UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament

Sense 1: love for one’s fellow believer, affection for a fellow believer

Semantic entry: 25.34

Semantic domains: Attitudes and Emotions

Subdomains: Love, Affection, Compassion

Definition: affection for one’s fellow believer in Christ

Notes: In the NT the terms φιλαδελφία and φιλάδελφος (25.35: φιλάδελφος) have acquired highly specialized meanings which restrict the range of reference to fellow believers. In nonbiblical contexts these terms would refer to affection or love for persons belonging to a so-called ‘in-group,’ but in the NT this in-group is defined in terms of Christian faith.