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Strong G26ἀγάπη

love

Transliteration
agapē
Pronunciation
ag-ah'-pay
Morphology
Greek Noun (Feminine)

Definition

From G25; love that is affection or benevolence; specifically (plural) a love feast: - (feast of) charity ([-ably]) dear love.

Detailed definition

ἀγάπη, -ης, ἡ
[in LXX for אַהֲבָה, which is also rendered by ἀγάπησις and φιλία;]
love, goodwill, esteem. Outside of bibl. and eccl. books, there is no clear instance (with Deiss., LAE, 18:4, 70:2, cf. the same writer in Constr. Quar., ii, 4; and with MM, VGT, see word, cf. Dr. Moulton in Exp. Times, xxvi, 3, 139). In NT, like ἀγαπάω, -ῶ,
1. Of men's love:
__(a) to one another, Jhn.13:35;
__(b) to God, 1Jn.2:5.

2. Of divine love;
__(a) God's love: to men, Rom.5:8; to Christ, Jhn.17:26;
__(b) Christ's love to men: Rom.8:35.

3. In pl., love feasts: Ju 12 (DB, iii, 157).
SYN.: φιλία. ἀ., signifying properly (see: ἀγαπάω) love which chooses its object, is taken over from LXX, where its connotation is more general, into NT, and there used exclusively to express that spiritual bond of love between God and man and between man and man, in Christ, which is characteristic of Christianity. It is thusdistinct from φιλία, friendship (Jas.4:4 only), στοργή, natural affection (in NT only in compounds, see: ἄστοργος) and ἔρως, sexual love, which is not used in NT, its place being taken by ἐπιθυμία. (Cf. ἀγαπάω; and see Abbott, Essays, 70f.; DB, vol. i., 555; Cremer, 13, 593; MM, VGT, see word). (AS)

In the Bible

Strong G26 appears in 106 verses of the KJV.

Translated in the KJV by

  • love80
  • charity24
  • charitably1
  • dear1
  • the1

First verses

  1. Matthew 24:12
    And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
  2. Luke 11:42
    But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
  3. John 5:42
    But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.
  4. John 13:35
    By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
  5. John 15:9
    As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
  6. John 15:10
    If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
  7. John 15:13
    Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
  8. John 17:26
    And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.
  9. Romans 5:5
    And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
  10. Romans 5:8
    But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
  11. Romans 8:35
    Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
  12. Romans 8:39
    Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
  13. Romans 12:9
    Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
  14. Romans 13:10
    Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
  15. Romans 14:15
    But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.
  16. Romans 15:30
    Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;
  17. 1 Corinthians 4:21
    What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?
  18. 1 Corinthians 8:1
    Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
  19. 1 Corinthians 13:1
    Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
  20. 1 Corinthians 13:2
    And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
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Occurrences by book

Related words

Word family

Detailed Greek dictionary
ἀγάπ-η, ἡ,
love, [LXX+2nd c.BC+ (LXX.Jer.2.2, LXX.Cant.2.7, +others; ἀ. καὶ μῖσος LXX.Eccl.Ec.; uncertain reading in “PBerol.” 9859 (2nd c.BC), 1st c.BC: Philodemus Philosophus “περὶ παρρησίας” p.52)] O; of the love of husband and wife, [Refs 2nd c.AD+ (Scholia 2nd c.AD: Ptolemaeus Mathematicus “Tetrabiblos” 52.)]
2 especially love of God for man and of man for God, [LXX+1st c.AD+ (LXX.Wis.3.9, Aristeas 229; φόβος καὶ ἀ. 1st c.AD: Philo Judaeus 1.283, cf. NT.Rom.5.8, NT.2Cor.5.14, NT.Luke.11.42, +others)]:—also brotherly love, charity, [NT (NT.1Cor.13.1, +others)]
II in plural, love-feast, [NT (NT.2Pet.2.13, NT.Jude.12.)]
III alms, charity, [Refs 4th c.AD+ (PGen. 14 (4th-5th c.AD).)]
IV ἀγάπη θεῶν, title of Isis, [Refs 2nd c.AD+ (“POxy.” 1380.109 (2nd c.AD).)]