# G0025 --- ## Gary’s Bible Definition - verb; see [[G0026]] for the noun - to love - to prefer to love - the essential nature of God - Love can be known only from the actions it prompts - an exercise of the will in deliberate choice - Love had its perfect expression among men in the Lord Jesus Christ - Christian love: - is the fruit of His Spirit in the Christian - has God for its primary object, and expresses itself first of all in implicit obedience to His commandments - whether exercised toward the brethren, or toward men generally, is not an impulse from the feelings, it does not always run with the natural inclinations, nor does it spend itself only upon those for whom some affinity is discovered. - Love seeks the welfare of all, and works no ill to any, love seeks opportunity to do good to 'all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith - Self-will, that is, self-pleasing, is the negation of love to God - In respect of [[G0025|agapaó]] as used of God, it expresses the deep and constant "love" and interest of a perfect Being towards entirely unworthy objects, producing and fostering a reverential "love" in them towards the Giver, and a practical "love" towards those who are partakers of the same, and a desire to help others to seek the Giver - to wish well - to long for - to take pleasure in --- ## Root Transliteration (Phonetic Spelling) - agapaó (ag-ap-ah'-o) --- ## Strong's Definition & Usage - Definition: to love - Usage: I love, wish well to, take pleasure in, long for; denotes the love of reason, esteem --- ## Part of Speech - Verb --- ## BSB Translation - --- ## NASB Translation - Love (75), Loved (38), Loves (20), love (1) - beloved (8) - felt a love for (1) --- ## NASB Word Origin - of uncertain origin --- ## Occurrences - 143 --- ## Occurrences Link - https://biblehub.com/greek/strongs_25.htm --- ## BibleHub Link - https://biblehub.com/greek/25.htm --- ## Helps Word Studies - Cognate: [[G0025]] agapáō – properly, to prefer, to love; for the believer, preferring to "live through Christ" (1 Jn 4:9,10), i.e. embracing God's will (choosing His choices) and obeying them through His power. [[G0025]] (agapáō) preeminently refers to what God prefers as He "is love" (1 Jn 4:8,16). See [[G0026]] (agapē). - With the believer, [[G0025]] /agapáō ("to love") means actively doing what the Lord prefers, with Him (by His power and direction). True [[G0025]] /agapáō ("loving") is always defined by God – a "discriminating affection which involves choice and selection" (WS, 477). 1 Jn 4:8,16,17 for example convey how loving ("preferring," [[G0025]] /agapáō) is Christ living His life through the believer. --- ## Blue Letter Bible - Outline - of persons - to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly - of things - to be well pleased, to be contented at or with a thing --- ## Blue Letter Bible - Strong's Definition - ἀγαπάω agapáō, ag-ap-ah'-o; perhaps from ἄγαν ágan (much) (or compare [[H5689]]); to love (in a social or moral sense):—(be-)love(-ed). Compare [[G5368]]. --- ## Blue Letter Bible - Vines - 1. Beloved - in its perfect participle Passive form, is translated "beloved" in Rom 9.25; Eph 1.6; Col 3.12; 1Th 1.4; 2Th 2.13. In Jud 1:1 the best texts have this verb (RV); the AV, "sanctified" follows those which have hagiazo. - See LOVE. - Note: In Luk 9.35, the RV, translating from the most authentic mss., has "My chosen" (eklego), for AV, "beloved" (agapetos); so in Phm 1.2, "sister" (adelphe). - Love (Noun and Verb) - and the corresponding noun agape (B, No. 1 below) present "the characteristic word of Christianity, and since the Spirit of revelation has used it to express ideas previously unknown, inquiry into its use, whether in Greek literature or in the Septuagint, throws but little light upon its distinctive meaning in the NT. Cp., however, Lev 19.18; Deu 6.5. - "Agape and agapao are used in the NT - to describe the attitude of God toward His Son, Jhn 17.6; the human race, generally, Jhn 3.16; Rom 5.8; and to such as believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, particularly, Jhn 14:21 - to convey His will to His children concerning their attitude one toward another, Jhn 13.34, and toward all men, 1Th 3.12; 1Cr 16.14; 2Pe 1.7 - to express the essential nature of God, 1Jo 4:8. - "Love can be known only from the actions it prompts. God's love is seen in the gift of His Son, 1Jo 4:9, 10. But obviously this is not the love of complacency, or affection, that is, it was not drawn out by any excellency in its objects, Rom 5:8. It was an exercise of the Divine will in deliberate choice, made without assignable cause save that which lies in the nature of God Himself, Cp. Deu 7:7, 8. - "Love had its perfect expression among men in the Lord Jesus Christ, 2Cr 5:14; Eph 2:4; 3:19; 5:2; Christian love is the fruit of His Spirit in the Christian, Gal 5:22. - "Christian love has God for its primary object, and expresses itself first of all in implicit obedience to His commandments, Jhn 14:15, 21, 23; 15:10; 1Jo 2:5; 5:3; 2Jo 1:6. Self-will, that is, self-pleasing, is the negation of love to God. - "Christian love, whether exercised toward the brethren, or toward men generally, is not an impulse from the feelings, it does not always run with the natural inclinations, nor does it spend itself only upon those for whom some affinity is discovered. Love seeks the welfare of all, Rom 15:2, and works no ill to any, 13:8-10; love seeks opportunity to do good to 'all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith,' Gal 6:10. See further 1 Cor. 13 and Col 3:12-14." From Notes on Thessalonians, by Hogg and Vine, p. 105. - In respect of agapao as used of God, it expresses the deep and constant "love" and interest of a perfect Being towards entirely unworthy objects, producing and fostering a reverential "love" in them towards the Giver, and a practical "love" towards those who are partakers of the same, and a desire to help others to seek the Giver. - See BELOVED. --- ## Transliteration Details - --- ## Date - Initial - 2019.11.16 - Revised - 2023.09.03 ---