What are the three types of love
mentioned in the New Testament?

What are the three types of love
mentioned in the New Testament?

Q. What are three types of love mentioned in the New Testament? Which types of love are we to have toward Jesus?

(Submitted by: G. R.)

A. You are correct in saying that there are at least three different words used in the Scripture to denote different types of love. This is one reason why it is a very good idea to understand a little bit about translating from one language into another. The New Testament was written in Greek, but when it is translated out into the English language which only has one word for all three definitions it makes it difficult for the reader to understand what the author was trying to say.

"So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. " (John 21:15)

The first Greek word for the kind of love that Jesus first asked Peter in John 21:15 was Greek: agapaw which in English letters is agapao. This word is Strong's Concordance #25, which is the root Greek word for Strong's Concordance #26 word most people are familiar with: agape. Agapao, or agape, would best be translated to mean charity or a living kind of caring love for someone. It chiefly means doing and caring for some one as much as you care for yourself. This is a godly love and can be manifest even if you do not necessarily like someone or do not know them. Only God himself can give this kind of love (John 3:16). Nearly all of the references to Jesus and love are of this variety even the one where John laid on Jesus bosom as the one Jesus loved. (John 13:23)

"So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

He saith to him again the second time, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

He saith unto him the third time, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. " (John 21:15-17)

The word Peter used all three times in his response to Jesus, as shown above, is the word phileo (Greek: jilew). It is Strong's Concordance #5368 which gives the various definitions of this word as:

1. to love
   1. to approve of
   2. to like
   3. sanction
   4. to treat affectionately or kindly, to welcome, befriend

2. to show signs of love
   1. to kiss

3. to be fond of doing
   1. be wont, use to do. This word denotes a brotherly love.

The city of Philadelphia in the United States is called the city of brotherly love. Humans without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit can only give this kind of love for either God or their fellows.

The third word for love in the Greek, which is not used in John 21:15-17, is eros. I do not think this one is found in Scriptures but comes to us from translating out Classical Greek writings. We get the English word erotic from this one and it pertains to sex.

The Scriptural Greek was more interested in how we treat each other and how we treat God than it was about a physical sensation. Thank you for asking this question. May God bless your studies.

Answer Given By: Charlotte Grantham