By Naa Shormei Odonkor
Akropong (E/R), Oct 10, GNA – The Bible Society of Ghana (BSG) has released a revised edition of the Akuapem-Twi Bible including modified archaic terminologies and phrases of the Akuapem Language to facilitate reading and understanding.
Reverend Dr Enoch Aryee-Atta, the General Secretary of the BSG, said the rewriting of the Akuapem-Twi Bible was a five-year endeavour undertaken by the Late Reverend Felicia Adu-Kumi, a Presbyterian Minister.
A Citation of Honour was presented to the family of Rev Adu-Kumi for her enormous contribution to the editing of the bible, during the launch at Akropong, Eastern Region, on the theme: “We Heard Them Speak in Our Own Language.”
It was attended by members of the Grace Congregation of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG) and other ministers of God.
Rev Dr Aryee-Atta noted that the dynamism of language allowed the Bible to be changed throughout time to polish orthographies and rectify grammatical faults to make reading easy.
The BSG has translated the Old and New Testaments of the Bible into nine Ghanaian languages: Asante-Twi, Akuapem-Twi, Ga, Mfantse, Ewe, Dagbani, Nzema, and Esahie, with more languages in the offing.
”We are currently working on translating the original Old Testament to Dagaare and Gurune. We are also working on translating the New Testament to Efutu Senya, Okere, and Wassa languages,” he said.
However, the translation was very expensive as a verse costed US$20, Rev Aryee-Atta said.
“And there are 31,103 verses in the Bible, making the total cost of US$622,060 and GHC 6,220,600 when translated at UD$1 for GHC10.”
Touching on the cost, Rev Charles B. Ahwireng, a retired minister of the PCG, said Christians had taken the substance of the Bible for granted by disregarding the power it carried.
He cited instances where church buildings and shops got burnt but the bibles in those structures never got burnt, adding: “if only we will carefully study the word of God, we will experience the power of God.”
Rev Ahwireng reminded Christians that the Bible was worth more than the money spent on its purchase.
“The people of Akuapem must be the light of Ghana because the word has been written in their Language. You have heard the word of God in your own language as Acts 10:46 reads.”
The BSG is a non-denominational and inter-denominational Christian organisation whose mission is to make God’s word available, affordable, and usable to impact lives.
GNA