In the Hebrew Bible, the word "Amen" connotes agreement, certainty, faithfulness. It was simply transliterated αμην in Greek, and so also "amen" in most modern languages. It is used at the end of some psalms, curses, blessings, prayers, and prophecies to allow the hearers/readers to say, "So be it!" or "Yes, I agree!" (Deut 27:15-26; 1 Kings 1:36; 1 Chron 16:36; Neh 5:13; Ps 106:48; Jer 28:6). Sometimes it is repeated twice for emphasis (Num 5:22; Neh 8:6; Ps 41:13; 72:19; 89:52).
Similarly in the NT, "Amen" is used 28 times at the end of doxologies, blessings, and other prayers (Rom 1:25; 9:5; 11:36; 15:33; 16:27; 1 Cor 14:16; 2 Cor 1:20; Gal 1:5; 6:18; Eph 3:21; Phil 4:20; 1 Thess 3:13; 1 Tim 1:17; 6:16; 2 Tim 4:18; Heb 13:21; 1 Peter 4:11; 5:11; 2 Peter 3:18; Jude 1:25; Rev 1:6, 7; 3:14; 5:14; 7:12 [twice]; 19:4; 22:20). It is also used 101 times in the four Gospels, but with some major differences:
The only person who says "Amen" in the Gospels is Jesushimself (with the exception of the "shorter ending" of Mark--usually added just after 16:8);
in Matt 25:12, 40, 45, the characters in the parables who use this expression clearly represent Jesus.
Jesus uses the phrase, "Amen, I say to you...," at the beginning of his own statements, rather than in response to what someone else
said;
thus, it is not an expression of agreement, but a literary device for emphasizing what he says subsequently.
In the Synoptic Gospels, this expression is used a total of 50 times by Jesus and the parabolic characters (13 in Mk; 31 in Mt; only 6 in Lk);
it is translated "Verily I say unto you... (KJV); "Truly, I say to you..." (RSV); "Truly, I tell you" (NRSV); etc.
In the Fourth Gospel, the expression is used 25 times, again only by Jesus, but always with a doubled "Amen, Amen" for extra
emphasis;
this is like saying "Hear Ye, Hear Ye" - as used by royal messengers or town criers in medieval England.
It is sometimes translated literally: "Verily, verily, I say unto you." (KJV); "Truly, truly, I say to you" (RSV); "Amen, Amen, I say
to you..." (NAB);
but other English Bibles render it more colloquially: "Very truly, I tell you" (NRSV); "I tell you the truth" (NIV), etc.
These twenty-five "Amen, Amen" sayings contain some of the most important things said and claims made by Jesus in the Fourth Gospel:
see John 1:51; 3:3, 5, 11; 5:19, 24, 25; 6:26, 32, 47, 53; 8:34, 51, 58; 10:1, 7; 12:24; 13:16, 20, 21, 38; 14:12; 16:20, 23; and 21:18.
Sayings of the Johannine Jesus that begin, "AMEN, AMEN, I Say to You..." (RSV translations here):
To Nathanael in Galilee:
1:51 – And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man."
To Nicodemus in Jerusalem:
3:3 – Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
3:5 – Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God."
3:11 – "Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen; but you do not receive our testimony."
To the Jews in Jerusalem after a Sabbath Healing:
5:19 – Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever he does, that the Son does likewise.
5:24 – "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me, has eternal life; he does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life."
5:25 – "Truly, truly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live."
To the Crowds in Galilee after the Multiplication of the Loaves:
6:26 – Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves."
6:32 – Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven."
6:47 – "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life."
6:53 – So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; 54 he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
To the Jews in Jerusalem at the Feast of Tabernacles:
8:34 – Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, every one who commits sin is a slave to sin."
8:51 – "Truly, truly, I say to you, if any one keeps my word, he will never see death."
8:58 – Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am."
To the Pharisees in Jerusalem after the Healing of the Man Born Blind:
10:1 – "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber; 2 but he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep."
10:7 – So Jesus again said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep."
To the Disciples after the Entry into Jerusalem:
12:24 – "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit."
To the Disciples after the Washing of the Feet:
13:16 – "Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him."
13:20 – "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives any one whom I send receives me; and he who receives me receives him who sent me."
13:21 – When Jesus had thus spoken, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, "Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me."
To Simon Peter at the Last Supper:
13:38 – "Truly, truly, I say to you, the cock will not crow, till you have denied me three times."
To all the Disciples at the Last Supper:
14:12 – "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father."
16:20 – "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy."
16:23 – "Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father, he will give it to you in my name."
To Simon Peter after the Resurrection:
21:18 – "Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go."
Sayings of Jesus in the Synoptic Gospels that begin, "AMEN, I Say to You..." (only one "Amen"; RSV translations here):
Gospel of Mark:
Mark 3:28 – “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter;
Mark 8:12 – And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation.”
Mark 9:1 – And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.”
Mark 9:41 – “For Truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ, will by no means lose his reward.”
Mark 10:15 – “Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”
Mark 10:29 – Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel,”
Mark 11:23 – “Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.”
Mark 12:43 – And he called his disciples to him, and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury.”
Mark 13:30 – “Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away before all these things take place.”
Mark 14:9 – “And Truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”
Mark 14:18 – And as they were at table eating, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.”
Mark 14:25 – “Truly, I say to you, I shall not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
Mark 14:30 – And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I say to you, this very night, before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.”
Gospel of Matthew:
Matt 5:18 – “For Truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.”
Matt 5:26 – “Truly, I say to you, you will never get out till you have paid the last penny.”
Matt 6:2 – “Thus, when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.”
Matt 6:5 – “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.”
Matt 6:16 – “And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.”
Matt 8:10 – When Jesus heard him, he marveled, and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.”
Matt 10:15 – “Truly, I say to you, it shall be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomor'rah than for that town.”
Matt 10:23 – “When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for Truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel, before the Son of man comes.”
Matt 10:42 – “And whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, Truly, I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.”
Matt 11:11 – “Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”
Matt 13:17 – “Truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”
Matt 16:28 – “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.”
Matt 17:20 – He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For Truly, I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.”
Matt 18:3 – “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Matt 18:13 – “And if he finds it, Truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.”
Matt 18:18 – “Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Matt 18:19 – “Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.”
Matt 19:23 – And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Matt 19:28 – Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of man shall sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
Matt 21:21 – And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and never doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, Be taken up and cast into the sea,' it will be done.”
Matt 21:31 – “Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.”
Matt 23:36 – “Truly, I say to you, all this will come upon this generation.”
Matt 24:2 – But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another, that will not be thrown down.”
Matt 24:34 – “Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away till all these things take place.”
Matt 24:47 – “Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.”
Matt 25:12 – “But he replied, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’”
Matt 25:40 – “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.’”
Matt 25:45 – “Then he will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.’”
Matt 26:13 – “Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”
Matt 26:21 – and as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”
Matt 26:34 – Jesus said to him, “Truly, I say to you, this very night, before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.”
Gospel of Luke:
Luke 4:24 – And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his own country.”
Luke 12:37 – “Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes; Truly, I say to you, he will gird himself and have them sit at table, and he will come and serve them.”
Luke 18:17 – “Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”
Luke 18:29 – And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no man who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God…”
Luke 21:32 – “Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away till all has taken place.”
Luke 23:43 – And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
