Bible Dictionaries
Love

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

"The fulfilling of the law" (Romans 13:8; Romans 13:10), the prominent perfection of God (1 John 4:8; 1 John 4:16), manifested to us (1 John 4:10) when we loved not Him (John 3:16). Passing our powers of knowledge (Ephesians 3:19), everlasting (Jeremiah 31:3), free and gratuitous (Hosea 14:4), enduring to the end (John 13:1). The two Greek words for "love" are distinct: phileo , the love of impulse, ardent affection and feeling; agapao , the love of esteem, regard. John 21:15, "Simon, lovest (agapas , esteemest) thou Me?" Αgapas sounds too cold to Peter, now burning with love; so he replies, "Thou knowest that I LOVE (philo ) Thee." "Simon, esteemest thou (agapas ) Me? ... Thou knowest that I LOVE Thee." At the third time Peter gained his point. "Simon, LOVEST (phileis ) thou Me?" Love to one another is the proof to the world of discipleship (John 13:35).

Bibliography Information
Fausset, Andrew R. Entry for 'Love'. Fausset's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/​dictionaries/​eng/​fbd/​l/love.html. 1949.