ScriptureWay
  • Home
  • Site Overview
  • Author
  • Resources
    • Bible Verses about the Angel of the Lord in the Old Testament
    • Bible Verses About Courage
    • Bible Verses About the Cross
    • Bible Verses About Eternal Life
    • Bible Verses About Humility and Being Humble
    • Bible Verses - "I AM"s of Christ
    • 250 Bible Verses about Music
    • Bible Verses About Old Age and Gray Hair
    • Bible Verses about Paradise
    • Bible Verses About Sound Speech
    • Bible Verses for Times of Crisis
    • 29 BIble Verses About Trusting God
    • 11 Bible Verses About Waiting for the Lord
    • Bible Study Tools
    • Whitneytunes Music Videos
    • Whitneytunes Worship Music
  • The Way to Heaven

Bible Teachings

When Jesus Said, "Truly, Truly," What Did He Mean?

10/21/2018

14 Comments

 
by Whitney V. Myers
Download a printable PDF of this post.
Download a PDF of The 25 "Truly, Truly" ("Verily, Verily") Statements of Christ.
Sunset and Reservoir - Pixabay Stock Photo - John 6:47
Sunset and Reservoir - Pixabay Stock Photo - John 6:47
"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life."  (John 6:47 NASB)

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life."  (John 6:47 KJV)

"Amen, amen I say unto you: He that believeth in me, hath everlasting life."  (John 6:47 Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA))

"Whenever we read in the text of Scripture our Lord giving a statement that is prefaced by the double 'amen,' it is a time to pay close attention." -- R.C. Sproul (Ref. 1)

     Consider.  When Jesus Christ, the Son of God, began a statement with "Truly, truly," what did he mean?  What is special about the expression, "Truly, truly" or "Verily, verily"?

As we will see towards the end of the lesson, when Jesus introduced a statement with "Truly, truly," he was calling attention to the importance of the words which follow.

     Definition.  The English words truly, truly are translated from the Greek words amén amén (Ref. 2).  American theologian R.C. Sproul referred to these words as the "double amen" (Ref. 1, Ref. 3).  The Greek word amén means truly, and is also translated as verily, most assuredly, and so be it (Ref. 2).  The Hebrew word amen occurs frequently in the Old Testament and similarly means sure, so be it, and truth (Ref. 4, Deuteronomy 27:15, Nehemiah 8:6, Psalm 41:13).

In modern usage, the word amen is typically used at the end of a prayer (Ref. 5).  In the New Testament, the writers frequently closed their letters with Amén (Romans 16:27, 2 Timothy 4:22 KJV, 1 Peter 5:14 KJV, 1 John 5:21 KJV, Jude 24-25, Revelation 22:21). "Placing the word amen at the end of a statement is a way of accepting, agreeing, or endorsing what came before" (Ref. 5).

     Jesus frequently said "Amen" ("Truly") to preface a statement (as compared to saying "Amen" at the end).  "Leading off with amen not only implies that what follows is true but also that the person making the statement has firsthand knowledge and authority about it" (Ref. 5, italics added). 

In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus used a single Amen (Truly, Verily) to introduce over 50 statements of truth (Ref. 6 below, Strong's Exhaustive Concordance).  Consider these references:  Matthew 5:18, Matthew 18:12-13, Matthew 25:11-12, Mark 9:41, Mark 11:23, Luke 18:17.  To the criminal on the cross who asked Jesus to remember him, Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise" (Luke 23:43).


     When Jesus says "Truly, Truly" (double Amen) at the beginning of a statement, he is telling us that the following words are extremely important.  When Jesus begins a teaching and says, "Amen, amen, I say to you," our listening ears should be fine-tuned to take note instantly of what our Lord is going to say, for it is of the utmost importance (Ref. 1). 

Consider the importance of these examples where Jesus introduced his statements with "Truly, truly" (double Amen):

John 3:5 - Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

John 5:24 - "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life."

John 6:47 - "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life."


The "Truly, truly" (double Amen) expressions of Jesus occur only in the Gospel of John.  In John, Jesus provides 25 statements that begin with "Truly, truly."  Click here to see all 25 of Jesus' "Truly, truly" statements. 

"Whenever we read in the text of Scripture our Lord giving a statement that is prefaced by the double 'amen,' it is a time to pay close attention and be ready to give our response with a double amen to it.  He says "amen" to indicate truth; we say it to receive truth and to submit to it." -- R.C. Sproul (Ref. 1) 

     Apply.  I encourage you to read (re-read) the 25 "Truly, Truly" Statements of Jesus.  For which statements are you most thankful?  Which statements are the most challenging?  Thank Jesus for his words of truth. 

References
1.  https://www.ligonier.org/blog/what-does-amen-mean/
2.  https://biblehub.com/greek/281.htm
3.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._C._Sproul
4.  https://biblehub.com/hebrew/543.htm
5.  https://www.gotquestions.org/verily-verily.html
6.  James Strong, "The New Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible," Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995 - note, based on the King James Version of the Bible

14 Comments

    Daily Bible Verse

    (Published on my Bluesky account)

    Author

    Mr. Whitney V. Myers.  Christian.  For more information, please visit the Author Page.

    Posting Schedule

    I plan to provide new postings about once a month.

    Planned Topics

    (subject to change)
    24July25 - "God's Presence" (Matthew 28:20)

    Recent Posts

    (most recent three months)
    28June25 - "250 Bible Verses About Music" 
    25May25
    - "Where Does Your Soul Go When You Die?" (Genesis 35:18)

    Popular Posts

    (top 10)
    25Aug19 - "Characteristics of a Child of God - Part 1" (Matthew 7:16)
    3June18 - "What Does 'The Way' Mean in the New Testament?" (Matthew 7:13-14)
    13Jan19 - "Bible Verses About the Cross" (1 Corinthians 1:18)
    31May22 - "11 Reasons Why Jesus Came into the World" (John 3:17)
    12Feb21 - "Bible Verses About Paradise" (Luke 23:43)
    27Jan19 - "Bible Verses - 'I AM's of Christ'" (John 8:12)
    9Feb20 - "Come, Now, Let Us Reason Together (Isaiah 1:18)"
    31Mar24 - "Isaiah 42:3 Meaning - A Bruised Reed He Will Not Break"
    11Apr21 - "What Is Redemption?" (Ephesians 1:7)
    11Aug22 - "What is Living Water in the Bible?" (John 4:10)

    Categories

    All
    About The Life
    About The Truth
    About The Way - Section 1
    Acceptance
    Adoption
    Advent
    Affliction
    Amen
    Angel Of The Lord
    Angels
    Anxiety/Worry - Section 1
    Anxiety/Worry - Section 2
    Atonement
    Attributes Of God
    Authority
    Believe In Jesus - Section 1
    Believe In Jesus - Section 2
    Believe In Jesus - Section 3
    Believe In Jesus - Section 4
    Blessing
    Blood
    Book Of Life
    Bread
    Bruised Reed
    Burdens
    Children
    Children Of God
    Christmas
    Church
    "Comes" Of God's Word
    Comfort
    Comforter
    Commit To The Lord
    Compassion
    Confession
    Cornerstone
    Courage
    Creation
    Crisis Management
    Cross
    Crucifixion
    Defense
    Deliverance
    Devotion
    Early Church
    Empowerment
    Encouragement
    Endurance
    Eternal Life - Section 1
    Eternal Life - Section 2
    Eternal Life - Section 3
    Faith - Section 1
    Faith - Section 2
    Faith - Section 3
    Family
    Favor
    Fear
    "Fear Nots"
    Filled With The Spirit
    Focus On God
    Follow Jesus
    Food
    Forgiveness - Section 1
    Forgiveness - Section 2
    Foundation
    Friend
    Fruit
    Future Life
    Goals
    God's Care - Section 1
    God's Care - Section 2
    God's Promises
    God's Provision
    God's Will
    Good Example
    Goodness
    Gospel
    Grace
    Gray Hair
    Guidance
    Hate
    Healing - Section 1
    Healing - Section 2
    Hearing
    Heart
    Heaven
    Hell And Hades
    Help
    Helper
    High Priest
    Holy Spirit - Section 1
    Holy Spirit - Section 2
    Hope
    Humility
    Hunger
    Hymn Stories - Section 1
    Hymn Stories - Section 2
    "I AM"s Of Christ - Section 1
    "I AM"s Of Christ - Section 2
    Inheritance
    Integrity
    Invitations From God
    Invitations From Jesus
    Joy
    Judgment
    Knowing Jesus
    Knowledge
    Labor
    Lake Of Fire
    Life
    Life After Death
    Light And Darkness
    Listening
    Living Water
    Love
    Lust
    Maturity
    Mercy
    Name Of Jesus
    Narrow Gate
    Needs
    New Life
    Old Age
    Paradise/Heaven
    Peace
    Persecution
    Pharisees & Scribes
    Physician
    Power
    Prayer
    Pray To Receive Christ
    Pride
    Prophecy
    Protection
    Ransom
    Redemption
    Refuge
    Renewal
    Repentance
    Rest
    Resurrection
    Righteousness
    Right Hand
    Salvation - Section 1
    Salvation - Section 2
    Savior
    Scarlet
    Second Coming
    Security
    Serving
    Sheep
    Sheol
    Shepherd
    Silence
    Sin & Sinners - Section 1
    Sin & Sinners - Section 2
    Son Of God
    Son Of Man
    Soul And Spirit
    Sound Speech
    Spirit Of Truth
    Spiritual Athletes
    Spiritual Gifts
    Spiritual Growth
    Storms
    Strength
    Struggles
    Sympathy
    Teaching
    Testimonies
    The Way
    The World
    Thirst
    Throne
    Tranquility
    Tree Of Life
    Trouble
    Truly Truly
    Trusting In God
    Truth
    Unclean Spirits
    Unity
    Virgin Birth
    Water
    Who Is Jesus? - Section 1
    Who Is Jesus? - Section 2
    Why Jesus Came
    Wisdom
    Witness
    Works

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    May 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    October 2024
    July 2024
    May 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018

The ScriptureWay site provides Bible Teachings that point to Jesus.   The Bible teaches that believing in Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven. 

"I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." -- Jesus speaking in John 14:6
​

Picture

    Follow by email

Please enter your email address to receive an email notification of new posts. After you enter your email address, please then click on this "please enter" box. Within a few seconds you should see a message confirming that your information has been submitted.

Copyright 2018-2025 Whitney V. Myers

Listed in Feedspot's 100 Best Bible Study Blogs and Websites in 2025
  • Home
  • Site Overview
  • Author
  • Resources
    • Bible Verses about the Angel of the Lord in the Old Testament
    • Bible Verses About Courage
    • Bible Verses About the Cross
    • Bible Verses About Eternal Life
    • Bible Verses About Humility and Being Humble
    • Bible Verses - "I AM"s of Christ
    • 250 Bible Verses about Music
    • Bible Verses About Old Age and Gray Hair
    • Bible Verses about Paradise
    • Bible Verses About Sound Speech
    • Bible Verses for Times of Crisis
    • 29 BIble Verses About Trusting God
    • 11 Bible Verses About Waiting for the Lord
    • Bible Study Tools
    • Whitneytunes Music Videos
    • Whitneytunes Worship Music
  • The Way to Heaven