Understanding ἀγάπη (agapē) Strong’s G26: The Revolutionary Love That Transformed Christianity and Changed the World Forever

Pronunciation Guide: ah-GAH-pay

Quick Answer: ἀγάπη (agapē) is the Greek word for love that appears 116 times in the New Testament, representing God’s unconditional, self-sacrificing love for humanity and the divine love believers are called to express toward God and one another. This word became Christianity’s distinctive term for the highest form of love—transcending emotion to embody covenant commitment, selfless devotion, and transformative grace.

What Does ἀγάπη Mean?

Strong’s G26: ἀγάπη fundamentally means “love, i.e. affection or benevolence” and when used in the plural form refers to “love-feasts” celebrated by early Christians. However, this seemingly simple definition conceals one of the most profound theological developments in human history. This word was “purely Biblical and ecclesiastical” in its Christian usage, representing a revolutionary concept that the early church transformed from a rarely-used Greek term into the central expression of divine love. In the New Testament context, ἀγάπη transcends mere human affection to represent יהוה’s (Yahweh’s) covenant love—unconditional, enduring, and sacrificial. It embodies the love that motivated the Messiah’s atoning work, the love that flows from the Father through the Son, and the love that believers are empowered to demonstrate through the Holy Spirit. This is “the highest form of love, charity” and “the love of God for human beings and of human beings for God” that “embraces a profound sacrificial love that transcends and persists regardless of circumstance.”

Key Insight: ἀγάπη represents love as divine action rather than human emotion—it’s love that chooses to commit regardless of feelings or circumstances.

Where Does ἀγάπη Come From?

• Part of Speech: Noun, feminine
• Root Words: Derived from G25 (ἀγαπάω – agapaō, the verb “to love”)
• Language Origin: Koine Greek
• Primary Usage: 116 occurrences in the New Testament
• Hebrew Equivalents: אַהֲבָה (ahavah/ahabah) – the primary Hebrew word for love

ἀγάπη Morphology:

Understanding the grammatical forms of ἀγάπη helps identify different appearances throughout ancient biblical texts, from the nominative subject form to the accusative object of divine action.

Greek Form	Grammar	Meaning
ἀγάπη	Nominative singular	love (as subject)
ἀγάπης	Genitive singular	of love, love’s
ἀγάπῃ	Dative singular	to/for love, by love
ἀγάπην	Accusative singular	love (as object)
ἀγάπαι	Nominative plural	love-feasts
ἀγαπῶν	Genitive plural	of love-feasts

What Is the Historical and Cultural Context of ἀγάπη?

The journey of ἀγάπη from obscurity to centrality represents one of the most remarkable word transformations in religious history. Scholars note that “there have been only three supposed instances of its use in ‘profane’ Greek, two of which are now read otherwise and the third is doubtful.” This scarcity in secular literature makes the Septuagint’s adoption of the term particularly significant.

The Septuagint translators used ἀγάπη to translate the Hebrew אַהֲבָה (ahabah) particularly in the Song of Solomon, where it appears frequently. Remarkably, “eleven of the nineteen times it is used in the Septuagint are in Song of Solomon,” and it was even used to describe problematic forms of attachment, such as “the passion that propelled Amnon to sexually assault his half-sister Tamar.” This broad semantic range in the Septuagint demonstrates that ἀγάπη initially functioned as a general term for strong emotional attachment.

The Transformation Through Christianity

The early Christian community’s revolutionary development came through redefining ἀγάπη to express something unprecedented: יהוה’s (Yahweh’s) covenant love manifested through the Messiah. Paul and other New Testament writers chose ἀγάπη over other available Greek love words because “other words were too attached to other meanings”—φιλέω was associated with friendship and preference, στοργή was limited to family affection, and ἔρως was too connected with sexual passion. By adopting this relatively neutral term, they could infuse it with distinctly biblical meaning rooted in Hebrew concepts of covenant faithfulness.

Historical Summary: ἀγάπη evolved from a rarely-used Greek word into Christianity’s central love term through the Septuagint’s influence and the early church’s theological innovation.

How Is ἀγάπη Used in the Bible?

With 116 occurrences across 106 verses in the New Testament, ἀγάπη appears in diverse contexts that reveal its multifaceted theological significance. The word encompasses God’s love for the Messiah, divine love for humanity, the believer’s love for יהוה (Yahweh), and the commanded love among followers of the Messiah.

The usage pattern shows concentrated appearances in the Johannine literature and Pauline epistles, where theological development reaches its apex. Interestingly, “ἀγάπη is only used twice anywhere in the first three Gospels: Matthew 24:12 (‘the love of many will grow cold’) and Luke 11:42 (‘you neglect justice and the love of God’). ἀγάπη is never used in the whole book of Acts.” This distribution suggests that the theological deepening of the concept developed through apostolic reflection on the Messiah’s work and teaching.

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In the Septuagint context, ἀγάπη occurs 15 times in 14 verses, primarily in poetic and wisdom literature, particularly in the Song of Solomon where it describes the intense bond between lovers. This Old Testament foundation provided the semantic groundwork for the New Testament’s theological expansion.

Usage Summary: ἀγάπη develops from general emotional attachment in the Septuagint to become the New Testament’s primary term for divine and divinely-enabled human love.

• Matthew 24:12 – “Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love [ἀγάπη] will grow cold”
• John 15:13 – “Greater love [ἀγάπη] has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends”
• Romans 5:8 – “But God demonstrates His own love [ἀγάπη] toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”
• 1 Corinthians 13:4 – “Love [ἀγάπη] is patient, love is kind”
• 1 John 4:8 – “The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love [ἀγάπη]”
• 1 John 4:16 – “God is love [ἀγάπη], and the one who abides in love abides in God”

How Should ἀγάπη Be Translated?

Primary Meanings:

• Love (divine, covenant, sacrificial)
• Benevolent affection
• Charitable devotion
• Love-feast (when plural)
• Steadfast commitment

Translation Tip: Context determines whether ἀγάπη emphasizes divine love, human love enabled by God, or the practical expression of love in community life.

ἀγάπη Translation Options:

Translation	Context	Reasoning
“Love”	Most contexts	Broad term encompassing divine and human covenantal love
“Charity”	KJV tradition	Emphasizes practical, selfless action flowing from love
“Divine love”	Theological contexts	Specifies the supernatural source and character
“Love-feast”	Plural form (ἀγάπαι)	Refers to early Christian communal meals
“Steadfast love”	Covenant contexts	Connects to Hebrew חֶסֶד (chesed) concept

What Does ἀγάπη Teach Us About God?

ἀγάπη reveals that יהוה (Yahweh) is not merely loving but is love itself in His essential nature. The declaration “God is love” (1 John 4:8, 16) establishes ἀγάπη as the fundamental expression of divine character. This love is neither emotion nor sentiment but the covenant commitment that motivated creation, sustains providence, and accomplished redemption through the Messiah’s atoning work.

The righteousness of God finds perfect harmony with His ἀγάπη—His love never compromises His holiness but fulfills it through sacrificial atonement. Divine justice operates within the framework of ἀγάπη, ensuring that mercy triumphs over judgment while maintaining perfect moral order. This love demonstrates God’s faithfulness to His covenant promises, showing that His commitment to His people transcends their faithfulness or unfaithfulness.

Theological Core: ἀγάπη reveals God as the covenant-keeping One whose love is the source, standard, and goal of all genuine love.

How Can I Apply ἀγάπη to My Life?

יהוה (Yahweh) calls you to participate in His own nature through ἀγάπη—not merely to feel loving emotions, but to choose covenant commitment even when feelings fluctuate. This divine love enables you to love the unlovely, forgive the undeserving, and serve the ungrateful because you’re drawing from God’s infinite reservoir rather than your limited human capacity. Through the Holy Spirit’s power, ἀγάπη becomes the supernatural force that transforms relationships, communities, and ultimately the world.

The Messiah’s command to “love one another as I have loved you” invites you into the same self-sacrificial pattern that characterized His earthly ministry and cross-bearing. This is not about perfecting yourself through effort but about yielding to the Spirit’s transforming work as He produces His fruit through your surrendered life.

Self-Examination Questions: How does my love reflect God’s covenant commitment rather than mere emotion? Where is the Holy Spirit calling me to demonstrate ἀγάπη toward difficult people? Am I allowing God’s love to flow through me, or am I relying on human affection alone?

What Words Are Similar to ἀγάπη?

• φιλέω (phileo) – “brotherly love, friendship” – More emotional and preferential than ἀγάπη – See G5368
• στοργή (storge) – “family affection, natural love” – Limited to blood relationships unlike universal ἀγάπη – See G4942
• ἔρως (eros) – “passionate, romantic love” – Absent from New Testament, focused on attraction rather than commitment
• χάρις (charis) – “grace, favor” – God’s unmerited favor that enables ἀγάπη – See G5485
• ἔλεος (eleos) – “mercy, compassion” – Practical expression of ἀγάπη toward those in need – See G1656

Did You Know?

• What does ἀγάπη mean in modern Greek? Modern Greek still uses “αγάπη” (agapi) to mean love, particularly deep, committed love, showing the word’s enduring significance.
• How did classical authors use ἀγάπη? Classical authors rarely used ἀγάπη, preferring ἀγάπησις instead, making the biblical usage distinctive and revolutionary.
• What’s the difference between ἀγάπη and φιλέω? While φιλέω emphasizes emotional preference and friendship, ἀγάπη focuses on commitment and choice regardless of feelings.
• Why does the Bible use ἀγάπη in Matthew 24:12? The prophecy “most people’s love will grow cold” refers to the erosion of covenant commitment during end-time lawlessness.
• How does ἀγάπη relate to chesed? ἀγάπη serves as the Greek equivalent to Hebrew חֶסֶד (chesed), representing God’s covenant faithfulness and steadfast love.
• What causes love to grow cold today? Lawlessness, self-centeredness, and abandoning biblical foundations erode the commitment that characterizes true ἀγάπη.
• The revolutionary choice of an obscure word – Early Christians transformed a barely-used Greek term into the central concept of their faith, demonstrating how the Gospel creates new vocabularies for divine realities.

Remember This

ἀγάπη is not human love reaching upward to God, but God’s love flowing downward to humanity and then through humanity to the world—the divine nature made accessible through the Messiah’s work and the Spirit’s power.