Lexical Summary agapaó: To love Original Word: ἀγαπάω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance indignation. Perhaps from agan (much); to love (in a social or moral sense) -- (be-)love(-ed). Compare phileo. see GREEK phileo HELPS Word-studies Cognate: 25 agapáō – properly, to prefer, to love; for the believer, preferring to "live through Christ" (1 Jn 4:9,10), i.e. embracing God's will (choosing His choices) and obeying them through His power. 25 (agapáō) preeminently refers to what God prefers as He "is love" (1 Jn 4:8,16). See 26 (agapē). With the believer, 25 /agapáō ("to love") means actively doing what the Lord prefers, with Him (by His power and direction). True 25 /agapáō ("loving") is always defined by God – a "discriminating affection which involves choice and selection" (WS, 477). 1 Jn 4:8,16,17 for example convey how loving ("preferring," 25 /agapáō) is Christ living His life through the believer. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain origin Definition to love NASB Translation beloved (8), felt a love for (1), love (1), love (75), loved (38), loves (20). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 25: ἀγαπάωἀγαπάω, (ῶ; (imperfect ἠγάπων); future ἀγαπήσω; 1 aorist ἠγάπησα; perfect active (1 person plural ἠγαπήκαμεν, 1 John 4:10 WH text), participle ἠγαπηκῶς (2 Timothy 4:8); passive (present ἀγαπῶμαι); perfect participle ἠγαπημένος; 1 future ἀγαπηθήσομαι; (akin to ἄγαμαι (Fick, Part 4:12; see ἀγαθός, at the beginning)); to love, to be full of good-will and exhibit the same: Luke 7:47; 1 John 4:7f; with the accusative of the person, to have a preference for, wish well to, regard the welfare of: Matthew 5:43ff; Matthew 19:19; Luke 7:5; John 11:5; Romans 13:8; 2 Corinthians 11:11; 2 Corinthians 12:15; Galatians 5:14; Ephesians 5:25, 28; 1 Peter 1:22, and elsewhere; used often in the First Epistle of John of the love of Christians toward one another; of the benevolence which God, in providing salvation for men, has exhibited by sending his Son to them and giving him up to death, John 3:16; Romans 8:37; 2 Thessalonians 2:16; 1 John 4:11, 19; (noteworthy is Jude 1:1 L T Tr WH τοῖς ἐν Θεῷ πατρί ἠγαπημένοις; see ἐν, I. 4, and cf. Lightfoot on Colossians 3:12); of the love which led Christ, in procuring human salvation, to undergo sufferings and death, Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 5:2; of the love with which God regards Christ, John 3:35; (v. Topical Lexicon Broad Scope of ἀγαπάωFar beyond sentiment, ἀγαπάω describes a volitional, covenant-loyal love that seeks the true good of another regardless of merit or cost. It is rooted in God’s own character and thus governs every sphere where Scripture speaks of relationship—divine, ecclesial, familial, social, even toward enemies. Divine Initiative: The Father’s Love The New Testament first presents ἀγαπάω as the Father’s motive in redemption. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son” (John 3:16). This love precedes human response (1 John 4:10) and rests on sovereign purpose (Ephesians 2:4; Romans 9:25). The Father’s continuous love for the Son (“The Father loves the Son,” John 3:35) reveals that ἀγαπάω is eternal, intra-Trinitarian, and entirely pure. Christ’s Self-Giving Love Jesus embodies ἀγαπάω: “Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end” (John 13:1). His cross is the climactic demonstration—“Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us” (Ephesians 5:2). Paul repeatedly grounds practical exhortations in this historic act (Galatians 2:20; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15). The Spirit and the Experience of Love While ἀγαπάω itself is never used of the Spirit, the Spirit mediates divine love to believers (Romans 5:5). Life “in the Spirit” is inseparable from living in love (1 John 4:12-13). Believers’ Reciprocal Love for God Love for God is the foremost command (Matthew 22:37; Deuteronomy 6:5 LXX uses ἀγαπάω). It involves obedience: “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word” (John 14:23). Conversely, the absence of love exposes spiritual death (1 Corinthians 16:22; 1 John 2:15). Love for Neighbor: The Royal Law “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39) is elevated to the status of “summarizing the Law and the Prophets.” Romans 13:8-10 and Galatians 5:14 both teach that loving fulfills the entire moral demand of the Law because ἀγαπάω refuses harm and actively pursues another’s welfare. Mutual Love within the Church A “new commandment” intensifies neighbor-love: “Love one another. As I have loved you, so also you must love one another” (John 13:34). This Christlike pattern, repeated throughout 1 John (e.g., 3:11, 4:7), is the primary evidence of regeneration (1 John 3:14). The household of faith expresses such love through tangible service (1 Peter 1:22; Hebrews 10:24). Marital and Familial Application Husbands are told, “Love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25). The directive links domestic responsibility to Christ’s redemptive model. Wives and children are called “beloved” (Colossians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:4), marking the home as a training ground for gospel love. Love for Enemies Unique to Christian ethics, ἀγαπάω extends even to the hostile: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). Luke’s parallel (6:27-35) ties such love to the character of the “Most High,” whose kindness reaches the ungrateful. Love and Worldliness Scripture sets ἀγαπάω against misplaced affections. “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). A divided heart cannot serve two masters (Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13). Demas’s tragic choice (2 Timothy 4:10) warns that loving the present age eclipses ministry and fellowship. Love as Motivation for Generosity and Service “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7) aligns ἀγαπάω with joyful generosity. Paul gladly spends and is “utterly spent” for the Corinthians, “even if I love you the more” (2 Corinthians 12:15). Love energizes ministry without demanding return. Eschatological Reward for Those Who Love God “Eye has not seen…what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). Crowns await “all who have loved His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8) and those who persevere under trial (James 1:12). Love thus has a future orientation, fastening hope on the coming of Christ. Love and Knowledge “Anyone who loves God is known by Him” (1 Corinthians 8:3). True knowledge is relational, not merely intellectual. Conversely, love discerns: “Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love” (Ephesians 6:24). Pastoral and Missional Significance The 143 occurrences of ἀγαπάω thread through narrative, doctrine, and exhortation, giving local congregations a mandate to reflect divine love in preaching, sacraments, discipline, and mission. Because Scripture presents love as the preeminent virtue (Colossians 3:14), every facet of ministry—evangelism, counseling, stewardship—must be measured by the standard of Christ’s self-emptying, others-advancing love. Summary ἀγαπάω encompasses God’s eternal affection, Christ’s sacrificial action, the believer’s grateful response, and the church’s communal ethic. It is the fountain from which all true obedience flows and the mark by which genuine discipleship is recognized. Forms and Transliterations αγαπα αγαπά αγάπα ἀγαπᾷ αγαπαν αγαπάν ἀγαπᾷν ἀγαπᾶν αγαπας αγαπάς ἀγαπᾷς αγαπατε αγαπάτε αγαπάτέ ἀγαπᾶτε ἀγαπᾶτέ αγαπατω αγαπάτω ἀγαπάτω αγαπηθησεται αγαπηθήσεται ἀγαπηθήσεται αγαπήσαι αγαπήσαντι αγαπησαντος αγαπήσαντος αγαπήσαντός ἀγαπήσαντος ἀγαπήσαντός αγαπησας αγαπήσας ἀγαπήσας αγαπήσασά αγαπησατε αγαπήσατε ἀγαπήσατε αγαπησει αγαπήσει ἀγαπήσει Αγαπησεις αγαπήσεις Ἀγαπήσεις αγαπήσετε αγαπησητε αγαπήσητε ἀγαπήσητε αγαπήσομεν αγάπησον αγαπησω αγαπήσω ἀγαπήσω αγαπω αγαπώ ἀγαπῶ αγαπωμαι αγαπώμαι ἀγαπῶμαι αγαπωμεν αγαπώμεν ἀγαπῶμεν αγαπώμεναι αγαπώμενος αγαπων αγαπών ἀγαπῶν αγαπωντας αγαπώντας αγαπώντάς ἀγαπῶντας αγαπώντες αγαπωντι ἀγαπῶντι αγαπώντος αγαπωντων αγαπώντων ἀγαπώντων αγαπώσαν αγαπώσι αγαπώσί αγαπωσιν αγαπώσιν ἀγαπῶσιν ηάπησε ηγαπα ηγάπα ἠγάπα ηγαπατε ηγαπάτε ηγαπάτέ ἠγαπᾶτε ἠγαπᾶτέ ηγάπηκα ηγάπηκά ηγαπηκαμεν ἠγαπήκαμεν ηγαπήκειν ηγαπηκοσι ηγαπηκόσι ἠγαπηκόσι ηγαπημένα ηγαπημένη ηγαπημενην ηγαπημένην ηγάπημενην ἠγαπημένην ηγαπημένης ηγαπημενοι ηγαπημένοι ἠγαπημένοι ηγαπημενοις ἠγαπημένοις ηγαπημένον ηγαπημένος ηγαπημένου ηγαπημενω ηγαπημένω ἠγαπημένῳ ηγαπησα ηγάπησα ηγάπησά ἠγάπησα ἠγάπησά ηγαπήσαμεν ηγάπησαμεν ηγαπησαν ηγάπησαν ηγάπησάν ἠγάπησαν ηγαπησας ηγάπησας ηγάπησάς ἠγάπησας ἠγάπησάς ηγάπησε ηγάπησέ ηγαπησεν ηγάπησεν ἠγάπησεν ἠγάπησέν agapa agapā̂i agapā̂in agapā̂is agapan agapas agapate agapâte agapâté agapato agapatō agapáto agapátō agapesantos agapēsantos agapḗsantos agapḗsantós agapesas agapēsas agapḗsas agapesate agapēsate agapḗsate agapesei agapēsei agapḗsei Agapeseis Agapēseis Agapḗseis agapesete agapēsēte agapḗsete agapḗsēte agapeso agapēsō agapḗso agapḗsō agapethesetai agapethḗsetai agapēthēsetai agapēthḗsetai agapo agapô agapō agapō̂ agapomai agapômai agapōmai agapō̂mai agapomen agapômen agapōmen agapō̂men agapon agapôn agapōn agapō̂n agapontas agapôntas agapōntas agapō̂ntas agaponti agapônti agapōnti agapō̂nti agaponton agapōntōn agapṓnton agapṓntōn agaposin agapôsin agapōsin agapō̂sin egapa egápa ēgapa ēgápa egapate egapâte egapâté ēgapate ēgapâte ēgapâté egapekamen egapḗkamen ēgapēkamen ēgapḗkamen egapekosi egapekósi ēgapēkosi ēgapēkósi egapemenen egapeménen ēgapēmenēn ēgapēménēn egapemeno ēgapēmenō egapemenoi egapeménoi ēgapēmenoi ēgapēménoi ēgapēménōi egapemenois egapeménois ēgapēmenois ēgapēménois egapesa egápesa egápesá ēgapēsa ēgápēsa ēgápēsá egapesan egápesan ēgapēsan ēgápēsan egapesas egápesas egápesás ēgapēsas ēgápēsas ēgápēsás egapesen egápesen egápesén ēgapēsen ēgápēsen ēgápēsénLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Matthew 5:43 V-FIA-2SGRK: ὅτι ἐρρέθη Ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον NAS: that it was said, YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR KJV: it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy INT: that it was said You will love neighbor Matthew 5:44 V-PMA-2P Matthew 5:46 V-ASA-2P Matthew 5:46 V-PPA-AMP Matthew 6:24 V-FIA-3S Matthew 19:19 V-FIA-2S Matthew 22:37 V-FIA-2S Matthew 22:39 V-FIA-2S Mark 10:21 V-AIA-3S Mark 12:30 V-FIA-2S Mark 12:31 V-FIA-2S Mark 12:33 V-PNA Mark 12:33 V-PNA Luke 6:27 V-PMA-2P Luke 6:32 V-PIA-2P Luke 6:32 V-PPA-AMP Luke 6:32 V-PPA-AMP Luke 6:32 V-PIA-3P Luke 6:35 V-PMA-2P Luke 7:5 V-PIA-3S Luke 7:42 V-FIA-3S Luke 7:47 V-AIA-3S Luke 7:47 V-PIA-3S Luke 10:27 V-FIA-2S Luke 11:43 V-PIA-2P Strong's Greek 25 |