Love

0025 AGAPAO (142): (verb) To act in love; that is, to do caring things or act caringly. But in current English the word "love" primarily means a "feeling" or emotion (often erotic) or sexual activity. (the Greek word for this kind of "love" ,erws, is not used in the FCR). Thus agapao will be more accurately understood if translated by words other than "love".

Derivation of translation of agapao: In Lk.10.25-28, a law expert asked Yesu, "What should I do to inherit final-age life?" Yesu had him answer his own question and he responded, "agapao your Master, God, with all your heart, sensory-self, mind and strength, and your neighbor as yourself." (And Yesu agreed with his answer.) In vv.30-35 (the narrative about the "Good Samaritan") Yesu not only defined who is one's neighbor, but also showed that agapao for a neighbor includes both having compassion for him and caring for him by providing his needs. In v.37 it can be seen that mercy (compassion plus providing needs) is a form of agapao. Note also that the priest and the Levite (vv.31-32) who ignored the injured man demonstrated that the opposite of agapao is not necessarily "despise," but apathy or "to not care about" (3404 miseo).

In Jn.14.15,21,22 Yesu stated, If you agapao me you+ will heed my instructions," and negatively in v.24, "The one who does not agapao me does not heed my statements." Thus, to agapao God or Yesu includes knowing their instructions and statements and caring enough to heed them; that is, "caring plus obeying." Note that neither sexuality nor lust is involved. Thus translating agapao as "love" does not give the correct meaning to the text, but introduces confusion to those not familiar with the bible.

In the passages cited above the meaning of agapao includes "to care for;" but also included is a mental decision to do something as a result of one's caring. The phrase "to actively care" seems to be a technically correct translation, since it shows action as a result of caring. But agapao is used in a variety of relationships in the FCR which are inadequately described by the adverb, "actively." It is proposed that adverbs such as "helpfully," "lovingly," "thankfully" and "obediently" be employed instead of "actively," as suggested by the context of each passage.

Agapao is used in context with "brotherly care" (5360 philadelphia) in 1Th.4.9 and 1Pe.1.22. It is the opposite of "despise, care less for" (3404 miseo) in Mt.5.43, 6.24, Lk.6.27, 16.13, Ro.9.13, Heb.1.9, 1Jn.2.10, 3.14, 4.20. Opposite of "bitter" (4087 pikraino) in Col.3.19.

TO HELPFULLY CARE FOR: A NEIGHBOR OR ENEMY:

HELPFULLY CARE FOR (50) Mt.5.43,44,46,46; 19.19; 22.39. Mk.12.31, 33b. Lk.6.27,32,32,32,32,35; 7.5. Jn.13.34a,34c; 15.12a,17. Rom.13.8,8,9. 2Co.11.11; 12.15,15. Gal.5.14. Eph.5.28c. 1Th.4.9. Jas.2.8. 1Pe.1.22; 2.17. 1Jn.2.10; 3.10,11,14,14,23; 4.7,7,8,11b, 12,19a,20b,21b; 5.2a. 2Jn.1,5. 3Jn.1. Rev.12.11.

HUSBAND OR WIFE OR SELF:

LOVINGLY CARE FOR (6) Eph.5.25a,28a,28b,33. Col.3.19. 1Pe.3.10.

RESPONSE OF A HELPFULLY OR LOVINGLY CARED-FOR HUMAN:

THANKFULLY CARE FOR (3) Lk.7.42,47,47.

TO WRONGFULLY CARE FOR SOMETHING OTHER THAN A PERSON:
(used similarly to the human world's usage of "love.")

LOVE (8) Lk.11.43. Jn.3.19; 12.43 2Ti.4.10. 2Pe.2.15. 1Jn.2.15,15. Rev.20.9.

WHICH MASTER WILL A SLAVE SERVE:
In Mt. 6.24 and Lk.16.13 Yesu states two decisions faced by a slave who considers which one of two masters to serve. In the world of humans it is unusual for us to be in a situation where we have two bosses influencing us; but Yesu is referring to a very real situation in the spiritual realm. Paul seems to explain Yesu's statement in Rom.6.16, "...you are slaves to whom you obey, whether of wrongdoing unto death or of obedience unto rightness." Accordingly, the decision facing each human is essentially the same, "Will I be a slave to God or to Satan?" When one considers that agapao with respect to God is "obediently care for," the opposite is not "despise," but something like, "disregard or ignore."

OBEDIENTLY CARE FOR (2) Mt.6.24. Lk.16.13.

TO OBEDIENTLY CARE FOR (LOVE) DIETY OR GOD'S INSTRUCTIONS:

OBEDIENTLY CARE FOR (32) Mt.22.37. Mk.12.30,33a. Lk.10.27. Jn.8.42; 14.15,21a,21b,23a,24,28,31; 21.15,16. Rom.8.28. 1Co.2.9; 8.3. Eph.6.24. 2Ti.4.8. Heb.1.9. Jas.1.12; 2.5. 1Pe.1.8. 1Jn.3.18; 4.10a,20a,20c,21a; 5.1,1,2b. Rev.3.9.

GOD'S LOVING CARE FOR HIS CREATED HUMANS AND HIS SON YESU:
LOVINGLY CARE FOR (41) Mk.10.21. Jn.3.16,35; 10.17; 11.5; 13.1,1, 23,34b; 14.21c,21d,23b; 15.9,9,12b, 17.23,23,24,26; 19.26; 21.7, 20. Rom.8.37; 9.13,25,25. 2Co.9.7. Gal.2.20. Eph.1.6; 2.4; 5.2,25b. Col.3.12. 1Th.1.4. 2Th.2.13,16. Heb.12.6. 1Jn.4.10b,11a,19b. Rev.1.5.

0026 AGAPE (115): (noun) active good will, loving action, true caring, active care. See the verb form "helpfully, lovingly care for" (0025 agapao) for discussion about translation. Used with agapao in Jn.13.34-35, 15.9, 17.26, Gal.5.13-14, Eph.2.4, 5.2, 1Jn.2.15, 4.7,8,10,12,5.2-3. Used with "brotherly love" (5360 philadelphia) in 2Pe.1.7.

VARIOUS FORMS OF ACTIVE CARE:

CARE FOR OTHER HUMANS: (agape singular).

HELPFUL CARING, HELPFUL CARE (52) Jn.13.35. Rom.12.9; 13.10,10; 14.15. 1Co.4.21; 8.1; 13.1,2,3,4,4,4,8,13,13; 14.1; 16.14,24. 2Co.2.4,8; 8.7,8,24. Gal.5.13,22. Eph.1.15; 4.2,17. Col.1.4,8; 2.2; 3.14. 1Th.1.3; 3.6,12. 2Th.1.3. 1Ti.1.5; 2.15; 4.12. 2Ti.3.10. Tit.2.2. Phm.7,9. Heb.10.24. 1Pe.4.8,8. 2Pe.1.7. 1Jn.4.18,18,18. 3Jn.6.

AFFECTION FOR WORLDLY THINGS:

CARE (1) 1Jn.2.15.

THANKFUL CARE:

THANKFUL CARING (2) 1Th.5.13. 1Pe.5.14.

GODLY CHARACTERISTICS IN HUMAN CARING:

OBEDIENT CARING, OBEDIENT CARE FOR (23) Mt.24.12. Lk.11.42. Jn.5.42. Gal.5.6. Eph.3.17; 4.15; 5.2. Php.1.9; 2.2. Col.1.13. 1Th.5.8. 2Th.2.10. 1Ti.1.14; 6.11. 2Ti.1.7,13; 2.22. Phm.5. Heb.6.10. 1Jn.2.5. 2Jn.6. Rev.2.4,19.

THE CARE OF DEITY FOR HUMANS:

LOVING CARE (36) Jn.15.9,10,10,13 17.26. Rom.5.5,8; 8.35,39; 15.30. 2Co.5.14; 6.6; 13.11,13. Eph.1.4; 2.4; 3.19; 6.23. Php.2.1. 2Th.3.5. 1Jn.3.1,16,17; 4.7,8,9,10,12,16,16,16,17; 5.3. 2Jn.3. Jud.2,21.

AGAPE USED PLURALLY: active caring; meetings in which active caring was shown; eating together and demonstrating caring for each to her.

MUTUAL CARE MEETING (1) Jud.12.

0027 AGAPETOS (61): (adjective) Esteemed, dear, favored, beloved. A term of affection as well as of caring about. (translated "precious one" when no modified noun is present.)

PRECIOUS (34) Mt.3.17; 12.18; 17.5. Mk.1.11; 9.7; 12.6. Lk.3.22; 20.13. Act.15.25. Rom.1.7; 11.28; 16.5,8,9,12. 1Co.4.14,17; 15.58. Eph.5.1; 6.21. Php.4.1a. Col.1.7; 4.7,9,14. 1Th.2.8. 2Ti.1.2. Phm.1,16. Jas.1.16,19; 2.5. 2Pe.3.15. 3Jn.1.
PRECIOUS ONE (27) Rom.12.19. 1Co.10.14. 2Co.7.1; 12.19. Php.2.12; 4.1b. 1Ti.6.2. Heb.6.9. 1Pe.2.11; 4.12. 2Pe.1.17; 3.1,8,14,17. 1Jn.2.7; 3.2,21; 4.1,7,11. 3Jn.2,5,11. Jud.3,17,20.