Amen

In Anglophone North American usage, the ah-men pronunciation is used in performances of classical music and in churches with more formalized liturgy.

The ay-men pronunciation is a product of the Great Vowel Shift (i.e., it dates from the 15th century); it is associated with Irish Protestantism and with conservative evangelical denominations generally.

Some adherents of Eastern religions believe that amen shares roots with the Hindu Sanskrit word Aum.

Three distinct Biblical usages of amen may be noted:[3] In the New Testament, the Greek word ἀμήν is used as an expression of faith or as a part of a liturgical formula.

Although amen, in Judaism, is commonly used as a response to a blessing, it also is often used by Hebrew speakers as an affirmation of other forms of declaration (including outside of religious context).

The congregation is sometimes prompted to answer "amen" by the terms ve-'imru (Hebrew: ואמרו) = "and [now] say (pl.

Contemporary usage reflects ancient practice: As early as the 4th century BCE, Jews assembled in the Temple responded "amen" at the close of a doxology or other prayer uttered by a priest.

[24] But Jewish law also requires individuals to answer amen whenever they hear a blessing recited, even in a non-liturgical setting.

[33] The use of "amen" has been generally adopted in Christian worship as a concluding word[34] for prayers and hymns and an expression of strong agreement.

[24] The liturgical use of the word in apostolic times is attested (1 Corinthians 14:16[27]), and Justin Martyr (c. 150) describes the congregation as responding "amen" to the benediction after the celebration of the Eucharist.

[38][39] Arabic dictionaries define ʾāmīn as an imperative verbal noun, whose meaning is answer or reply (i.e., imploring God to grant one's prayer).

The word was borrowed from Hebrew into Arabic in only this context, thus it is strictly used in Arabic as a final amen to conclude supplications or to declare affirmation, and has no initial amen usage with the meaning of truly or certainly as found in the word’s original Hebrew language grammar.