Amplified Holy Bible XL Edition

 

The Amplified Study Bible (large print) , which I reviewed a couple of years ago, sits on my desk for regular reference in preparing for a Bible talk or group discussion. But sometimes I just want a reader’s edition to read from my comfy chair.

The thing is, my eyes object to the smaller fonts in most of the reader-editions I’ve bought or been given over the years, so my quest of late has been to find my favorite translations using fonts between 11 and 14 points. That’s exactly what I found in the Amplified Holy Bible XL Edition, but more important, the AMP is one of my “go-to” Bibles for accuracy.

Another is the New American Standard Bible I mention because both NASB and AMP have been produced by the Lockman Foundation, whose website explains: “The Lockman Foundation is a nonprofit, nondenominational ministry dedicated to the translation, publication, and distribution of the New American Standard Bible (NASB), Amplified Bible (AMP), La Biblia de las Américas (LBLA), Nueva Biblia de las Américas (NBLA), and other biblical resources.”

The Foreword of the AMP XL says: “The Amplified Bible has been produced with the conviction that the words of Scripture as originally penned in the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek were inspired by God. Since they are the eternal Word of God, the Holy Scriptures speak with fresh power to each generation, to give wisdom that leads to salvation, that people may serve Christ to the glory of God.”

To clarify the goal of the Lockman Foundation even more, “The Fourfold Aim” in the front matter of the AMP XL states:

1. These publications shall be true to the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek.

2. They shall be grammatically correct.

3. They shall be understandable to the people.

4. They shall give the Lord Jesus Christ His proper place, the place which the Word gives Him; therefore, no translation work will ever be personalized.

Besides preferring the capitalization of pronouns referring to God, I appreciate the synonyms and definitions that amplify, without changing, the meaning of the text. This particular edition, however, appeals to me because of its 12.5 font, quality leathersoft binding, and unique size that’s almost 8” square and opens flat on my lap as I sit in my comfy chair and read, read, read.

©2021,Mary Harwell Sayler

 

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