Definition:   Love, affectionate regard, goodwill, benevolence. With reference to God's love, it is God's willful direction towards man. It involves God doing what is best for man and not necessarily what man desires. ...

1. Spoken more especially of good will toward others, the love of our neighbor, brotherly affection, which the Lord Jesus commands and inspires.
2. Followed by eis (1515) "unto" with the accusative.
3. Followed by en (1722) "in" with the dative.

References:

1. John 15:13; 17:26; Rom. 13:10; Heb. 6:10; 1 John 4:7.
2. 2 Cor. 2:4,8; 2 Thess. 1:3; 1 Pet. 4:8.
3. John 13:35; 2 Cor. 8:7.

From Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words:

Verb, agapao and the corresponding noun agape (B, No. 1 below) present the characteristic word of Christianity, and since the Spirit of revelation has used it to express ideas previously unknown, inquiry into its use, whether in Greek literature or in the Septuagint, throws but little light upon its distinctive meaning in the NT. Cp., however, Lev. 19:18; Deut. 6:5. Agape and agapao are used in the NT

• to describe the attitude of God toward His Son, John 17:26; the human race, generally, John 3:16; Rom 5:8; and to such as believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, particularly, John 14:21;
• to convey His will to His children concerning their attitude one toward another, John 13:34, and toward all men, 1 Thess. 3:12; 1 Cor. 16:14; 2 Pet. 1:7.

Community Rule 1:3b-5a--in order to love all 4 which he has chosen, and to hate all which he has rejected, keeping away from all evil 5 and adhering to all good works; (Charlesworth)
Alt.: to love all 4 He chooses and to hate all He rejects, to distance oneself from all Evil 5 and to hold fast to all the works of Goodness, (Eisenman)

Community Rule 2:23b-25a--No one shall either fall from his standing place or rise from the place of his lot, 24 for they shall all be in the Community of truth, of virtuous humility, of merciful love, and of righteous intention 25 towards one another, in a holy council, and members of an eternal assembly. (Charlesworth)
Alt.: And no man of the House (of God) shall move down from his standing or up from his allotted rank. 24 Because all are part of the Community of Truth with self-effacing Goodness and love of Piety and the thought of Righteousness, 25 each man towards his neighbor in the Council of Holiness, the Sons of the Eternal Foundation. (Eisenman)

Jeffrey Brian White:

agapaô/agapê/agapêtos

agapaô = "to regard, (Lat., diligere) esteem, (the principle of internal feeling of delectation and kindliness,) to acquiesce with satisfaction, to cherish with reverence, to love, considered in reference to the will (elsewhere translated beloved.)" [Bullinger] "perh. from agan (much) [or comp. #5689H]; to love (in a social or moral sense)" [#25G]

agapê = "love. [A word not found in the profane writers, nor in Philo and Josephus, nor in Acts, Mark, and James. It is unknown to writers outside of the N.T. filanthrôpia, philanthropy was the highest word used by the Greeks, which is a very different thing to agapê, and even far lower than filadelfia. Filanthrôpia in its fullest display was only giving to him who was entitled to it his full rights.] Agapê denotes the love which springs from admiration and veneration, and which chooses its object with decision of will, and devotes a self-denying and compassionate devotion to it. Love in its fullest conceivable form." [Bullinger] "from agapaô; love, i.e. affection or benevolence" [#26G]

E. W. Bullinger's Note Regarding fileô And agapaô:

"Note.-These two words are not used indiscriminately. Agapaô, never means to kiss; fileô, never means to acquiesce or cherish with reverence. Fileô denotes the sense or passion of love, but in agapaô is implied the cause of fileô. Agapaô is to make much of a thing, to admire for some good and sufficient reason, but fileô denotes the love which springs naturally from the thing loved, even where no just cause of love exists. Agapaô is never used of an improper love; fileô is. Hence, in the N.T. fileô is never used of man's love to God, but agapaô always. Both words are used of God's love to man, agapaô, when He is said to "Love the world," (John iii.16, etc.) and when He wishes men good, and seeks their salvation; and fileô is affirmed of His love to His people who please Him, (John xvi.27, etc.) Again, fileô is used of Jesus' love for Lazarus, (John xi.3,36); but in verse 5 the word is agapaô, because there the sisters are included, and therefore this word was more correct. Again, we are commanded to love our enemies, etc., but here agapaô is used, never fileô; love cannot be required in this case, though compassion and kindness are. Again, in John xxi.15-17, in the first question Jesus uses agapaô, but Peter uses fileô in his reply; this is repeated, and then Jesus uses Peter's word in the third question. Once more, to love (fileô) life, from an excessive desire to preserve it, and so to lose sight of the real object of living, is reproved by our Lord, (John xii.25.) Whereas to love (agapaô) life, is to consult its real interest. Other examples may be traced out with much profit, e.g. Mark x.21."

Agapaô is the verb form, usually rendered as 'to »love«'. Agapê is the noun form, often rendered as either '»love«' or '»charity«'. Agapêtos is a past participle of the verb, often used as a noun and rendered as '»beloved«'.

ETYMOLOGICAL NOTE: In his definition of the verb agapaô [#25G], Strong relates it to the Hebrew word 'âgab, which he defines as "a prim. root; to breathe after, i.e. to love (sensually)" [#5689H]. Strong's reference of agapaô to 'âgab seems to be based on phonological similarity. There are several possible explanations for this correspondence. Firstly, all languages having been formed through Yahweh's confusion of language at Babel, it is possible that both words may be derived from the same original root. A second possibility is that it was borrowed from Hebrew 'âgab into Greek, being rendered as agapaô. A third possibility is that of 'random' coincidence. Who knows? Bullinger's statements about the attestation of agapê/agapaô in Classical Greek literature contradict the first and third hypotheses, and suggests that the Septuagint translators simply borrowed the word directly from the 'âgab, having no real equivalent for it in Greek. This in turn suggests a stronger meaning for 'âgab than Strong's definition. With regard to Bullinger's definition of and note regarding agapê/agapaô, the word has been since his time attested in non-Judeo-Christian literature [BAG] and it must be pointed out that Bullinger appears to have overlooked the agapê of the scribes and Pharisees in Luke 11:42-43 where Jesus' usage of agapê/agapaô would seem to be the exception which verifies the rule: »But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.« These things having been said, it can still be seen in the occurrences of the word that Bullinger's observations are nevertheless essentially correct.

From International Standard Bible Encyclopedia:

In the King James Version in 26 places from 1 Corinthians 8:1 onward. The same Greek word, which appears in the New Testament 115 times, is elsewhere translated by "love."

A New Word:

The substantive agape is mainly, if not exclusively, a Biblical and ecclesiastical word (see Deissmann, Bible Studies, 198 ff.), not found in profane writings, although the verb agapan, from which it is derived, is used in classical Greek in the sense of "love, founded in admiration, veneration, esteem, like the Latin diligere" (Grimm-Thayer), rather than natural emotion (Latin, amare).

A New Ideal:

It is a significant evidence of the sense of a new ideal and principle of life that permeated the Christian consciousness of the earliest communities, that they should have made current a new word to express it, and that they should derive that word, not from the current or philosophical language of Greek morality, but from the Septuagint.

An Apostolic Term:

In the New Testament the word is apostolic, and appears first and predominantly in the Pauline writings. It is found only twice in the Synoptics (Matthew 24:12; Luke 11:42), and although it is in both places put in the mouth of the Saviour, it can easily be understood how the language of a later time may have been used by the narrator, when it is considered that these gospels were compiled and reduced to writing many years after the spread of the Pauline epistles. The word is not found in James, Mark or Acts, but it appears in Paul 75 times, in John 30 times, in Peter 4 times, in Jude twice and in Hebrews twice. Jesus Christ gave the thing and the spirit in the church, and the apostles (probably Paul) invented the term to express it.

Latin Equivalents:

When Jerome came to translate the Greek Testament into Latin, he found in that language no word to represent agape. Amor was too gross, and he fell back on dilectio and caritas, words which, however, in their original meanings were too weak and colorless to represent agape adequately. No principle seems to have guided him in the choice of the one word or the other in particular places.

English Translation:

Caritas in English became "charity," and was taken over by the English translators from the Vulg, though not with any regularity, nor as far as can be judged, according to any definite principle, except that it is used of agape only in man, never as it denotes a quality or action of God, which is always translated by "love." When agape is translated by "charity" it means either (1) a disposition in man which may qualify his own character (1 Corinthians 8:1) and be ready to go forth to God (1 Corinthians 8:3) or to men; or (2) an active and actual relation with other men, generally within the church (Colossians 3:14; 1 Thessalonians 3:6; 2 Thessalonians 1:3; 1 Timothy 1:5; 1 Timothy 4:12; 1 Peter 4:8; 1 Peter 5:14), but also absolutely and universally (1 Co. 13). In the earlier epistles it stands first and unique as the supreme principle of the Christian life (1 Co. 13), but in the later writings, it is enumerated as one among the Christian virtues (1 Timothy 2:15; 2 Timothy 2:22; 2 Timothy 3:10; Titus 2:2; 2 Peter 1:7; Revelation 2:19).

Inward Motive:

In Paul's psalm of love (1 Co. 13) it is set forth as an innermost principle contrasted with prophecy and knowledge, faith and works, as the motive that determines the quality of the whole inner life, and gives value to all its activities. If a man should have all gifts of miracles and intellect, and perform all the works of goodness and devotion, "and have not love, it profiteth nothing," for they would be purely external and legal, and lacking in the quality of moral choice and personal relation which give life its value (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). Love itself defines men's relation to men as generous, tolerant and forgiving.

Character:

"Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not" (1 Corinthians 13:4). It determines and defines a man's own character and personality. It is not boastful and arrogant, but dignified, pure, holy, courageous and serene. Evil cannot provoke it nor wrong delight it. It bears cheerfully all adversity and follows its course in confident hope (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). It is final virtue, the ultimate ideal of life. Many of life's activities cease or change, but "love never faileth."

Ultimate Ideal:

To it all other graces and virtues are subordinated. "Now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:8-13). In one passage only in the New Testament (3 John 1:6) agape seems to have a meaning that comes near to the later, ecclesiastical meaning of charity as almsgiving.

Almsgiving:

With the growing legalism of the church and the prevalence of monastic ideals of morality, caritas came to mean the very opposite of Paul's agape--just "the giving of goods to feed the poor," which "without love profiteth nothing." At present, the word means either liberality to the poor, or tolerance in judging the actions of others, both qualities of love, but very inadequate to express its totality.

Tolerance:

The Revisers have therefore accurately dropped the word and substituted "love" for it in all passages. It is interesting to note that in Welsh the reverse process has occurred: cariad (from Latin caritas) was used throughout to translate agape, with the result that, in both religious and ordinary speech, the word has established itself so firmly as almost to oust the native word serch.

Alcoholics Anonymous:

In the Greek language, there are 3 words for love, Agape: spiritual, Phileo: brotherly, and Eros: sensual. These last two, Phileo and Eros, are totally unpredictable in nature, having an air of expectation about them. Being imperfect and unreliable, our dependence on these two types of love creates much confusion and suffering in our life. Whereas, Agape, being perfect and unconditional by nature, is the type of love we can give away and remove our expectations of having it returned. The Agape groups, interwoven throughout Alcoholics Anonymous in many cities and states, use the following definition of Agape as the basis for their group conscience: "Spontaneous self-giving love, expressed freely, without calculation of cost to the giver, or merit on the part of the receiver."

We in the Agape groups realize that this is a difficult definition to live up to, and many of us fall short; however, we know and feel in our hearts that it is attainable, believing that with the help of our Higher Power all things are possible. Unfortunately, while trying to progress toward the spiritual goal of Agape love, we sometimes let ourselves open for ridicule and criticism. Our open display of love for another is sometimes unnerving for those who have not experienced our ways. We understand and remember many of the situations during our past way of living which had a tendency to close our minds to any open display of affection. Many of us had contempt for Agape prior to investigating it, and some of us simply could not handle it at first. Because we have been there, we are sure there are others who might have the same feelings today. To these people we of the Agape group simply say, "We love and need you and wait for you should you ever need us."

Essentially, Agape is AA. We use the 12 Steps and 12 Traditions, recite the Serenity Prayer and read the "How It Works" before every meeting. So what's the difference between Agape and AA? The only difference is the overarching focus on unconditional acceptance (Agape love) which creates an extremely safe and positive atmosphere in which to be oneself. This degree of safety provides an atmosphere where we are more likely to get into the often overlooked "nooks and crannies" and the "exact nature" of that which is preventing us from growing one day at a time.

Christian counselor Alfred C.W. Davis (MBA, MDiv, Clinical Member of AAMFT):

Love is the "will" and "choice"

• to accept
• to support
• to care for
• to forgive
• to give
• to serve
• to nurture the growth of

and is carried out in a way that is

• unconditional
• selfless
• sacrificial
• upbuilding

• patience
• kindness
• respectfulness
• humility
• gentleness
• peacefulness
• tolerance
• fairness
• endurance
• loyalty

I Clement 21:1-11

1 He that has the love that is in Christ, let him keep the commandments of Christ.
2 For who is able to express the obligation of the love of God? What man is sufficient to declare, and is fitting, the excellency of its beauty?
3 The height to which charity leads is inexpressible.
4 Charity unites us to God; charity covers the multitude of sins: charity endures all things, is long-suffering in all things.
5 There is nothing base and sordid in charity; charity lifts not itself up above others; admits of no divisions; is not seditious; but does all things in peace and concord.
6 By charity were all the elect of God made perfect: Without it nothing is pleasing and acceptable in the sight of God.
7 Through charity did the Lord join us unto himself; whilst for the love that he bore towards us, our Lord Jesus Christ gave his own blood for us, by the will of God; his flesh for our flesh; his soul, for our souls.

oiktirMOS (3628) compassion

phiLIa (5373) friendship

philanthro-PIa (5363) love for man, benevolence, philanthropy. It's that disposition which does not always think of self, but takes thought for the needs and wishes of others. It denotes that apparent and ready goodwill usually manifested in a friendly, considerate demeanor, and (especially in the practice of hospitality) readiness to help, tenderheartedness, cherishing and maintaining fellowship. The philanthropist (in this original Greek sense) serves his fellow citizens, protects the oppressed, is mindful of the erring, gentle to the conquered, and self-renouncing in reference to his rights.

euNOIa (2133) kindness, goodwill, benevolence

philadelPHIa (5360) brotherly love. In the NT, used of the love of Christians one to another, brotherly love out of a common spiritual life.
References: Rom. 12:10; 1 Thess. 4:9; Heb. 13:1; 1 Pet. 1:22; 2 Pet. 1:7.