What does ἀγάπη · ἀγαπάω mean in the Bible?
ἀγάπη · ἀγαπάω is a Greek phrase meaning "love, self-giving concern and covenantal devotion".
Greek · G26, G25
ἀγάπη / ἀγαπάω
Love · to love (in a social or moral sense)
Reading a lexicon entry
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Words in this compound — expand to study each participant
ἀγάπηG26love
Pronunciationagápē
Open lexicon entry →ἀγαπάωG25to love (in a social or moral sense)
Pronunciationagapáō
Open lexicon entry →What does ἀγάπη / ἀγαπάω (agapē / agapaō) mean in the Bible?
ἀγάπη · ἀγαπάω is a Greek phrase meaning "love, self-giving concern and covenantal devotion".
Full entry for ἀγάπη / ἀγαπάω (G26, G25) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How many biblical occurrences are listed for G26, G25?
G26, G25 is connected to 116 lexical occurrence verses in the lexicon data.
Evidence Summary
Greek phrase. love, self-giving concern and covenantal devotion
Source Gloss
love, self-giving concern and covenantal devotion
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 5 case and number patterns. The form changes show how the word functions in a sentence; they do not change the basic lexical meaning by themselves.
Form patterns5Aligned forms116Case patternNominative (36)Number patternSingular (115)
Nominative · Singular · FeminineMatt 24:12 · John 17:26 · Rom 5:5 · Rom 12:9 · Rom 13:10 · 1 Cor 8:1 · 1 Cor 13:4 · 1 Cor 13:8 · 1 Cor 13:13 · 1 Cor 16:24 · 2 Cor 5:14 · 2 Cor 13:13 · Gal 5:22 · Eph 6:23 · Phil 1:9 · 2 Thess 1:336×
Genitive · Singular · FeminineRom 8:35 · Rom 8:39 · Rom 15:30 · 2 Cor 8:8 · 2 Cor 8:24 · 2 Cor 13:11 · Gal 5:6 · Gal 5:13 · Phil 1:16 · Phil 2:1 · Col 1:13 · 1 Thess 1:3 · 1 Thess 5:8 · 1 Tim 1:14 · 2 Tim 1:7 · Heb 6:1018×
Dative · Singular · FeminineJohn 15:9 · John 15:10 · 1 Cor 4:21 · 1 Cor 16:14 · 2 Cor 6:6 · 2 Cor 8:7 · Eph 1:4 · Eph 3:17 · Eph 4:2 · Eph 4:15 · Eph 4:16 · Eph 5:2 · Col 2:2 · 1 Thess 3:12 · 1 Thess 5:13 · 1 Tim 2:1528×
Dative · Plural · FeminineJude 1:121×
Accusative · Singular · FeminineLuke 11:42 · John 5:42 · John 13:35 · John 15:13 · Rom 5:8 · Rom 14:15 · 1 Cor 13:1 · 1 Cor 13:2 · 1 Cor 13:3 · 1 Cor 14:1 · 2 Cor 2:4 · 2 Cor 2:8 · Eph 1:15 · Eph 2:4 · Eph 3:19 · Phil 2:233×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 143 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
present78aorist32future16perfect10imperfect7
Voice
active133passive10
Mood
indicative73participle37subjunctive16imperative9infinitive8
NT Occurrences
Matthew 5:43Ἀγαπήσειςfuture active indicativeprospectiveMatthew 5:44ἀγαπᾶτεpresent active imperativeimperativeMatthew 5:46ἀγαπήσητεaorist active subjunctivesubjunctiveMatthew 5:46ἀγαπῶνταςpresent active participleparticipleMatthew 6:24ἀγαπήσειfuture active indicativeprospectiveMatthew 19:19Ἀγαπήσειςfuture active indicativeprospectiveMatthew 22:37Ἀγαπήσειςfuture active indicativeprospectiveMatthew 22:39Ἀγαπήσειςfuture active indicativeprospectiveMark 10:21ἠγάπησενaorist active indicativecompletedMark 12:30ἀγαπήσειςfuture active indicativeprospectiveMark 12:31Ἀγαπήσειςfuture active indicativeprospectiveMark 12:33ἀγαπᾶνpresent active infinitiveinfinitiveMark 12:33ἀγαπᾶνpresent active infinitiveinfinitiveLuke 6:27ἀγαπᾶτεpresent active imperativeimperativeLuke 6:32ἀγαπᾶτεpresent active indicativeongoingLuke 6:32ἀγαπῶνταςpresent active participleparticipleLuke 6:32ἀγαπῶνταςpresent active participleparticipleLuke 6:32ἀγαπῶσινpresent active indicativeongoingLuke 6:35ἀγαπᾶτεpresent active imperativeimperativeLuke 7:42ἀγαπήσειfuture active indicativeprospectiveLuke 7:47ἠγάπησενaorist active indicativecompletedLuke 7:47ἀγαπᾷpresent active indicativeongoingLuke 7:5ἀγαπᾷpresent active indicativeongoingLuke 10:27Ἀγαπήσειςfuture active indicativeprospectiveLuke 11:43ἀγαπᾶτεpresent active indicativeongoingLuke 16:13ἀγαπήσειfuture active indicativeprospectiveJohn 3:16ἠγάπησενaorist active indicativecompletedJohn 3:19ἠγάπησανaorist active indicativecompletedJohn 3:35ἀγαπᾷpresent active indicativeongoingJohn 8:42ἠγαπᾶτεimperfect active indicativebackgroundJohn 10:17ἀγαπᾷpresent active indicativeongoingJohn 11:5ἠγάπαimperfect active indicativebackgroundJohn 12:43ἠγάπησανaorist active indicativecompletedJohn 13:1ἀγαπήσαςaorist active participleparticipleJohn 13:1ἠγάπησενaorist active indicativecompletedJohn 13:23ἠγάπαimperfect active indicativebackgroundJohn 13:34ἀγαπᾶτεpresent active subjunctivesubjunctiveJohn 13:34ἠγάπησαaorist active indicativecompletedJohn 13:34ἀγαπᾶτεpresent active subjunctivesubjunctiveJohn 14:15ἀγαπᾶτέpresent active subjunctivesubjunctive+103 more occurrences
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Word Origins
ἀγάπη / ἀγαπάω is built from this root:
Cross-Language Connections
Hebrew roots and equivalents that share conceptual or etymological ground with this Greek word.
H5689RelatedHebrew