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Frances Siewert is a name that may be unfamiliar to many of us, but she was the main force behind a resource that is on the bookshelves of many Christians: The Amplified Bible.
She was a student of the Greek language, and the more she immersed herself in the original language of the Bible, the more she realized that our English language was just not capable of
representing all the richness and nuance of meaning needed for a clear understanding. Her vision was to create a translation which would bring out each word's original, often hidden, meaning
in all its fullness.
Ms. Siewert was a scholar (Litt. B., B.D., M.A., Litt. D.) and spent much of her long life (1881 - 1967) memorizing chapters of Greek text, translating, collating and correlating in an amazing
display of ability and accomplishment.
Then, just as God often does, He sent just the right organization to catch her vision and help carry it forward. This was The Lockman Foundation, a non-profit corporation dedicated to
promoting Christian evangelism, education, and benevolence. They appointed an Editorial Committee who, through their commitment, expertise, and financial support, undergirded the work by
giving diligent attention to manuscript, editing and proofing.
Numerous other translations were consulted, along with language experts and Greek scholars. As the work on the New Testament neared completion, the Zondervan Publishing House in Grand Rapids,
Michigan, also caught the vision and stepped forward to participate. It issued The Amplified New Testament in 1958 with the correct expectation that it would be used by God to change lives.
The work continued and the full Amplified Bible, first published in 1965, has become the favorite Bible for millions of Christians, giving them a wealth of additional insights into Scripture.
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