φιλῶ
philéō
I love
To feel affection for, to regard with personal attachment, or to express fondness toward someone or something. In various contexts, it denotes feelings of friendship, emotional warmth, or affection, as distinct from formal or principled love. The verb can also refer to the physical act of greeting or showing affection by kissing, especially on the cheek or hand, as an outward sign of welcome or fondness. Depending on the surrounding context, it expresses nuances from simple liking, friendship, to more intimate affection, without necessarily implying deep or sacrificial love.
John 21:16 · Word #16
Lexicon G5368
| Lemma | φιλέω |
| Transliteration | philéō |
| Strong's | G5368 |
| Definition | To feel affection for, to regard with personal attachment, or to express fondness toward someone or something. In various contexts, it denotes feelings of friendship, emotional warmth, or affection, as distinct from formal or principled love. The verb can also refer to the physical act of greeting or showing affection by kissing, especially on the cheek or hand, as an outward sign of welcome or fondness. Depending on the surrounding context, it expresses nuances from simple liking, friendship, to more intimate affection, without necessarily implying deep or sacrificial love. |
Morphology V PRS ACT IND 1P SG
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | V — Verb — An action or state of being |
| Tense | PRS — Present — Ongoing or repeated action |
| Voice | ACT — Active — The subject performs the action |
| Mood | IND — Indicative — States a fact or reality |
| Person | 1P — 1st person — The speaker ("I" / "we") |
| Number | SG — Singular — One |
Common Translation
| Phrase | I love |
| Literal | I-love |
Lexical Info
| Lemma | φιλέω |
| Strong's | G5368 |
SIBI-P1 Translation G5368-07
I am fond of
| Morphological Notes | Verb; present tense (ongoing), active voice, indicative mood, first person singular — "I am ..." expressing continuous personal action or state. |
| Rendering Rationale | The present active indicative first person singular expresses an ongoing personal affection or attachment. "I am fond of" captures the root sense of warm, friendly affection rather than principled or sacrificial love. |
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