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|The Bible in English|
The Amplified Bible (AMP) is an English translation of the Bible produced jointly by The Zondervan Corporation 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:
The bulk of the work of producing the Amplified Bible was done by Frances Siewert, employed by the Lockman Foundation (Paul 2003:209).
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.
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."
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
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