1 Corinthians 13:13
And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
Greek word · Strong G26
What does Agape mean?
Agape is the Greek word the New Testament uses for God's love and for the love he asks of his people: a self-giving love that seeks the good of the other even when it receives nothing in return. It is the word in “God is love” (1 John 4:8).
ἀγάπη
agápē · transliteration
- In Strong’s lexicon
- love, i.e. affection or benevolence; specially (plural) a love-feast
- In the King James
- love79
- charity24
- Appears in
- 106 verses
The meaning of Agape in the Bible
Greek had other words for love — philia, friendship and affection; storge, family affection; eros, desire. The New Testament uses mainly agape and the verb agapao (G25) — along with phileo, the love of friends — and gives agape a meaning of its own: the love seen at the cross. “God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
Paul describes this love in 1 Corinthians 13 — patient, kind, not envious — and concludes that the greatest of faith, hope and love is love. The King James often translated agape as “charity”, which is why that chapter ends “the greatest of these is charity” (1 Corinthians 13:13); the Greek word is the same.
Where Agape appears
1 John 4:8
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
Romans 5:8
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
John 15:13
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between agape and philia?
- Philia (and the verb phileo) is the love of friendship and affection; agape is a love that gives itself by choice, even without being returned. In John 21:15-17, Jesus and Peter use both verbs in their conversation after the resurrection.
- How many times is agape used in the Bible?
- The noun agape (G26) is in 106 verses of the New Testament; the verb agapao (G25) appears in more than a hundred others.
More Bible words
- Shalom
- Yahweh (YHWH)
- Hallelujah
- Selah
- Elohim
- Adonai
- Hosanna
- Amen
- Abba
- Immanuel
- Tetelestai
- Kairos
- El Shaddai
- Maranatha
- Ebenezer
- Jehovah Jireh
- Jehovah Rapha
- El Roi
- Metanoia
- Jehovah Nissi
- Hesed
- Rhema
- Koinonia
- Logos
- Sheol
- Nephilim
- Number 7
- Number 3
- Number 12
- Number 40
- 666
- 444
- 333
- 222
- 111
- Iniquity
- Gentleness
- Longsuffering
- Grace
- Lasciviousness
- Concupiscence
- Strife
- Covetousness
- Reproach
- Redemption
- Godliness
- Burnt offering
- Sodomite
- Heretic
- Exhort
- Equity
- Would to God
- Stiff-necked