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Greek Word for Love: What Does “Agape” Really Mean?
Quick answer: The Greek word most often translated “love” in the New Testament is ἀγάπη (agapē), pronounced ah-GAH-pay — Strong’s G26. Unlike English “love,” which covers everything from pizza to marriage, agape describes a deliberate, self-giving love — a commitment to someone’s good, not just a feeling toward them.
Word Study: Where “Agape” Comes From
Here’s what surprises most people: agape wasn’t a rich, meaningful word before the New Testament. In classical Greek writing, it barely shows up — when it does, it’s a flat, almost unremarkable word for general goodwill.
The New Testament writers took a nearly-empty word and filled it. They needed a term for a kind of love ordinary Greek didn’t have a word for — love that gives without needing anything back — and agape was available precisely because it wasn’t already loaded with other meanings (unlike eros, which was tied to romantic and physical desire).
So the meaning of agape isn’t really etymological — it’s earned by usage. The New Testament defines it by showing it, most famously in 1 Corinthians 13.
Where “Agape” Appears in the Bible
Agape (and its verb form, ἀγαπάω / agapaō, G25) appears over 250 times combined across the New Testament. A few of the most important occurrences:
| Reference | Text (KJV) | What’s happening |
|---|---|---|
| John 3:16 | “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son…” | Agape defined by an action — giving |
| 1 Corinthians 13:4–8 | “Love suffers long, and is kind; love envieth not…” | Agape defined by a list of behaviors, not a feeling |
| 1 John 4:8 | “God is love” | Agape as God’s nature, not just something God does |
| John 21:15–17 | Jesus and Peter’s exchange (see below) | Agape distinguished from phileo in real dialogue |
Verse Deep Dive: John 21:15–17 — Jesus and Peter
This is the clearest place in Scripture where the distinction between Greek love-words is visible on the surface, even in translation:
Jesus asks Peter, “Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?” — using agapas (do you agape me). Peter answers, “Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee” — but Peter uses philo (phileo — warm, brotherly affection), not agape.
Jesus asks again with agapas. Peter again answers with phileo.
The third time, Jesus switches — He asks Peter “phileis me?” (do you phileo me?), meeting Peter with the word Peter had been using all along.
Whether or not this is intentional wordplay (scholars disagree), it shows something real: the Gospel writers had two different words available, and the choice mattered enough to record. Peter, freshly having denied Jesus three times, may not have felt able to claim the full weight of agape — so he answered with the love he could honestly offer.
Not All “Love” Is the Same: Agape vs. Eros, Phileo, and Storge
Greek had four main words where English has one:
- Agape (ἀγάπη, G26) — deliberate, committed, self-giving love. Used of God’s love for people and the love believers are called to have for others.
- Phileo (φιλέω, G5368) — warm affection, friendship, fondness. Used of Jesus’ love for Lazarus (John 11:3) and for the Father’s love for the Son (John 5:20).
- Eros — romantic, passionate desire. Notably, this word never appears in the New Testament at all.
- Storge — family affection. Only appears in compound/negative form, astorgos (“without natural affection” — Romans 1:31, 2 Timothy 3:3).
The takeaway: when the NT calls believers to “love one another,” it almost always reaches for agape — not because feelings don’t matter, but because love that depends on feeling isn’t the love being commanded. You can be told to agape someone; you can’t be told to feel affection on command.
Why the Original Word Changes the Meaning
Every time you read “love” in your English Bible, it’s worth asking which word stood behind it. When 1 Corinthians 13 says love “is not easily provoked,” it’s not describing a feeling that doesn’t get irritated — it’s describing a commitment that acts patiently regardless of the feeling underneath. That’s a very different, and more attainable, standard than “never feel annoyed.”
Living It Out
Agape reframes “love your enemies” (Matthew 5:44) from an emotional impossibility into an achievable command: you’re not required to feel affection for someone who’s hurt you — you’re called to will their good anyway. That’s a much more useful thing to actually practice.
FAQ
Is agape only used for God’s love?
No. It’s used for God’s love for people (John 3:16), for love between people (1 Corinthians 13), and even, rarely, for love of wrong things (2 Timothy 4:10, “loved this present world”). Agape describes the kind of love — deliberate and committed — not who it’s reserved for.
What’s the difference between agape and phileo?
Phileo is warm affection or friendship; agape is a committed, willed love that acts for someone’s good regardless of feeling. They overlap and are sometimes used interchangeably (John uses both for Jesus’ love for the disciples), but agape is never used for merely emotional/romantic attraction.
Does agape appear in the Old Testament?
The Hebrew Old Testament doesn’t use Greek words, but the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the OT used in Jesus’ day) does use agape/agapao — notably in Deuteronomy 6:5, “love the LORD your God,” and throughout Song of Solomon.
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