(updated March 2007)

Agape Love in the Greek Septuagint

The Septuagint is the Greek Translation of the Old Testament known to the early Christian Church. The use of agape in Classical Greek was very rare, so the Septuagint offers us an important clue in understanding the nature of God (God is agape) and the Kingdom of God that Jesus came preaching.

See also agape definition

2 Samuel 13:15

2Sa 13:15 καὶ ἐμίσησεν αὐτὴν Αμνων μῖσος μέγα σφόδρα, ὅτι μέγα τὸ μῖσος, ὃ ἐμίσησεν αὐτήν, ὑπὲρ τὴν ἀγάπην, ἣν ἠγάπησεν αὐτήν. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ Αμνων Ἀνάστηθι καὶ πορεύου.

Then Amnon hated her exceedingly, and the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the 'agape' with which he had loved her…..

Ecclesiastes 9:1

Ecc 9:1 Ὅτι σὺν πᾶν τοῦτο ἔδωκα εἰς καρδίαν μου, καὶ καρδία μου σὺν πᾶν εἶδεν τοῦτο, ὡς οἱ δίκαιοι καὶ οἱ σοφοὶ καὶ ἐργασίαι αὐτῶν ἐν χειρὶ τοῦ θεοῦ, καί γε ἀγάπην καί γε μῖσος οὐκ ἔστιν εἰδὼς ὁ ἄνθρωπος· τὰ πάντα πρὸ προσώπου αὐτῶν,

For all this I took to heart, even to make all this clear, that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God. No man knows either 'agape' or hatred by all that is before them.

Song of Solomon 2:4

Son 2:4 Εἰσαγάγετέ με εἰς οἶκον τοῦ οἴνου, τάξατε ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ ἀγάπην.

he brought me to his banqueting house and his banner over me was 'agape'

Song of Solomon 2:7

Son 2:7 ὥρκισα ὑμᾶς, θυγατέρες Ιερουσαλημ, ἐν ταῖς δυνάμεσιν καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἰσχύσεσιν τοῦ ἀγροῦ, ἐὰν ἐγείρητε καὶ ἐξεγείρητε τὴν ἀγάπην, ἕως οὗ θελήσῃ.

I adjure you, Oh daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or by the Roes of the field do not stir up or awaken 'agape' until it pleases.

Song of Solomon 3:5

Son 3:5 ὥρκισα ὑμᾶς, θυγατέρες Ιερουσαλημ, ἐν ταῖς δυνάμεσιν καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἰσχύσεσιν τοῦ ἀγροῦ, ἐὰν ἐγείρητε καὶ ἐξεγείρητε τὴν ἀγάπην, ἕως ἂν θελήσῃ.

do not awaken 'agape' until it pleases

Song of Solomon 3:10

Son 3:10 στύλους αὐτοῦ ἐποίησεν ἀργύριον καὶ ἀνάκλιτον αὐτοῦ χρύσεον, ἐπίβασις αὐτοῦ πορφυρᾶ, ἐντὸς αὐτοῦ λιθόστρωτον, ἀγάπην ἀπὸ θυγατέρων Ιερουσαλημ.

He made its poles of silver, its back gold, its seat of purple, its middle was paved with 'agape' by the daughters of Jerusalem.

Song of Solomon 8:4

Son 8:4 ὥρκισα ὑμᾶς, θυγατέρες Ιερουσαλημ, ἐν ταῖς δυνάμεσιν καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἰσχύσεσιν τοῦ ἀγροῦ, τί ἐγείρητε καὶ τί ἐξεγείρητε τὴν ἀγάπην, ἕως ἂν θελήσῃ.

Many waters cannot quench 'agape', nor will the rivers overflow it. If a man would give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be scorned.

Song of Solomon 8:7

Son 8:7 ὕδωρ πολὺ οὐ δυνήσεται σβέσαι τὴν ἀγάπην, καὶ ποταμοὶ οὐ συγκλύσουσιν αὐτήν· ἐὰν δῷ ἀνὴρ τὸν πάντα βίον αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ἀγάπῃ, ἐξουδενώσει ἐξουδενώσουσιν αὐτόν.

many waters cannot quench 'agape' nor can floods drown it

Agape Love

So Christianity was not creating a new word for the God kind of love agape, it was redeeming a word already in existance.

And it is this redeemed agape love that the early Church Celebrated in Love Feasts and the Kiss of Peace.

See agape definition

God of Love

agape in the Septuagint