Amen, Amen Sayings in the Fourth Gospel

"Amen, Amen" Sayings in the Fourth Gospel
compiled by Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D.

In the Hebrew Bible, the word "Amen" connotes agreement, certainty, faithfulness. It was simply transliterated amhn in Greek and thus 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; 1Kings 1:36; 1Chron 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; 1Cor 14:16; 2Cor 1:20; Gal 1:5; 6:18; Eph 3:21; Phil 4:20; 1Thess 3:13; 1Tim 1:17; 6:16; 2Tim 4:18; Heb 13:21; 1Peter 4:11; 5:11; 2Peter 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 Jesus himself (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 fifty 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:

Sayings of the Johannine Jesus that begin, "Amen, Amen, I Say to You..." (RSV translation below):

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 Tebernacles:

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."