phileo denotes affection for persons, attachment to what is valued, and, in betrayal scenes, a kiss.

The verb most often marks affection between persons, including the Father and Son, Jesus and his followers, and fellow believers. It also describes attachment to life, status, public recognition, or falsehood; in three arrest-scene verses, its aorist forms occur in the stated signal of a kiss.

1. Affection for persons · dominant

   In John 5:20 the present active form describes the Father's relation to the Son and is followed by his showing the Son what he does. In John 11:3 and John 11:36, the clause concerns the sick man and Jesus' affection for him; John 21:15 places the question and Peter's reply within the charge to feed the lambs.

   John 5:20John 11:3John 11:36John 16:27John 21:15Titus 3:15
2. Attachment or preference for what is valued · common

   The present participle in John 12:25 concerns the person attached to his life, set against keeping life for eternal life. In Luke 20:46, Matthew 23:6, and Matthew 6:5, the clauses concern desire for greetings, places of honor, and conspicuous places for prayer; Revelation 22:15 joins attachment to falsehood with practicing it.

   John 12:25Luke 20:46Matthew 23:6Matthew 6:5Revelation 22:15
3. Giving a kiss as an identifying signal · occasional

   In Mark 14:44 and Matthew 26:48, the first-person aorist subjunctive occurs in Judas's stated signal for identifying the man to seize. Luke 22:47 uses an aorist infinitive as Judas draws near to Jesus.

   Mark 14:44Matthew 26:48Luke 22:47

In the Anselm Project Bible: Across the relationship and preference clauses, the APB commonly renders the relevant clauses with “love”; in Mark 14:44, Matthew 26:48, and Luke 22:47 it renders the action as “kiss.” Because the APB is a whole-verse translation, these renderings confirm the clauses' overall presentation rather than supplying a separate definition for every form.