the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
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Bible Dictionaries
Amen
American Tract Society Bible Dictionary
or Strictly an adjective, signifying firm, and by a metaphor, faithful. So in Revelation 3:14 , our Lord is called "the Amen, the faithful and true Witness," where the last words explain the preceding appellation. In its adverbial use it means certainly, truly, surely. It is used at the beginning of a sentence by way of emphasis, frequently by our Savior, and is there commonly translated Verily. In John's gospel alone, it is often used by him in this way double, Verily, verily. At the end of a sentence it is often used, singly or repeated, especially at the end of hymns and prayers; as "Amen and Amen," Psalm 41:13 72:19 89:52 . The proper signification of it here is, to confirm the words which have preceded, assert the sincerity and invoke the fulfilment of them: so it is, so be it, let it be done. Hence, in oaths, after the priest has repeated the words of the covenant or imprecation, all those who pronounce the Amen, bind themselves by the oath, Numbers 5:22 Deuteronomy 27:15 Nehemiah 5:13 8:6 1 Chronicles 16:36 . Compare Psalm 106:48 .
These files are public domain and are a derivative of the topics are from American Tract Society Bible Dictionary published in 1859.
Rand, W. W. Entry for 'Amen'. American Tract Society Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ats/a/amen.html. 1859.
