Exegesis:

V. 36 may give “further development of the principle of Christian love” (Plummer), or be introduction to what follows, i.e. to vv. 37f (cf. Klostermann). The latter is preferable.

ginesthe oiktirmones ‘be compassionate.’

oiktirmōn ‘merciful,’ ‘compassionate,’ i.e. in judging people, as vv. 37f show.

kathōs [kai] ho patēr humōn oiktirmōn estin ‘just as your father is compassionate.’ kai, if adopted, reinforces kathōs.

Translation:

Merciful, or, ‘showing/having compassion,’ ‘kind.’ When the verse is taken with vv. 27-35 the word refers to gifts and deeds, cf. ‘be a doer of merciful deeds’ (Kekchi); when it goes with vv. 37ff the word implies kindness and forbearance in judgment. Cf. on “mercy” in 1.50.

Your Father. In languages that differentiate according to rank the disciples’ own fathers would usually be referred to with a non-honorific term, but, since here (and in 12.30, 32) the reference is to their heavenly Father, an honorific term may be required, which often, but not necessarily always, is the same as the one used in 2.49. Another problem may arise in a language like Huixtec where the use of the pronoun of the second person would exclude Jesus; hence the rendering had to be ‘our (inclus.) Father.’

Quoted with permission from Reiling, J. and Swellengrebel, J.L. A Handbook on the Gospel of Luke. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1971. For this and other handbooks for translators see here . Make sure to also consult the Handbook on the Gospel of Mark for parallel or similar verses.