Types of Love
"Love one another deeply. Honor others more than yourselves" (Romans 12:10).
"I give you a new command. Love one another. You must love one another, just as I have loved you. If you love one another, everyone will know you are my disciples" (John 13:34–35).
There are at least four different Greek words used for "love," although not all are mentioned in the Bible. Each of these different words for love entails a different type of love. One of the Greek words for love is
eros. This type of love is a romantic love that a husband and a wife have for each other. Even though this is a Greek word for love, it is not mentioned in the New Testament.
Another Greek word for love is
storge. Storge is a family type of love. The love that you have for your mom, dad, or siblings is storge love. Directly speaking, this word isn't used in the New Testament either.
The third type of love is
philia love, which refers to friends. Within the New Testament,
philia is often translated as “friend.”
The last type of love spoken is
agape love. This is the type of love that is used the most in the Bible. To love others with an
agape love means we love them unconditionally. Unconditional love is loving someone no matter what they do or don't do.
Agape love is the type of love God has for us. While many people accredit
agape love to only God,
agape love is the love God calls us to love others with. Since Jesus calls us to love others as He has loved us, we are called to love others with an
agape love, not a mediocre love.
