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Verily, a true beginning and amen
1. Verily, a true beginning and amen
Matthew 5:26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. [kjv]
αμην λεγω σοι ου μη εξελθης εκειθεν εως αν αποδως τον εσχατον κοδραντην [gnt]
The Hebrew word
"amen" has been translated as a transliteration into almost every language on the planet (that has a Bible in their language). The meaning is that of affirming
"it is so" and can appear at the beginning, middle or end of a sentence. Saying that
"amen" means
"so be it" tends to place the
"amen" at the end of the sentence.
The Hebrew root has a connotation of "
right" as in right-hand side which historically was considered the stronger side. The connotation of direction, when facing the rising sun (in the northern hemisphere) was that of "
south" while "
north" was considered more sinister and "
evil" as in "
bad". This idea was often associated with the tribe of Dan and with the snake (serpent) and, later, the eagle (bird of prey).
2. Matthew 5:26
KJV: Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.
Greek: αμην λεγω σοι ου μη εξελθης εκειθεν εως αν αποδως τον εσχατον κοδραντην
3. Righteous
Being righteous has to do with being right - not that a person is right, but that they are right with God's rules. This was historically the connotation of the right politically (in the United States) but has drifted from that original ideal.
4. Randy Travis
When some people hear "
amen" or "
forever and ever, amen" they think of the song by the same name written by Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz and made popular by the March 1987 recording by country music artist Randy Travis.
[amen, verily, truly, verily-verily, truly-truly]
5. Old Testament
The word "
amen" in the Hebrew appears in various places in the
OT (Old Testament).
1 Chronicles 16:36 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised the LORD. [kjv]
6. 1 Chronicles 16:36
KJV: Blessed be the LORD God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised the LORD.
Hebrew: ברוך יהוה אלהי ישראל מן העולם ועד העלם ויאמרו כל העם אמן והלל ליהוה׃
Greek: ευλογημενος κυριος ο θεος ισραηλ απο του αιωνος και εως του αιωνος και ερει πας ο λαος αμην και ηνεσαν τω κυριω
Brenton: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting and to everlasting: And all the people shall say, Amen. So they praised the Lord.
Latin: benedictus Dominus Deus Israhel ab aeterno usque in aeternum et dicat omnis populus amen et hymnus Domino
Wycliffe: Blessid be the Lord God of Israel fro with oute bigynnyng and til`in to with outen ende; and al the puple seie, Amen, and seie heriyng to God.
Luther: Gelobet sei der Herr, der Gott Israels, von Ewigkeit zu Ewigkeit; und alles Volk sage: Amen! und lobe den Herrn.
Slavonic: Благословен Господь Бог Израилев от века даже и до века. И рекут вси людие: аминь. И восхвалиша Господа.
Russian: Благословен Господь Бог Израилев, от века и до века! И сказал весь народ: аминь! аллилуия!
Spanish: Bendito sea Jehová Dios de Israel, de eternidad a eternidad. Y todo el pueblo dijo: Amén, y alabó a Jehová.
Portuguese: Bendito seja o SENHOR, Deus de Israel, pelos séculos dos séculos.» E todo o povo disse: «Ámen!» E louvou o SENHOR.
7. Hebrew
8. Strongs
- *H543 אָמֵן (aw-mane') : from H539; sure; abstract, faithfulness; adverb, truly:--Amen, so be it, truth.
9. Amen
The word "amen" has nothing to do with "men" but, if you mention it to the right person who does not know that, it might be classified as sexist with the alternatives being "awomen", "athem", etc.
This may have happened already.
In recent times, one sometimes hears "amen" pronounced as "ah" and "mean". When that happens, pay close attention (or ask the person) as to why that pronunciation might have been used.
10. Amen
11. Diagram
12. Amen to end a sentence
One often hears "
amen" as and ending to a prayer or statement. Interestingly, many of the ending "
amen" in many places does not appear in all the Greek manuscripts. Some appear to have been added later.
Matthew 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. [kjv]
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Details are left as a future topic.
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13. Matthew 6:13
KJV: And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Greek: και μη εισενεγκης ημας εις πειρασμον αλλα ρυσαι ημας απο του πονηρου οτι σου εστιν η βασιλεια και η δυναμις και η δοξα εις τους αιωνας αμην
14. Amen to start a sentence
In the
GNT (Greek New Testament), the word "
amen" often appears at the start of a statement when spoken by Jesus. At t some point between about 500 AD and 1500 AD, this was changed to words like "
verily", "
truly", etc.
It is not clear where this started. The Wessex Gospels (10th century) appear to have one "
truly" or "
verily" instead of two.
We can see the "
amen" change over time from the available translations.
Here is a short verse. The Latin Vulgate, Wufila Gothic, and Old Church Slavonic have "
amen".
Ioannem 6:47 Amen amen dico vobis qui credit in me habet vitam aeternam ego sum panis vitae [v]
Amen amen qitha izwis: saei galaubeith du mis aih libain aiweinon. [got]
Аминь, аминь глаголю вам: веруяй в Мя имать живот вечный. [ocs]
15. John 6:47
John 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. [kjv]
αμην αμην λεγω υμιν ο πιστευων εχει ζωην αιωνιον [gnt]
16. John 6:47
KJV: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
Greek: αμην αμην λεγω υμιν ο πιστευων εις εμε εχει ζωην αιωνιον
Latin: amen amen dico vobis qui credit in me habet vitam aeternam ego sum panis vitae
Wessex: Soð ic segge eow se haefð eche lyf þe on me ge-lyfð;
Wycliffe: Sotheli, sotheli, Y seie to you, he that bileueth in me, hath euerlastynge lijf.
Tyndale: Verely verely I saye vnto you he that beleveth on me hath everlastinge lyfe.
Gothic: amen amen qitha izwis: saei galaubeith du mis aih libain aiweinon.
Luther: Wahrlich, wahrlich, ich sage euch: Wer an mich glaubet, der hat das ewige Leben.
Slavonic: Аминь, аминь глаголю вам: веруяй в Мя имать живот вечный.
Spanish: De cierto, de cierto os digo: El que cree en mí, tiene vida eterna.
Portuguese: Em verdade, em verdade vos digo: aquele que crê tem a vida eterna.
17. Matthew 5:18
Matthew 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. [kjv]
αμην γαρ λεγω υμιν εως αν παρελθη ο ουρανος και η γη ιωτα εν η μια κεραια ου μη παρελθη απο του νομου εως αν παντα γενηται [gnt]
18. Matthew 5:18
KJV: For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Greek: αμην γαρ λεγω υμιν εως αν παρελθη ο ουρανος και η γη ιωτα εν η μια κεραια ου μη παρελθη απο του νομου εως αν παντα γενηται
Latin: amen quippe dico vobis donec transeat caelum et terra iota unum aut unus apex non praeteribit a lege donec omnia fiant
Wessex: Soðes on eornest ich segge eow. aer þan þe gewitan heofone & eorðe an. i. oððe an prike. ne gewit fram þare lage. aer þan ealle þing gewurðan.
Wycliffe: Forsothe Y seie to you, til heuene and erthe passe, o lettir or o titel shal not passe fro the lawe, til alle thingis be doon.
Tyndale: For truely I saye vnto you till heven and erth perisshe one iott or one tytle of the lawe shall not scape tyll all be fulfilled.
Gothic: amen auk qitha izwis: und thatei usleithith himins jah airtha, jota ains aiththau ains striks ni usleithith af witoda, unte allata wairthith.
Luther: Denn ich sage euch: Wahrlich, bis daß Himmel und Erde vergehe, wird nicht vergehen der kleinste Buchstabe noch ein Tüttel vom Gesetz, bis daß es alles geschehe.
Slavonic: Аминь бо глаголю вам: дондеже прейдет небо и земля, иота едина, или едина черта не прейдет от закона, дондеже вся будут.
Russian: Ибо истинно говорю вам: доколе не прейдет небо и земля, ни одна иота или ни одна черта не прейдет из закона, пока не исполнится все.
Spanish: Porque de cierto os digo que hasta que pasen el cielo y la tierra, ni una jota ni una tilde pasará de la ley, hasta que todo sea cumplido.
The following Bible translations retain the "
amen" at the beginning.
Latin Vulgate (2nd century)
Wulfila Gothic (4th century, from the Western church) but changed in the Luther German.
Old Church Slavonic (5th century, from the Eastern church) but changed in the modern Russian.
The Wessex Gospels, about the 10th century, appear to have "
for so" and then state what follows.
The Old English word "soðes" ≈ "so, for so" with an implication of "truly".
The Middle English word "forsothe" ≈ "for so" with an implication of "truly".
19. Soothsayer
20. It is so
In certain usages, the word "so" still has the connotation of "truth" or "reality" as in the statement "it is so".
21. So be it
One often hears that "amen" at the end of a sentence should be thought of as "so be it". In modern English, this appears leaves some doubt as to certainty of statement as if one "hopes" that it is true in reality.
It might be better if the meaning of "amen" at the end matched meaning of the "amen" at the beginning.
22. It is so
Using the meaning of "it is so" fits both the use of "amen" both at the beginning and the end of a statement. In modern English, this provides more certainty to what is said in that one is affirming that this is true rather than hoping that it is true.
23. Truth
The truth Jesus talks about is the truth of reality. For more information, see the following.
So at some point in history, the "
amen" at the beginning was replaced with words meaning "
true".
The English word "
verily" as "
truly" in the Bible is thus a translation of the modern Greek word
"αμήν" (a-MEEN) ≈ "amen" which is a transliteration of the Hebrew word
"אמן" ≈ "amen".
The Latin word
"verum" ≈ "true". Some related English words are "
verily", "
verify", etc.
24. Romans 15:33
KJV: Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
Greek: ο δε θεος της ειρηνης μετα παντων υμων αμην
Latin: Deus autem pacis sit cum omnibus vobis amen
Tyndale: The God of peace be with you. Amen.
Luther: Der Gott aber des Friedens sei mit euch allen! Amen.
Slavonic: Бог же мира со всеми вами. Аминь.
Russian: Бог же мира да будет со всеми вами, аминь.
Spanish: Y el Dios de paz sea con todos vosotros. Amén.
25. Verily, verily
How important is it that John uses "verily" twice?
26. John 8:51
KJV: Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.
Greek: αμην αμην λεγω υμιν εαν τις τον λογον τον εμον λογον τηρηση θανατον ου μη θεωρηση εις τον αιωνα
Before details on using "
verily" twice, let us look at part of this verse.
Rather than never seeing death, this verse appears to say that one would not see the second death. That is, the death in the eternity.
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Details are left as a future topic.
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27. Hebrews 9:27
KJV: And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Greek: και καθ οσον αποκειται τοις ανθρωποις απαξ αποθανειν μετα δε τουτο κρισις
28. Verily, verily
Let us get back to the original question.
How important is it that John uses "verily" twice?
29. Usage of Greek amen by John
The Apostle John always uses the Greek "
amen" or "
αμήν", at the start of a statement twice and never once and only for what Jesus says. Others use the word once and never twice (at the start of a statement).
The letters of 1 and 2 John use the "
amen" once (at the end of the letter). 3 John does not use "
amen". John uses "
amen" in the book of John only once and that is at the very end of the book.
30. Pronunciation
Now for a real controversy! How does one say "
amen"?
How many basic ways to say "
amen"?
The two basic ways to say "
amen" are as follows.
Long "a" as in "ate" and "men".
Short "a" as in "ah" and "men".
Which is more correct? Which is less correct? Is it worth arguing about?
31. The great English vowel shift
The "Great Vowel Shift" in England took place from about 1400 AD to about 1700 AD.
The problem arose when dictionaries, Shakespeare, etc., caused spelling to be standardized and then not changed. When the words changed sound (primarily vowels), the spelling did not change.
32. Amen
It appears that the word "
amen" had a similar transition.
Short "a" as in "ah" and "men". (older pronunciation)
Long "a" as in "ate" and "men". (newer pronunciation)
However, both ways can be inferred by example from existing English words, so the difference may not just from the Great Vowel Shift.
33. Greek New Testament
In
GNT manuscripts, many of the textual variants arise in that what was written down was a transcription of the meaning of what was said but using the spelling of how it was said.
So, if someone could read the letters and words, that would produce audible sounds that were what the person had said.
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Details are left as a future topic.
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The same types of vowel (and consonant) shifts in Greek over 3,000 years of recorded history make it hard to determine how Greek was actually pronounced throughout that time period (except in modern times).
34. Ancient pronunciation
Some ways that have been used to infer ancient pronunciation of any ancient language include the following.
Loan words to and from other languages where the pronunciation of those letters in the other language is known.
Words with meanings that mimic animal sounds or other onomatopoetic words.
Inscriptions that contain letters and letter combinations that have changed over time.
Rhyme and meter of poetry that made sense at the time but today has changed the pattern.
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Details are left as a future topic.
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35. Hebrew pronunciation
In Semitic languages such Hebrew, with now vowels, it can be hard to know how that language was pronounced in the past.
At some point in time, about 800 AD to 1000 AD, the Hebrew language was standardized with markings added to show how to pronounce the missing vowels based on what had been handed down orally over long periods of time.
36. Ancient Chinese pronunciation
In languages such as Chinese, with ideograms or pictures and not phonetic syllables (e.g., Hindi) or letters (English, Greek, etc.), is much more difficult to determine how the language was pronounced in ancient times. This is, however, and interesting field of study that tries to use little clues to determine such pronunciation.
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Details are left as a future topic.
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37. Syllable accent change over time
In many languages, the syllabic accent or stress of a part of the word may change over time.
There is a tendency, in English, to stress a later part of a phrase or word and, is it becomes accepted and well known, move the stress the beginning of the word.
Some of these changes in English have happened in recent times.
Examples: content, rebel, record, separate
38. End of page
