Starting at the Beginning....

Before any word study begins, I believe it is a good idea to define exactly what it is the word means. I looked up the word LOVE in several places and here is what I found:

According to the Dictionary, I found 8 meanings:

1. strong positive emotion of regard and affection
2. have a great affection or liking for
3. deep feeling of sexual desire and attraction
4. to get pleasure from
5. be enamored with or in love with
6. to desire
7. strong passionate affection for another person
8. profound feeling of tender affection for or intense attraction to another

According the my Bible's Concordance:

1. strong affection, desire or devotion

I found that the Hebrew language has 7 words with a love meaning:

1. Dodim: impulse of heart, sexual attraction
2. Agav: impure love, doting, lust
3. Hesed: mercy and compassion
4. Ahav: desire, inclination or affection, whether human or divine
5. Hamed: desire, covet, lust
6. Re'a: companionship, friendship
7. Hasheq: strong attachment

Then I found the Greek version:

1. Eros: longing/romance (passionate)
2. Storge: belonging/affection (natural affection, the kind felt by parents towards children)
3. Philia: cherishing/friendship
4. Agape: selfless giving/Christian love
5. Epithumia: desire/attraction (lust)...this one is the least commonly found when looking for Greek words meaning love, but I found it and thought the definition might help in my study later on, so I'm including it for now.

I am in the middle of pulling up ALL the scripture that uses love...I know it's a lot. I will post some of the best ones as I come across them. If anyone has info to add to this, I'd love to hear it. I will posting my findings, as well as some personal thoughts.