Amplified Bible
| Amplified Bible | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Amplified Bible |
| Abbreviation | AMP |
| OT published | 1962&1964 |
| NT published | 1958 |
| Complete Bible published | 1965 |
| Authorship | Zondervan (subsidiary of News Corp) and The Lockman Foundation. |
| Translation type | Free, largely dynamic translation |
| Version revision | 1987, 2015 |
| Publisher | Zondervan Publishing House |
| Copyright | 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987, 2015 |
| Website | http://www.lockman.org/amplified/ |
|
In the beginning God (prepared, formed, fashioned, and) created the heavens and the earth.The earth was without form and an empty waste, and darkness was upon the face of the very great deep. The Spirit of God was moving (hovering, brooding) over the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light; and there was light. .For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. | |
The Amplified Bible (AMP) is an English translation of the Bible produced jointly by Zondervan (subsidiary of News Corp) and The Lockman Foundation. The first edition was published in 1965. It is largely a revision of the American Standard Version of 1901, with reference made to various texts in the original languages. It is designed to "amplify" the text by using a system of punctuation and other typographical features to bring out all shades of meaning present in the original texts.
The Amplified Bible was published in six stages:
- Gospel of John (1954)
- New Testament (1958)
- Old Testament Volume Two (Job-Malachi) (1962)
- Old Testament Volume One (Genesis-Esther) (1964)
- Complete Bible (1965)
- Expanded Edition (1987)
The Amplified Bible has been revised in 2015, now known as the Amplified Holy Bible; more amplifications in the Old Testament have been added, refinements have been made to the New Testament amplifications.
The bulk of the work of producing the Amplified Bible was done by Frances Siewert, employed by the Lockman Foundation (Paul 2003:209).
Explanation of arbitrary punctuation from the March 1985 printing
Parenthesis () and Dashes — —: signify additional phases of meaning included in the original word, phrase, or clause of the original language.
Titles of Deity: are set off with commas.
Brackets: contain clarifying words or comments not actually expressed in the immediate original text.
Italics: point out some familiar passages now recognized as not adequately supported by the original manuscripts. “And,” “or,” and other connectives in italics indicate they have been added for readability in English.
Capitals: are used in names and personal pronouns referring to Deity, but sparingly elsewhere.
References: are intended to cover any part of the preceding verse to which they apply.
Synonyms: are limited to what the text seems to warrant, both as to number and wording.[1]
Comparison example
Acts 16:31 is the example used in the Publisher's Foreword, illustrating some of the features of the Amplified Bible, in comparison with other translations:
Acts 16:31, King James Version: And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Acts 16:31, American Standard Version: And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy house.
Acts 16:31, Amplified Bible: And they answered, Believe in and on the Lord Jesus Christ—that is, lgive yourself up to Him, mtake yourself out of your own keeping and entrust yourself into His keeping, and you will be saved; [and this applies both to] you and your household as well.
The Amplified Bible references two sources in the above verse: l) Thayer, and m) Wuest's "Golden Nuggets from the Greek New Testament."
Sources
Zondervan Publishing House. The Amplified Bible (1965). Thirtieth printing, March 1985. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 65-19500. Current edition is ISBN 0-310-95168-2
Audio Sources
Currently, the only audio version of the Amplified Bible is produced by Promises For Life. Zondervan Publishing House is currently contracted with the Lockman Foundation to control and manage the publishing rights of the Amplified Bible. Current edition is ISBN 1-55897-932-8
References
- Paul, William. 2003. “Siewert, Frances E.” English Language Bible Translators, p. 208,209. Jefferson, NC and London: McFarland and Company