ἀγαπάω G0025
To love with deliberate goodwill and devotion; as passive participle: beloved; passive: to be loved
The verb that carries the weight of the New Testament's theology of love, agapao encompasses divine love for the world (John 3:16), the believer's love for God and neighbor (Matt 22:37-39), and the mutual love that defines Christian community (John 13:34-35). While older scholarship drew a sharp line between agapao (selfless love) and phileo (affectionate love), the New Testament itself blurs this distinction — Jesus asks Peter 'do you agapas me?' and 'do you phileis me?' in the same conversation (John 21:15-17). What remains distinctive is agapao's capacity for commanding: 'love your enemies' (Matt 5:44; Luke 6:27, 35) presupposes a love that operates by will rather than mere feeling. The perfect passive participle egapemenoi ('beloved ones') became a standard form of address in the epistles (Col 3:12; 1 Thess 1:4; 2 Thess 2:13), transforming a verb of action into a title of identity — those defined by having been loved by God.
1. to love actively — The active verb 'to love' in all finite and infinitival forms — deliberate, volitional love directed toward persons or God — covering 133 of 143 occurrences. This is the love commanded in the Shema quotation ('you shall love the LORD your God,' Matt 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27), extended to neighbors (Matt 19:19; 22:39; Rom 13:9; Gal 5:14) and even enemies (Matt 5:44; Luke 6:27, 35). John's Gospel makes it the defining mark of discipleship: 'by this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another' (John 13:35). Spanish amar, French aimer, German lieben, and Arabic ahabba all converge here, though none fully captures the commanded, covenant-loyal dimension that distinguishes New Testament agapao from sentimental affection. 133×
AR["مُحِبٌّ","مُحِبٍّ","مُحِبُّ","مُحِبِّنا","يُحِبُّ","يُحِبُّنِي","يُحِبّ"]·ben["প্রেম-করে","প্রেমকারী","প্রেমকারীকে","ভালোবাসে","ভালোবাসেন","যে-প্রেম-করে"]·DE["lieben","liebt"]·EN["he-loves","loves","loving"]·FR["aimer"]·heb["אוֹהֵב","הַאוֹהֵב","הָ-אוֹהֵב","הָאוֹהֵב"]·HI["प्रेम-करता-है","प्रेम-करने-वअल","प्रेम-करने-वाला","प्रेम-करने-वाले-को","प्रेम-करे","प्रेम-रखने-वाला"]·ID["mengasihi","mengasihi,","sebab-ia-mengasihi"]·IT["amare"]·jav["ingkang-tresna","ngasihi","nresnani","tresna","tresna,"]·KO["사랑하는-자","사랑하는-자-는","사랑하는-자는","사랑하면","사랑하시는-분","사랑하신다","사랑하지","사랑한다"]·PT["ama","amando","amar","que-ama","que-ama,"]·RU["Любящему","Любящий","закон","любит","любит,","любящий","любящий,"]·ES["ama","amando","que-ama","que-nos-ama"]·SW["akinipenda","ampendaye","anampenda","ananipenda","anapenda","anaye-penda","anayempenda","anayenipenda","anayependa","asiyenipenda","atupendaye,","yempenda","yependa"]·TR["seven","sever","sever.","seviyor","seviyorsa"]·urd["محبت رکھے","محبت کرنے والا","محبت-کرتا-ہے","محبت-کرنے-والا","محبت-کرنے-والا،","محبت-کرنے-والے"]
Matt 5:43, Matt 19:19, Matt 22:37, Matt 22:39, Mark 10:21, Mark 12:30, Mark 12:31, Mark 12:33, Mark 12:33, Luke 7:5, Luke 7:47, Luke 10:27 (+38 more)
▼ 2 more senses below
Senses
2. beloved, having been loved — The perfect passive participle egapemenos/-e/-oi used as a substantive adjective meaning 'beloved' or a title of address meaning 'beloved ones' — 8 occurrences where the verbal form has crystallized into a relational designation. Paul addresses the Romans as those whom God has loved and chosen (Rom 9:25, quoting Hosea), and Colossians are called 'God's chosen ones, holy and beloved' (Col 3:12). Ephesians 1:6 speaks of grace 'freely bestowed on us in the Beloved One,' applying the participle to Christ himself. German Geliebten and Spanish amados preserve the participial force — these are not merely people who happen to be loved, but people whose identity is constituted by God's prior loving action. 8×
amh["ለተወደዱ"]·AR["المَحبوبِ","المَحْبوبونَ","المَحْبوبَةَ","محبوبين","مَحبوبينَ","مَحْبُوبَةً","مَحْبُوبَةَ"]·ben["প্রিয়","প্রিয়তম","প্রেমিত","ভালোবাসিত"]·ces["milovaným"]·dan["elskede,"]·DE["Geliebten","lieben"]·ell["αγαπημένοις,"]·EN["Beloved","beloved","having-been-loved"]·FR["aimer","aimés,"]·guj["પ્રેમ-કરાયેલા,"]·hat["renmen"]·hau["an-ƙaunace-su"]·heb["אֲהוּבִים","אֲהוּבָה","אָהוּב","הָאֲהוּבָה","הנאהבים"]·HI["प्रिय","प्रिये","प्रेम-की-गई"]·hun["szeretetteknek"]·ID["Yang-Dikasihi;","dikasihi","yang-dikasihi"]·IT["amare","amati"]·jav["Kekasih;","dipun-tresnani","ditresnani","kang-ditresnani","kinasih","tresnanan,","tresnanan."]·JA["愛された者たち-に"]·KO["사랑-받은","사랑받는","사랑받는-이에게;","사랑받은-자들","사랑받은-자라","사랑받은-자를"]·mar["प्रिय-असलेल्यांना,"]·mya["ချစ်ခြင်းခံသော"]·nld["geliefden"]·nor["elskede"]·pnb["پیار-کیتے"]·pol["umiłowanym"]·PT["Amado;","amada","amada,","amada.","amados"]·ron["iubiți,"]·RU["Возлюбленном;","возлюбленные","возлюбленный","возлюбленным"]·ES["Amado","amada","amada;","amados"]·SW["Mpendwa","aliyependwa","uliopendwa;","waliopendwa","wapendwa"]·swe["älskade"]·tam["அன்புசெய்யப்பட்டவர்களுக்கு"]·tel["ప్రేమించబడినవారికి"]·tgl["minamahal"]·TH["ผู้ถูกรัก"]·TR["Sevilen'de","sevilen","sevilmisler","sevilmiş","sevilmişlere,"]·ukr["улюбленим"]·urd["محبت-کی-گئی","محبت-کی-گئی۔","محبوب","پیارے","پیارے-ہوئے"]·VI["được-yêu-thương"]·yor["tí-a-fẹ́ràn,"]·yue["被愛-嘅"]·ZH["蒙爱的"]
3. to be loved (passive) — Non-participial passive voice forms indicating the experience of being loved or receiving love — 2 occurrences where the grammatical passive highlights the recipient rather than the agent of love. John 14:21 promises 'the one who loves me will be loved by my Father,' establishing a chain of love from disciple to Son to Father. Second Corinthians 12:15 inverts expectations: Paul will gladly spend and be spent 'even if, loving you more abundantly, I am loved less.' Spanish sera amado and German geliebt werden mark the passive construction, placing the believer in the position of receiving rather than initiating love. 2×
AR["أُحَبُّ","سَـ-يُحَبُّ"]·ben["প্রেম-করা-হবে","ভালোবাসা-পাই"]·DE["lieben"]·EN["I-am-loved","will-be-loved"]·FR["aimer"]·heb["יֵאָהֵב","נֶאֱהָב"]·HI["प्रेम-किया-जाएगा","मैं-प्रेम-किया-जाता-हूं"]·ID["akan-dikasihi","aku-dikasihi"]·IT["amare"]·jav["badhé-dipuntresnani","kula-dipuntresnani"]·KO["사랑-받을-것이다","사랑받는가"]·PT["será-amado","sou-amado"]·RU["будет-возлюблен","любим-я"]·ES["será-amado","soy-amado"]·SW["atapendwa","napendwa?"]·TR["sevilecek","seviliyorum"]·urd["محبت کیا جائے گا","محبت-کی-جاتی-ہوں"]
Related Senses
G2309 1. want, desire (166×)H0157 1. love (verb, active Qal) (129×)H8055 1. Qal: rejoice, be glad (123×)H7453 1. neighbor, fellow man (120×)G0026 1. of love (115×)H1058 1. Qal: to weep, cry (112×)H0954 1. to be ashamed, feel shame (Qal) (95×)H8057 1. joy, gladness, delight (90×)H2781 1. disgrace, shame, dishonor (68×)G2307 1. will, desire, purpose (63×)G5463 1. rejoice, be glad (63×)G0027 1. beloved (61×)H8130 1. Qal: to hate, detest (60×)G5479 1. (59×)G1680 1. (53×)H8130 2. Qal ptcp: hater, enemy (53×)H0014 1. be willing, want (51×)H0157 2. lover, friend (Qal participle substantive) (51×)H1945 1. woe (50×)H2654a 1. take pleasure in, delight in (48×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἀγαπάω (Doric dialect ἀγαπ-έω Refs 4th c.BC+, Epic dialect aorist ἀγάπησαRefs 8th c.BC+: perfect ἠγάπηκαRefs 5th c.BC+ __I greet with affection (compare {ἀγαπάζω}), once in Refs 8th c.BC+, Od.[same place]:—in Trag. only show affection for the dead, ὅτ᾽ ἠγάπα νεκρούςRefs 5th c.BC+:—passive, to be regarded with affection, ξένων εὐεργεσίαις ἀγαπᾶταιRefs 5th c.BC+:— generally, love, ὥσπερ.. οἱ…