten' (to ask), 'anflehen' (to implore), 'gewähren' (to grant), or 'suchen' (to seek). A typical expression is 'ein Gnadengesuch stellen' (to submit a petition for mercy).
Der Gefangene flehte den König um Gnade an.
The prisoner implored the king for mercy.
The meaning of 'göttliche Zuwendung' (divine favor) is almost exclusively limited to religious or theological texts and conversations. Signal words are 'Gott' (God), 'göttlich' (divine), or 'Sünder' (sinner).
In seiner Predigt sprach der Pfarrer über die Gnade Gottes.
In his sermon, the pastor spoke about the grace of God.
The expression 'ohne Gnade' (without mercy) is used like an adverb and means 'rücksichtslos' (ruthlessly) or 'unbarmherzig' (mercilessly). It describes an action that shows no leniency.
Die Mannschaft kämpfte ohne Gnade um den Sieg.
The team fought without mercy for the victory.
favor
Die Gnade and die Gunst can both refer to a positive decision by a powerful person. Gnade primarily means that someone mercifully waives a deserved punishment or accusation. Gunst, by contrast, suggests goodwill or preferential treatment without the idea of guilt and leniency.
Der König gewährte dem besiegten Feind Gnade und ließ ihn frei.
The king showed the defeated enemy mercy and set him free.
Der König gewährte dem talentierten Musiker seine Gunst und lud ihn an den Hof ein.
The king showed the talented musician his favor and invited him to court.
