Agape
Divry's
English-Greek and
Greek-English DICTIONARY
agape: (αγάπη,
η)
love, affection, fondness
brotherly love
philostorgia: (φιλoστoργία, η)
affection,
love
Agape (αγάπη, η)
as used in the Bible
according to the Greek version of the New World Translation:
-God is agape,
1 John 4:16
-God's agape for us, John 3:16
-Our agape for God, Matt. 22:37
-Agape for neighbor, Matt. 19:19
-Agape for the world, 1 John 2:15
-Agape for our enemies, Matt.
5:44
-Agape for the darkness,
-Agape for glory of men,> John 12:43
-Agape for one's wife, <Eph 5:28, 33
such as Isaac's agape for Rebekah,
....Gen 24:67
Jacob's agape for Rachel,
Gen 29:18, 20
-Romantic Agape of the Shulamite Maiden
and her lover,
Song of Solomon 2:3,5,7; 8:6,7
- "the bed of expression of agape"
Ezekiel 23:17
-Agape as Lust, such as
Note that the Greek word agape
means more than just Christian or principled love. It is also romantic
love. Even the lust Amnon felt for his
half-sister Tamar is translated as agape in the Greek
NWT.
2 Sam 13:1,4,15:
1 "...and Amnon
the son of David
fell in love (αγάπη)
with [Tamar]...
4 ...At this Amnon
said to him: "With
Tamar the sister of Absalom my brother I am in love (αγάπη)."
And after he had violated her it says:
15 "And Amnon began hating her with
a very great hatred, because the hatred with which he hated her was greater than
the love (αγάπη)
with which he had loved (αγάπη)
her..."
It is not by studying the Greek word agape
that we get to know that Jehovah is a God of love, as if the word has any
special meaning, but rather we get to understand his great love by getting acquainted
with his personality and tender care, such as his ransom provision for mankind.
(1 John 4:8,
16)
"Jehovah, Jehovah, a God merciful and
gracious, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness and truth, preserving
loving-kindness for thousands, pardoning error and transgression and sin, but
by no means will he give exemption from punishment." —Exodus 34:6,7