The English Dictionary's definition of the word LOVE:
1. an intence feeling of deep affection
2. a deep romantic, sexual feeling for someone
3. a personified figure of love, example cupid
4. a great interest or pleasure in something or someone
5. affectionate greetings conveyed on one's behalf
6. a formula for ending an affectionate letter
7. a person or thing that one loves
8. a friendly form of adress (that's okay, love)
9. used to express affectionate approval for someone (don't fret, there's a love)
10. a score (in tennis, squash)
Ah, LOVE... so many different meaning for the same word... it can be terribly confusing, especially for someone who has not grown-up in an english speaking country.
"I LOVE you." Now, as your Mom, this doesn't mean I'm winning a tennis match with you. It doesn't mean I'm cupid or affectionally greeting you. It means so much more than all of the above to me. In my great desire to tell you what it does mean to me, I did a little research to try to find the right words. So, I googled the word LOVE, and this is what came up:
- Love Calculator
- Love Poems and Quotes
- The love magazine (naked ladies kissing eachother - YUCK! That's why I didn't link it)
These were the top three listed sites for the word LOVE... Wow! If I had to define LOVE by my google research I'd get even more confused. Then I remembered that God is love. So, I went to the Bible and Strongs concordance of the Bible. In hopes to find the words I was looking for.
Strongs Concordance is like a dictionary of sorts, where the english words are translated into the original Hebrew and Greek. Under the English word LOVE, there were 2 pages of the different scripture uses for this word (I guess LOVE is popular in the Bible). There were 7 different Hebrew words used for the english word of LOVE in the Old Testament and 11 different Greek words used in the New Testament. Do you know what that means? There are 7 Hebrew words used where the english have only one word, and 11 Greek words ,where we have only one word for LOVE. That amazed me, so I dug a little deeper and found all 18 words and the definitions for each.
Here's the Coles notes version:
Hebrew LOVE words:
1. ahab (aw-heb) - to have affection for; strong emotional attachment to
2. ahabah (a-hab-aw) - means several different kinds of love, love between man and wife, sexual activity, love between friends, love to God.
3. dowd or dod (dode) - to love by giving a token to a lover or a friend.
4. agab or egab (eh-gheb) - to breathe after, much love for, to love sensually, very lovely
5. agabah (ag-aw-baw) - amourousness - inordinate love
6. racham (raw-kham) - to have compassion for, mercy for, love for God, how God loves us in his promise to us.
7. rayah (rah-yaw) - a beloved companion, bride
Greek LOVE words:
1. agapao (ag-ap-ah-o)- to love in a social or moral sense
2. agape (ag-ah-pay) - love that can be known only from the action it prompts (diliberate love in action)
3. thelo (thel-o) - to determine an act, to will, to wish, intend
4. koilia (kay-lee-ah) - the heart, the womb, the inner most part of man, seat of thought, the soul
5. philadelphia (fil-ad-el-fee-ah) - brotherly love, kindness, love of the people around you
6. philadelphos (fil-ad-el-fos) - love of brethren(friend and family), love as brethren
7. philandros (fil-an-dros) - fond of man, affectionate as a wife loves her husband
8. philanthropia (fil-an-thro-pee-ah) - fondness of mankind, kindness, love towards man
9. philarguria (fil-ar-goo-ree-ah) - love of money
10. philoteknos (fil-ot-ek-nos) - fond of one's children
11. phileo (fil-eh-o) - to be a friend to, have affection for
A little different from the English definition huh?
How do I LOVE you? One word isn't enough for me.
I ahab ( a strong emotional attachment to you), ahabag (love as your friend), dowd (love by giving to you), agab/egab (much love for you), racham (love through compassion for you), agapao (love you because I'm your parent and I socially and morally need to), agape (love you in action), thelo (I am determined to love you even when you don't want me to or when you've hurt me), koilia (I love you from the inner most part of me, deeply), philadelphia and philadelphos (love in kindness for you are my family), philoteknos (fondness of you because you are my children), and phileo (affection for you because I am your friend) you!
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud. Love is not rude, is not selfish, and does not get upset with others. Love does not count the wrongs that have been done. Love takes no pleasure in evil but rejoices over the truth. Love patiently accepts all things. It always trusts, always hopes, and always endures. Love never ends. 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8
Philoteknos,
Your Mom
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