Amen
A word of affirmation used across Abrahamic faiths to conclude prayers and express agreement.
Amen is an Abrahamic declaration of affirmation first found in the Hebrew Bible and subsequently in the New Testament. It is used in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic practices as a concluding word or as a response to a prayer. Common English translations include "verily," "truly," "it is true," and "let it be so." It is also used colloquially to express strong agreement.
- Total occurrences in passages
- 14
- First occurrence in passages
- Numbers 5:22
- Most common context
- Response to curses (Deuteronomy 27:15-26)
- Speakers of Amen
- The woman (Numbers 5:22), all the people (Deuteronomy 27:15-26), Benaiah (1 Kings 1:36), all the people (1 Chronicles 16:36)
- Associated action
- Saying 'Amen' after a curse or blessing
Lore & Background
The word amen is of Biblical Hebrew origin, from the triconsonantal root א-מ-נ, meaning to be firm, reliable, or faithful. It appears 30 times in the Hebrew Bible, often as a confirmatory response after blessings. In the New Testament, the Greek ἀμήν is used as an expression of faith or a liturgical formula, and Jesus uses it to emphasize his sayings (e.g., "truly I say to you"). In Islam, ʾĀmīn is used with the same meaning, especially after supplications or reciting Al-Fatiha. The word was imported into Greek from early Judaism, then into Late Latin, and then into English.
Reader's Guide
Amen is pronounced in English as ah-MEN or ay-MEN, with possible equal stress on both syllables. In Anglophone North America, ah-MEN is used in classical music and formal liturgy; ay-MEN is associated with Irish Protestantism, conservative evangelical denominations, and gospel music. In Judaism, Hebrew pronunciations include ah-MEN (Israeli and Sephardi) or aw-MAYN (Ashkenazi). In French, amen is sometimes translated as Ainsi soit-il ("so be it").
Did You Know?
- The word amen occurs 30 times in the Hebrew Bible, with 12 instances in Deuteronomy alone.
- In the New Testament, the word amen appears 52 times in the Synoptic Gospels and 25 times in the Gospel of John.
- In Revelation 3:14, Jesus is referred to as 'the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation.'
- The Talmud teaches that amen is an acronym for the Hebrew phrase 'El melekh neʾeman,' meaning 'God, trustworthy King.'
Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)
"Amen (/ˌɑːˈmɛn/ or /ˌeɪˈmɛn/; Hebrew: אָמֵן, Modern amen Tiberian ʾāmēn; Greek: ἀμήν; Arabic: آمين, ʾāmīn; "So be it; truly") is a declaration of affirmation found in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament." — Amen "The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the Communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen." — Amen "Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen." — Amen "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God." — Amen
Elsewhere in the Figures of Scripture universe
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