Tools and resources you need to do a word study on the Greek word for love: agape.
“Biblical agapē love is not an emotion but a disposition of the heart to seek the welfare and meet the needs of others.” –John MacArthur, J: Ephesians. 1986. Chicago: Moody Press
agape love
- Strong’s number: G26
- Studylight.org Greek Lexical Dictionary: Strong’s #26 – ἀγάπη
- Greek Word: ἀγάπη, ης, ἡ
- Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
- Transliteration: agapé
- Phonetic Spelling: ag-ah’-pay
- Quick Definition: love, goodwill, charity
- Usage: love, benevolence, good will, esteem; plural: love-feasts.
- Etymology: From G25 agapaó
- NASB Translation: beloved (1), love (113), love feasts in plural (1), love’s (1)
New Testament usage
agape is used 116 times in the NT in the New American Standard Bible:
Mat 24:12; Luk 11:42; Joh 5:42; Joh 13:35; Joh 15:9; Joh 15:10 (2x); Joh 15:13; Joh 17:26; Rom 5:5; Rom 5:8; Rom 8:35; Rom 8:39; Rom 12:9; Rom 13:10 (2x); Rom 14:15; Rom 15:30; 1Cor 4:21; 1Cor 8:1; 1Cor 13:1; 1Cor 13:2; 1Cor 13:3; 1Cor 13:4 (3x); 1Cor13:8; 1Cor 13:13 (2x); 1Cor 14:1; 1Cor 16:14; 1Cor 16:24; 2Cor 2:4; 2Cor 2:8; 2Cor 5:14; 2Cor 6:6; 2Cor 8:7; 2Cor 8:8; 2Cor 8:24; 2Cor 13:11 2Cor13:14; Gal 5:6; Gal 5:13; Gal 5:22; Eph 1:4; Eph 1:15; Eph 2:4; Eph 3:17; Eph 3:19; Eph 4:2; Eph 4:15; Eph 5:2; Eph 6:23; Php 1:9; Php1:16; Php 2:1; Php 2:2; Col 1:4; Col 1:8; Col 1:13; Col 2:2; Col 3:14; 1Th 1:3; 1Th 3:6; 1Th 3:12; 1Th 5:8; 1Th 5:13; 2Th 1:3; 2Th 2:10; 2Th 3:5; 1Tim 1:5; 1Tim 1:14; 1Tim 2:15; 1Tim 4:12; 1Tim 6:11; 2Tim 1:7; 2Tim1:13; 2Tim 2:22; 2Tim 3:10; Tit 2:2; Phm 1:5; Phm 1:7; Phm 1:9; Heb 6:10; Heb 10:24; 1Pet 4:8; 1Pet 5:14; 2Pet 1:7; 1Jn 2:5; 1Jn 2:15; 1Jn 3:1, 1Jn 3:16; 1Jn 3:17; 1Jn 4:7; 1Jn 4:8; 1Jhn 4:9; 1Jn 4:12; 1Jn 4:16 (2x); 1Jn 4:17; 1Jn 4:18 (3x); 1Jn 5:3; 2Jn 1:3; 2Jn 1:6; 3Jn 1:6; Jude 1:2; Jude 1:12; Jude 1:21; Rev. 2:4; Rev 2:19.
Englishman’s Concordance: agape
Lexicons
- Thayer’s G26: brotherly love, affection, good will, love, benevolence; love feasts
- Strong’s G26: From G25; love, that is, affection or benevolence; specifically (plural) a love feast: – (feast of) charity ([-ably]), dear, love.
- Mounce G26: love, in the NT usually the active love of God for his Son and his people, and the active love his people are to have for God, each other, and even enemies; love feast, the common meal shared by Christians in connection with church meetings
- Related words: agapao (verb: to love; Strong’s G25); agapetos (adjective: beloved; Strongs G27)
- Hebrew Equivalent Word: Strong’s H160 to love; אַהֲבָה (a‑hab‑aw’)
Reference Works
- PreceptsAustin: agape (noun); agapao (verb)
- 09 1 John 4:7-19 Perfect Love
- 1Corinthians 13:4-7 Attributes of love
- 1Corinthians 13:1-13 The supremacy of love
- 07 1 John 3:13-24 Love and Hate
- 04 2 Peter 1:7-11 Brotherly affection & love
- 13 Why do you call me good? Mark 10:17-31
- Loved by God Teaching Series, Lesson 9 by RC Sproul (video)
- Inexplicable Love, by John Sartelle
- Love’s Attributes by Joel Beeke
- Helps Ministries, Inc. word study of Agape
- Gotquestions.org: What is agape love?
Photo by Thomas Kelley on Unsplash
