I haven't followed this thread too closely, so I hope this hasn't already been discussed. In the circles with which my wife and I associate, we are very often told that AGAPAW always refers to a much higher form of love than FILEW; that AGAPAW is reserved for the kind of love God has for His son and for His children, and is the kind of love one Christian should have for another. (Therefore Peter's responses to Jesus in Jn. 21 indicate a lower from of love.) I wonder if anyone else encounters similar definitions. Don't the following references pretty much refute that notion? 1. Lk.6:32 "And if you love (AGAPE) those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love (AGAPE) those who love (AGAPE) them." 2. Lk. 11:43 "Woe to you Pharisees! For you love (AGAPE) the front seats in the synagogues… " 3. Lk. 16:13 "No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love (AGAPE) the other… " 4. Jn. 5:20 "For the Father loves (FILEO) the Son… " 5. Jn. 16:27 ".. for the Father Himself loves (FILEO) you, because you have loved (FILEO) me.. " 6. Jn. 20:2 "And so she [Mary] ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved (FILEO).. " 7. 1 Cor. 16:22 "If any one does not love (FILEO) the Lord, let him be accursed." 8. 2 Tim. 4:10 ".. for Demas, having loved (AGAPE) this present world… " 9. Tit. 3:4 "But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love (FILEO) for mankind appeared… " 10. Tit. 3:15 "Greet those who love (FILEO) us in the faith… " 11. Rev. 3:19 "Those whom I love (FILEO), I reprove and discipline.. " Best. Ted Dr. Theodore "Ted" H. Mann thmann@juno.com http://www.homestead.com/ChristianResourcesLinks/index.html ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. --- B-Greek home page: http://metalab.unc.edu/bgreek You are currently subscribed to b-greek as: [jwrobie@mindspring.com] To unsubscribe, forward this message to leave-b-greek-327Q@franklin.oit.unc.edu To subscribe, send a message to subscribe-b-greek@franklin.oit.unc.edu