Agape (love) — Meaning in the Bible
A Greek word for love, used often in the New Testament for God's love and the love believers are to show.
It is often said that agape always means a special divine love; the New Testament usage is wider, and meaning comes from context.
What it means
Agape appears in "God is love" and throughout 1 Corinthians 13. The related verb is used in John 3:16, "God so loved the world". 1 John 4:81 Corinthians 13:4–8John 3:16
The New Testament uses other Greek words for love too, and the difference between them is not always sharp; John 21:15-17 uses two love verbs in Jesus' questions to Peter. John 21:15–17
Key passages
- John 3:16 — God so loved the world.
- John 13:34–35 — Love one another.
- 1 Corinthians 13 — Love described.
- 1 John 4:7–12 — God is love.
Original language
A Strong’s number is a reference identifier, not a complete definition: what a word means in a passage depends on its context. Lexical data: STEPBible.org, based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).