In the New American Standard Bible 1995 (NASB95), Agapao is mentioned 143 times, in 110 verses, in the New Covenant. Please reference to the Blue Letter Bible’s, Strong’s Concordance reference number G25, for further study. Below, you may find the first 50 New Covenant verses that mention the highest form of love we are called to as His children and disciples.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE G25 YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’
“But I say to you, love G25 your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
“For if you love G25 those who love G25 you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love G25 the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER; and YOU SHALL LOVE G25 YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”
And He said to him, “ ‘YOU SHALL LOVE G25 THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’
“The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE G25 YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’
Looking at him, Jesus felt G25 a love G25 for him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
AND YOU SHALL LOVE G25 THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’
“The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE G25 YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
AND TO LOVE G25 HIM WITH ALL THE HEART AND WITH ALL THE UNDERSTANDING AND WITH ALL THE STRENGTH, AND TO LOVE G25 ONE’S NEIGHBOR AS HIMSELF, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
“But I say to you who hear, love G25 your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
“If you love G25 those who love G25 you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love G25 those who love G25 them.
“But love G25 your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.
for he loves G25 our nation and it was he who built us our synagogue.”
“When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love G25 him more?”
“For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved G25 much; but he who is forgiven little, loves G25 little.”
And he answered, “YOU SHALL LOVE G25 THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”
“Woe to you Pharisees! For you love G25 the chief seats in the synagogues and the respectful greetings in the marketplaces.
“No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love G25 the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”
“For God so loved G25 the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
“This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved G25 the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.
“The Father loves G25 the Son and has given all things into His hand.
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love G25 Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me.
“For this reason the Father loves G25 Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again.
Now Jesus loved G25 Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
for they loved G25 the approval of men rather than the approval of God.
Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved G25 His own who were in the world, He loved G25 them to the end.
There was reclining on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. G25
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love G25 one another, even as I have loved G25 you, that you also love G25 one another.
“If you love G25 Me, you will keep My commandments.
“He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves G25 Me; and he who loves G25 Me will be loved G25 by My Father, and I will love G25 him and will disclose Myself to him.”
Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves G25 Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love G25 him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.
“He who does not love G25 Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.
“You heard that I said to you, ‘I go away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved G25 Me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.
but so that the world may know that I love G25 the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me. Get up, let us go from here.
“Just as the Father has loved G25 Me, I have also loved G25you; abide in My love.
“This is My commandment, that you love G25 one another, just as I have loved G25 you.
“This I command you, that you love G25 one another.
I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved G25 them, even as You have loved G25 Me.
“Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved G25 Me before the foundation of the world.
and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved G25 Me may be in them, and I in them.”
When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved G25 standing nearby, He *said to His mother,“Woman, behold, your son!”
Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved G25 *said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his outer garment on (for he was stripped for work), and threw himself into the sea.
So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus *said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love G25 Me more than these?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He *said to him, “Tend My lambs.”
He *said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love G25 Me?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He *said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.”
Peter, turning around, *saw the disciple whom Jesus loved G25 following them; the one who also had leaned back on His bosom at the supper and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?”
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love G25 God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved G25 us.
Just as it is written, “JACOB I LOVED, G25 BUT ESAU I HATED.”
You may read the first post in this “The Greatest Love Series” here. I pray the Lord’s Holy Spirit poured out into you, strengthens and richly blesses you on your Agapao love journey.