The Amplified Bible is an English language translation of the Bible produced jointly by Zondervan 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 additional wording and [|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 Amplified Bible was revised in 2015, now known as the Amplified Holy Bible; more amplifications in the Old Testament were added, and refinements made to the New Testament amplifications. The bulk of the work of producing the Amplified Bible was undertaken by Frances Siewert, employed by the Lockman Foundation.
Concerns
The Amplified Bible has been viewed as being guilty of "illegitimate totality transfer" by giving multiple potential meanings of a word in a particular passage. Readers may incorrectly conclude that multiple meanings of a word may apply regardless of the one which context would suggest. Theologian Gordon Fee stated that the Amplified Bible:
Comparison example
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 the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household .
Audio version
Currently, the only audio version of the Amplified Bible is produced by . Zondervan Publishing House is currently contracted with the Lockman Foundation to control and manage the publishing rights of the Amplified Bible. Current edition is.
