such as are most decidedly indicated in this entire section (v. 15–17). The verb ἀγαπᾶν is the love of intelligence, reason, and comprehension, coupled with corresponding purpose; in this its content it vastly outranks the other type of love. And φιλεῖν expresses the love of mere personal affection or liking, including even the passions where the context requires, and no intelligence or high purpose is involved; this content places the verb on a low level. It could never be said of God that he
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