noun · feminine
agapas
Strong’sG26
love
stem agap-116 times in the New Testamentin 24 of 27 books5 of 10 forms occur
What it means
A plain-English reading of the word, with the lexicons it draws on — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, and Liddell-Scott-Jones — right below it, in full.
AI Summary
Love 1234, including affection or benevolence 2, goodwill, and esteem 1. In biblical use it especially refers to love of God for people and of people for God 13, and to the spiritual bond of love between people 1, including brotherly love or charity 3. It also refers to Christ’s love toward people 1.
In the plural, it means love feasts 123.
Sources: 1 Abbott-Smith 2 Strong's 3 LSJ 4 Dodson. Condensed by qwen/qwen3.8-max-0902 on 2026-09-23 — it may still misstate what these say; check them yourself if it matters to you.
The lexicons it was drawn from, in full:
Abbott-Smith — the 1922 lexicon entry, in full
† ἀγάπη, -ης, ἡ
[in LXX for אַהֲבָה, which is also rendered by ἀγάπησις and φιλία;]
SYN.: φιλία. ἀ., signifying properly (v.s. ἀγαπάω) love which chooses its object, is taken over from LXX, where its connotation is more general, into NT, and there used exclusively to express that spiritual bond of love between God and man and between man and man, in Christ, which is characteristic of Christianity. It is thus distinct from φιλία, friendship (Ja 4:4 only), στοργή, natural affection (in NT only in compounds, v.s. ἄστοργος) and ἔρως, sexual love, which is not used in NT, its place being taken by ἐπιθυμία. (Cf. ἀγαπάω; and v. Abbott, Essays, 70f.; DB, vol. i., 555; Cremer, 13, 593; MM, VGT, s.v.).
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G26 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidag-ah'-pay
love, i.e. affection or benevolence; specially (plural) a love-feast
Fromfrom G25;
King James(feast of) charity(-ably), dear, love.
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
love, LXX+2nd c.BC+ O; of the love of husband and wife, Refs 2nd c.AD+
2 especially love of God for man and of man for God, LXX+1st c.AD+:—also brotherly love, charity, NT
II in plural, love-feast, NT
III alms, charity, Refs 4th c.AD+
IV ἀγάπη θεῶν, title of Isis, Refs 2nd c.AD+
H. G. Liddell, R. Scott, H. S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (9th ed., 1925–1940) — digitised by the Perseus Digital Library and corrected and expanded by Tyndale House, Cambridge, via STEPBible-Data's TFLSJ table, CC BY 4.0. Covers all of Greek literature, not just the Bible.
Translated as
Every occurrence, sorted by the English it was actually given — the evidence for what the word means, not a gloss of it.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain — berean.bible.
Biblang forms
Every form this word takes in Biblang, with the Greek it corresponds to and how often the New Testament uses it.
| Job in the sentence case | one singular | more than one plural |
|---|---|---|
| subject nominative | agapas36×ἀγάπη | agapais |
| object accusative | agapan33×ἀγάπην | agapain |
| direct address vocative | agapar | agapair |
| of, belonging to genitive | agapau18×ἀγάπης | agapaiu |
| to, for dative | agapa28×ἀγάπῃ | agapai1×ἀγάπαις |
Tinted cells are forms the New Testament never uses, so there is no Greek to show against them — but they are still correct Biblang, built from the slots below like any other.
Why these forms, and no others — the slots that make them
agapa is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.
same in every form varies — every value shown
Words built on the same stem
Other words sharing the exact same stem — not merely related in meaning.
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
116 occurrences, 100 of them printed here — the rest are in the reader
agapas“love”subjectnominative singular36×, 27 shown
Matthew 24:12… tem plēthunira tan anomian psuchiti tas agapas toiu polloiu.… of the multiplication of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.
John 17:26… onomem su kai gnōrizami, hina tas agapas han agapasa min en autoi ateiō …… make it known, so that the love You have for Me may be …
Romans 5:5… de elpidas ouk kataischunatō; hoti tas agapas tou theou ekchotē en tai kardiai …… because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy …
Romans 12:9Tas agapas anupokritas. apostugarōntois tem ponērem, kollorōntois te …Love must be sincere. Detest what is …
Romans 13:10tas agapas to plēsion kakosem ouk ergazotō; plērōmem …Love does no wrong to its neighbor …
Romans 13:10… ouk ergazotō; plērōmem oun nomou tas agapas.… no wrong to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
1 Corinthians 8:1… echanō. tas gnōsias fusiatō, tas de agapas oikodomatō.… have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
1 Corinthians 13:4Tas agapas makrothumatō, chrēsteuotō tas agapas, ouk zēlatō …Love is patient, love is kind. It …
1 Corinthians 13:4Tas agapas makrothumatō, chrēsteuotō tas agapas, ouk zēlatō tas agapas, ouk perpereuotō, …Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy …
1 Corinthians 13:4“love”… chrēsteuotō tas agapas, ouk zēlatō tas agapas, ouk perpereuotō, ouk fusiotō,… is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
1 Corinthians 13:8Tas agapas oudepote piptatō. eite de profēteiais, katargili; …Love never fails. But where there are …
1 Corinthians 13:13nuni de menatō pistias, elpidas, agapas; teim treis houteim, megoteras de houteiu …… these three remain: faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is …
1 Corinthians 13:13… treis houteim, megoteras de houteiu tas agapas.… but the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 16:24tas agapas mu meta pantoiu vu en Christo …My love be with all of you in …
2 Corinthians 5:14tas gar agapas tou Christou sunechatō nin, krinarantoin houtem …For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced …
2 Corinthians 13:13“love”… tou kuriou Iēsu Christou kai tas agapas tou theou kai tas koinōnias teu …All the saints send …
Galatians 5:22Tos de karpos teu pneumeu atō agapas, charas, eirēnas, makrothumias, chrēstotas, agathōsunas, pistias,… the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Ephesians 6:23Eirēnas toi adelfoi kai agapas meta pistiau apo theou patrou kai …Peace to the brothers and love with faith from God the Father …
Philippians 1:9kai houtem proseuchomō hina tas agapas vu ēti mallon kai mallon perisseuateiō …… this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in …
2 Thessalonians 1:3… tas pistias vu kai pleonazatō tas agapas henou hekastou pantoiu vu eis allēloin,… growing more and more, and your love for one another is increasing.
1 Timothy 1:5tem de telem tau parangeliau atō agapas ek katharau kardiau kai suneidēsiau agathau …… goal of our instruction is the love that comes from a pure heart …
1 Peter 4:8… eis heautoin agapan ektenan echarōntois, hoti agapas kaluptatō plēthem hamartaiu;… all, love one another deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
1 John 2:5… ton logon, alēthōs en houto tas agapas tou theou teleiotē. en houte gnōskanō …… if anyone keeps His word, the love of God has been truly perfected …
1 John 2:15… agapateiō ton kosmon, ouk atō tas agapas tou patrou en auto;… If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in …
1 John 3:17… splanchneim autou apo autou, pōs tas agapas tou theou menatō en auto?… compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him?
1 John 4:7Agapētoir, agapaneiō allēloin, hoti tas agapas ek tou theou atō, kai pantos …… let us love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves …
1 John 4:8… gnōskata ton theon, hoti tos theos agapas atō.… not know God, because God is love.
agapan“love”objectaccusative singular33×, 27 shown
Luke 11:42… kai parerchovō tan krisian kai tan agapan tou theou; houteim de date poiara …… but you disregard justice and the love of God. You should have practiced …
John 5:42alla gnōskamē vin hoti tan agapan tou theou ouk echavō en heautoi.… that you do not have the love of God within you.
John 13:35… pantois hoti ēmois mathētois avō, ean agapan echaveiō en allēloi.… you are My disciples, if you love one another.”
John 15:13megoteran houtau agapan oudenos echatō, hina tinos tan psuchan …Greater love has no one than this, that …
Romans 5:8sustēatō de tan heautou agapan eis nin tos theos hoti ēti …But God proves His love for us in this: While we …
Romans 14:15… tos adelfos su lupotō, ouketi kata agapan peripatasō. mē te brōme su ekeinon …… you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy …
1 Corinthians 13:1… toiu anthrōpoiu lalameiō kai toiu angeloiu, agapan de mē echameiō, genamē chalkos ēcharōntos …… and of angels, but have not love, I am only a ringing gong …
1 Corinthians 13:2… pantan tan pistian hōste oreim metastēarō, agapan de mē echameiō, oudenem amō.… to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:3… paradōameia tem sōmem mu, hina kaiimi, agapan de mē echameiō, oudenem ōfelomō.… of my body, but have not love, I gain nothing.
1 Corinthians 14:1Diōkavōr tan agapan, zēlavōr de teim pneumatikeim, mallon de …Earnestly pursue love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially …
2 Corinthians 2:4… dakrueiu, ouk hina lupiveia, alla tan agapan hina gnōskaveia han echamō perissoterōs eis …… let you know how much I love you.
2 Corinthians 2:8dio parakalamō vin kurara eis auton agapan;… I urge you to reaffirm your love for him.
Ephesians 1:15… en to kurio Iēso kai tan agapan tan eis pantoin toin hagioin,… in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,
Ephesians 2:4… arōntos en elese, dia tan pollan agapan autou han agapata nin,But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich …
Ephesians 3:19gnōskara tē tan huperballarōntan tau gnōsiau agapan tou Christou, hina plēriveia eis pantem …… of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may …
Philippians 2:2… hina tem autem fronaveiō, tan autan agapan echarōntois, sumpsuchois, tem henem fronarōntois,… by being like-minded, having the same love, being united in spirit and purpose.
Colossians 1:4… vu en Christo Iēso kai tan agapan han echavō eis pantoin toin hagioin… faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all the saints —
Colossians 1:8tos kai dēlarantos ni tan vu agapan en pneume.… who also informed us of your love in the Spirit.
Colossians 3:14epi pantei de houtei tan agapan, hem atō sundesmos tau teleiotau.… over all these virtues put on love, which is the bond of perfect …
1 Thessalonians 3:6… euangelizerantou ni tan pistian kai tan agapan vu, kai hoti echavō mneian nu …… good news about your faith, your love, and the fond memories you have …
2 Thessalonians 2:10… adikiau toi apolorōntoi, anti heiu tan agapan tau alētheiau ouk dechela eis tem …… are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have …
2 Thessalonians 3:5… kateuthunatoia vu tain kardiain eis tan agapan tou theou kai eis tan hupomonan …… Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.
1 Timothy 6:11… fugasōr; diōkasōr de dikaiosunan, eusebeian, pistian, agapan, hupomonan, praupathian.… things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.
2 Timothy 2:22… epithumiain fugasōr, diōkasōr de dikaiosunan, pistian, agapan, eirēnan meta toiu epikalorōntoiu ton kurion …… youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, together with those who …
Philemon 1:5akouarōntos su tan agapan kai tan pistian han echasō pros …… in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints.
Philemon 1:9dia tan agapan mallon parakalamō, toioutos arōntos hōs Paulos …… to appeal on the basis of love. For I, Paul, am now aged …
1 Peter 4:8pro panteiu tan eis heautoin agapan ektenan echarōntois, hoti agapas kaluptatō plēthem …Above all, love one another deeply, because love covers …
agapau“love”of, belonging togenitive singular18×
Romans 8:35tinos nin chōrizati apo tau agapau tou Christou? thlipsias ē stenochōrias ē …Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress …
Romans 8:39… heteras duneti nin chōrizara apo tau agapau tou theou tau en Christo Iēso …… able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ …
Romans 15:30… nu Iēsu Christou kai dia tau agapau teu pneumeu sunagōnizera mi en tai …… Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me …
2 Corinthians 8:8… heteroiu spoudau kai tem tau humeterau agapau gnēsiem dokimazarōntos;… am testing the sincerity of your love through the earnestness of others.
2 Corinthians 8:24tan oun endeixian tau agapau vu kai nu kauchēsiau huper vu …… these men the proof of your love and the reason for our boasting …
2 Corinthians 13:11… fronavōr, eirēneuavōr, kai tos theos tau agapau kai eirēnau eti meta vu.… in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.
Galatians 5:6… ischuatō oute akrobustias, alla pistias dia agapau energorōntas.… matters is faith expressing itself through love.
Galatians 5:13… aforman ta sarka, alla dia tau agapau douleuavōr allēloi;… flesh. Rather, serve one another in love.
Philippians 1:16tois men ek agapau, oidarēntois hoti eis apologian teu euangelieu …The latter do so in love, knowing that I am appointed for …
Philippians 2:1… paraklēsias en Christo, ei tinem paramuthiem agapau, ei tinas koinōnias pneumeu, ei tinas …… Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit …
Colossians 1:13… eis tan basileian tou huiou tau agapau autou,… us into the kingdom of His beloved Son,
1 Thessalonians 1:3… tau pistiau kai tou kopou tau agapau kai tau hupomonau tau elpidau tou …… work of faith, your labor of love, and your enduring hope in our …
1 Thessalonians 5:8… arōntois nēfaneiō, enduerantois thōrakon pistiau kai agapau kai perikefalaian elpidan sōtērēau;… on the breastplate of faith and love, and the helmet of our hope …
1 Timothy 1:14… tou kuriou nu meta pistiau kai agapau tau en Christo Iēso.… me, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 1:7… theos pneumem deiliau, alla dunamiau kai agapau kai sōfronismou.… spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.
Hebrews 6:10… epilathera teu ergeu vu kai tau agapau hau endeikeva eis tem onomem autou, …… not forget your work and the love you have shown for His name …
Hebrews 10:24kai katanoaneiō allēloin eis paroxusmon agapau kai kaleiu ergeiu,… to spur one another on to love and good deeds.
1 Peter 5:14aspazevar allēloin en filēme agapau. eirēnas vi pantoi toi en Christo.… one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who …
agapa“love”to, fordative singular28×, 27 shown
John 15:9… kamis vin agapama, menavar en ta agapa ta ēma.… I loved you. Remain in My love.
John 15:10… entolain mu tēraveia, menavi en ta agapa mu, kathōs mis tain entolain tou …… commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My …
John 15:10… tēramē kai menamō autou en ta agapa.… Father’s commandments and remain in His love.
1 Corinthians 4:21… rabda erchameia pros vin, ē en agapa pneume tē prautau?… you with a rod, or in love and with a gentle spirit?
1 Corinthians 16:14panteim vu en agapa genotōr.Do everything in love.
2 Corinthians 6:6… en chrēstota, en pneume hagie, en agapa anupokrita,… the Holy Spirit and in sincere love;
2 Corinthians 8:7… kai ta ek nu en vi agapa, hina kai en houta ta charita …… in complete earnestness, and in the love we inspired in you — see that …
Ephesians 1:4… hagioin kai amōmoin katenōpion autou en agapa,… and blameless in His presence. In love
Ephesians 3:17… pistiau en tai kardiai vu en agapa; rizorēntois kai themeliorēntois,… you, being rooted and grounded in love,
Ephesians 4:2… prautau, meta makrothumiau, anechorōntois allēloiu en agapa,… patience, bearing with one another in love,
Ephesians 4:15alētheuarōntois de en agapa auxananeia eis auton teim panteim, hos …Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow …
Ephesians 4:16… sōmeu poiotō eis oikodoman heauteu en agapa.… grows and builds itself up in love through the work of each individual …
Ephesians 5:2kai peripatavōr en agapa, kathōs kai tos Christos agapata nin …and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and …
Colossians 2:2… parakalileia tais kardiais autoiu, sumbibazirantois en agapa kai eis pantem ploutem tau plēroforiau …… encouraged in heart, knit together in love, and filled with the full riches …
1 Thessalonians 3:12… tos kurios pleonazatoia kai perisseuatoia ta agapa eis allēloin kai eis pantoin, kathaper …… you to increase and overflow with love for one another and for everyone …
1 Thessalonians 5:13kai hēgorō autoin huperekperissou en agapa dia tem ergem autoiu. eirēneuavōr en …In love, hold them in highest regard because …
1 Timothy 2:15… teknogoniau, ean menaleia en pistia kai agapa kai hagiasmo meta sōfrosunau.… childbearing, if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.
1 Timothy 4:12… pistoiu en logo, en anastrofa, en agapa, en pistia, en hagneia.… believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.
2 Timothy 1:13… para mu akouasa en pistia kai agapa ta en Christo Iēso;… from me, with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 3:10… prothesia, ta pistia, ta makrothumia, ta agapa, ta hupomona,… purpose, my faith, my patience, my love, my perseverance,
Titus 2:2… semnoin, sōfronoin, hugiainarōntoin ta pistia, ta agapa, ta hupomona.… dignified, self-controlled, and sound in faith, love, and perseverance.
Philemon 1:7… pollan echama kai paraklēsian epi ta agapa su, hoti teim splanchneim toiu hagioiu …… great joy and encouragement in your love, because you, brother, have refreshed the …
1 John 4:16… atō, kai tos menarōntos en ta agapa en to theo menatō kai tos …… God is love; whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in …
1 John 4:18fobos ouk atō en ta agapa, alla tas teleias agapas exō balatō …There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear …
1 John 4:18… de foborōntos ouk teleiotē en ta agapa.… fears has not been perfected in love.
2 John 1:3… huiou tou patrou, en alētheia kai agapa.… be with us in truth and love.
3 John 1:6hois marturala su ta agapa enōpion ekklēsau, hoin kalōs poiasi propemparantos …… testified to the church about your love. You will do well to send …
agapai“love feasts”to, fordative plural1×
Jude 1:12houtois alō tois en tai agapai vu spiladais suneuōchorōntois, afobōs heautoin poimanarōntois, …… men are hidden reefs in your love feasts, shamelessly feasting with you but shepherding …