Amplified Bible (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The Amplified Bible captures the full meaning behind the original Greek and Hebrew.

From the Back Cover

When Your Knowledge of the Original Languages of the Bible Is Limited and You Don't Want to Lose Anything in the Translation

If you want to get all the rich nuances and shades of meaning of the original Bible languages, the Amplified Bible is for you. No knowledge of Greek or Hebrew is required-just a desire to know all that God says in his Word. With its unique system of brackets, parentheses and italics, the Amplified Bible defines and expands key words and phrases right in the text. Verse by verse, the full meaning of Scripture unfolds as you read. And this Bible features other study aids as well to help you clearly understand God’s Word: - Footnotes-provide concise historical and archaeological information and devotional insights, plus hundreds of references to select sources and authors. - Book Introductions-tell you about the book’s author, background, purpose, and themes. - Concordance-helps you find the location of verses (25,000 entries). - Bibliography and Glossary-give you a handy list of the sources cited in the study notes and the most frequent amplifications in the text.

Product Details

• Paperback: 1728 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan (February 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310951410
• ISBN-13: 978-0310951414
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (94 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #22,443 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

186 of 194 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fresh translation couched in understandable language, May 4, 2000

By	Rosemary Thornton "The Ugly Woman's Guide to ... (Norfolk, VA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Amplified Bible (Hardcover)

An example: (okay, my favorite passage)

"I have overcome the world." (Jesus Christ) The Amplified Bible translates this: "I have deprived the world of the power to harm you."

The Amplified Bible is my favorite Bible translation. I was impressed with the fact that this Bible goes back to the original Hebrew and Greek translations instead of retranslating the translations.

The 23rd Psalm, the 91st Psalm - all the favorites take on powerful new meanings with a reading of this Bible.

I would highly recommend this Bible to anyone who loves to dig deep into the spiritual meaning and practicality of God's word.

I recently pulled out my leather copy of this AB (I have both the hardcover and leather editions) and I noticed I'd filled the flyleafs with my "favorite" Bible passages. That's how this book is - you read a verse and say "Aha...so that's what that verse means..I never thought of it in that light" and then you have to think about it for a time and let it sink in deep. It's a book (and a message) that will really satisfy the hungry heart.

77 of 78 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This Bible is the sharpest "double edged sword" you can own!, December 9, 1998

By	[e-mail] (Irving, Texas, USA) - See all my reviews

If you enjoy "feasting" on the Word of God, you will never be hungry again! This is absolutely the richest, deepest and fullest translation you will ever read. Reading the Amplified Bible is like reading the KJV, NKJV, NAS, NIV, TLB, RSV, Phillips and a commentary at the same time. Observe: "Blessed (happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful [and the mockers] gather, but his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord...(Psalm 1:1). I'll never read another translation!

136 of 144 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Second Bible, January 8, 2002

By	Sven Allenbach-Schmidt (Greenbelt, MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Amplified Bible, Indexed (Hardcover)

When reading the Bible in different translations readers are often struck by the different words used by different translations. That is even between two Literal (word-for-word) translations (like the King James and the NRSV). When you get into a Dynamic Equivalence translation (like NIV) or a Free translation (like Phillips) you can be astounded, and wonder if the translators were using the same source material. Idealy, students of the Bible should be able to read it in the orginal Hebrew, Aramaic, and koine Greek. But that's an ideal the vast majority of us will never be able to meet. Enter the Amplified Bible. The purpose of the AB is to give English readers a better feel for the original material by amplifying the translation.

The AB starts with an excellent Literal translation and then uses brackets and parentheses to amplify any word that doesn't have a literal English equivalent. Brackets []contain clarifying words or comments not in the original. Parentheses () include additional meanings to the original word that the English word doesn't, for example the Greek work transliterated as pisteuo, is usually translated as 'believes', but in the orginal actually means much more. See my example from John in the next paragraph.

John 11:25- "Jesus said to her, I am [Myself] the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on) Me, although he may die, yet he shall live."

Why do I title this "Outstanding Second Bible"? I find that for my first read thru on any section, I prefer to use a good study Bible, as the amplified material interrupts the flow of the narrative. Especially for those new to Bible study, the amplifications can be confusing. Read your primary Bible first, then look at the AB to ensure you have a good grasp of the word meanings. My personal recomendations for primary study Bibles are: for Literal translation, the "Harper-Collins NRSV Study Bible", and for Dynamic Equivalence translation, the "Concordia Self-Study Bible (NIV)".

To sum up, the Amplified Bible is an outstanding tool for anyone interested in serious Bible study, my only caveat is that it shouldn't be your primary text.