The Amplified Bible (AMP)

The first complete Bible produced by The Lockman Foundation was the Amplified Bible. The Amplified Bible is a translation that, by using synonyms and definitions, both explains and expands the meaning of words in the text by placing amplification in parentheses and brackets after key words or phrases.This unique system of translation allows the reader to more completely grasp the meaning of the words as they were understood in the original languages. Through multiple expressions, fuller and more revealing appreciation is given to the divine message as the original text legitimately permits.

The Amplified Bible is free of personal interpretation and is independent of denominational prejudice. It is a translation from the accepted Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek manuscripts into literary English. It is based on the American Standard Version of 1901, Rudolph Kittel's Biblia Hebraica, the Greek text of Westcott and Hort, and the 23rd edition of the Nestle Greek New Testament as well as the best Hebrew and Greek lexicons available at the time. Cognate languages, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and other Greek works were also consulted. The Septuagint and other versions were compared for interpretation of textual differences. In completing the Amplified Bible, translators made a determined effort to keep, as far as possible, the familiar wording of the earlier versions, and especially the feeling of the ancient Book.

The inclusion of informative footnotes gives historical background, archaeological information, and solid traditional scholarship, both academic and devotional in character. Numerous Bible translations are among the sources cited in the footnotes, as well as some of the most consulted lexicographers and most informative Bible commentators.

Through amplification, the reader gains a better understanding of what the Hebrew and Greek listener instinctively understood (as a matter of course). Take, for example, the Greek word pisteuo, which the vast majority of versions render as "believe." That simple translation, however, hardly does justice to the many meanings contained in the Greek pisteuo: "to adhere to, cleave to; to trust to have faith in; to rely on, to depend on." Notice the subtle shades of meaning which are unlocked in John 11:25:

Or in the words of the apostle Paul,

The Bible was originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. There are shades of meaning found in these original Bible texts that can’t be captured in a straight word-for-word translation into English. Dr. Frances Siewert had the vision for a translation that would use additional English words to convey the full meaning of Scripture to those who don't have the knowledge of the original languages. Using the word-for-word American Standard Version as a reference text, she chose additional words to communicate the nuances of meaning from the original texts. These “amplification” words are offset from the text by brackets or parentheses. The Amplified New Testament, which was first published in 1958, took over 20,000 hours of research. Dr. Siewart's work was reviewed by a committee of translation experts for accuracy. The full Amplified Bible, first published in 1965, has become the favorite second Bible for millions of Christians. By comparing it to their favorite translation, they discover a wealth of additional insights into the Scripture.