Question
What Does Amen Imply?
Answer
Amen comes to English from Latin, however, the root language of origin is said to be Hebrew or Aramaic. It is somehow difficult to directly convert the word into English so it’s simply borrowed.
The Hebrew word amen seems to be derived from a relative verb-‘aman, which means “he confirmed, supported, or upheld”. It is also related to the Hebrew word for truth (’emet), which bears the idea of certainty or dependability. ‘Amen is itself an interjection used to either accede with, approve, affirm or emphasize something that has been said. Thus Jesus starts some of his sentences by using “Amen, amen, I say unto you”. Sometimes, because of the word’s relation to truth, some translations render the “amen, amen” as “truly, truly” or “verily, verily”. Also “certainly, certainly” or “most assuredly” because it is also related with the Hebrew terms for confirmation or dependability. When after a prayer one responds “Amen” it serves as an affirmation of the agreement with the words and content of the prayer said. So it is sometimes converted as “So be it”, or as is mostly perceived as an expression of faith that God will hear and answer the prayer. So the translation or meaning of the word relies on the context in which it is used.
