A Theological and Linguistic Study of the Bono-Twi Translation of the Expressions ἁγιασθήτω and εἰσενέγκῃς in the Matthean Lord’s Prayer
Isaac Boaheng 
Issue: Vol.11 No. 5 2025 Issue Article 5 pp.222 -233
DOI : https://doi.org/10.38159/erats.20251155 | Published online 19th June, 2025.
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Bible translation endeavors in Ghana and other parts of the world have significantly contributed to the establishment and growth of Christianity. However, like any human endeavor, mother-tongue Bible translation comes with many challenges to both the translator and translation agencies. In this regard, the Lord’s Prayer is arguably one of the most difficult texts to translate. This paper examined two challenging expressions in the Matthean Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6:9-13), namely ἁγιασθήτω (v.9b) and εἰσενέγκῃς (v.13a), and how their rendition in the ongoing Bono-Twi Bible Translation Project could serve as a model for other Akan mother-tongue translations. The paper is a non-empirical research that gathered data from publications on the subject matter, including books, Bible Commentaries, and journal articles. The methodology for the paper consists of three steps: First, exegetical, linguistic, and theological analyses of the selected expressions in the biblical context; second, a sociolinguistic and theological examination of the Bono-Twi rendering and third, a comparative study between the Bono-Twi version and three Akan versions (Asante-Twi, Akuapem-Twi and Fante). The study found the need to go beyond linguistic considerations to include exegetical and theological analysis to correctly render a text from one language to another. To enhance the effectiveness of mother-tongue Bible translation, the paper recommended that agencies, churches, pastors, and theological institutions collaborate by providing proper training, encouraging local language use, and supporting translation efforts through funding, literacy, and theological input. The paper contributes to the academic discourse on the development of mother-tongue translation, theologizing, and exegesis in Ghana and Africa.
Keywords: ἁγιασθήτω, εἰσενέγκῃς, Akan, Bono-Twi, Translation
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Isaac Boaheng holds a PhD in Religion Studies from the University of the Free State, South Africa. He is a Senior Lecturer in Theology and Christian Ethics at the Christian Service University, Ghana, and a Research Fellow at the Department of Biblical and Religion Studies, University of the Free State, South Africa. He has over hundred peer-reviewed publications.
Boaheng, Isaac. “A Theological and Linguistic Study of the Bono-Twi Translation of the Expressions ἁγιασθήτω and εἰσενέγκῃς in the Matthean Lord’s Prayer,” E-Journal of Religious and Theological Studies, 11 no.5 (2025): 222 – 233. https://doi.org/10.38159/erats.20251155
© 2025 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
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