Greek · The Great Words

Agape: The Love of God

Agape is the New Testament Greek word for love as self-giving action, a settled choice to seek another’s good, which the biblical writers chose to describe the very love of God.

The original word

How the Bible uses it

What it means

Ancient Greek had several words for love. Agape was a relatively colourless word that the biblical writers filled with new weight, using it for a love that is not first a feeling but a decision, a love that keeps giving even when it is not returned. In 1 Corinthians 13 the King James renders it ‘charity’, and the description there, patient, kind, unenvious, unselfish, is agape drawn out into a portrait.

It would be too much to say one Greek word proves a doctrine. What the word does is point: it shows the direction the biblical writers were reaching, toward a love defined not by the worth of the beloved but by the giving of the lover.

And Christ

Christians read the cross as agape made visible. ‘God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us’ (Romans 5:8). The word finds its fullest meaning not in a definition but in a Person laying down his life. This is why Jesus made ‘love one another’ (John 13:34) the mark of his followers.

Frequently asked questions

What does agape mean?

Agape (Greek ἀγάπη, Strong's G26) means love as a self-giving act of the will, seeking the good of another. The New Testament writers used it for the very love of God, distinct from eros (desire) and philia (friendship).

What is the difference between agape and philia?

Philia is warm friendship or affection between those who share something in common. Agape is a chosen, self-giving love that seeks another's good even without return. The Bible uses agape for God's love toward a world that did not deserve it.

Where does agape appear in the Bible?

Throughout the New Testament, most famously in 1 John 4:8 ('God is love'), John 3:16, and 1 Corinthians 13, where the King James renders agape as 'charity'.