They is translated “The guards” by Good News Translation, a technique adopted also by Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Bible en français courant, and Bijbel in Gewone Taal.

As they were directed (Good News Translation “what they were told to do”) is transformed into a nonpersonal construction by Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch: “as one had told them to do.” One may also translate by supplying the agent of the passive verb: “what the chief priests had told them to do.”

This story has been spread among the Jews to this day refers to the events of verses 11b-14. One must avoid the implication that this story includes as well the information that the soldiers took the money and did as they were told (verse 15a). In some cases it is helpful to say “this story about Jesus’ disciples stealing his body” or “this story they told.”

Spread is the same verb used in 9.31.

Among the Jews: Revised Standard Version translates the Greek prepositional phrase as indicating location, but it may also carry the meaning of instrument (Good News Translation “by the Jews”); in the final analysis the meaning is the same.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Now is merely a transition marker introducing a new scene, and renders a Greek particle often translated “but.”

The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them: the reference is to verse 10, according to which Jesus had told the women to inform his “brothers” to go to Galilee, where they would see him. The noun “disciple” is first used in 5.1, as is the word mountain. It is doubtful that any specific mountain is in mind; it is important to remember that in Jewish thought hills and mountains are places of divine revelation.

The mountain to which Jesus had directed them may be expressed as “the mountain that Jesus had told them they should go to.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

The verse says when they saw him, leaving it clear that Jesus appeared to them when they reached the mountain. In many languages this is not possible, so translators have had to begin this verse by saying “There they saw Jesus, and when they saw him….”

Worshiped translates a verb frequently used in this Gospel (see 2.2; 28.9 for its first and most recent occurrences). Him is not found in all Greek manuscripts, but many languages will require that the verb be accompanied by an object indicating the one to whom their worship was directed.

But some doubted (so also New International Version, Luther 1984) appears in Good News Translation as “even though some … doubted.” New American Bible renders as though their doubt was something that took place prior to the resurrection appearance (“those who had entertained doubts”), although it follows with a footnote (“literally, ‘some doubted’ ”). New Jerusalem Bible offers the time perspective of New American Bible as a possibility in its alternative reading (“though some had hesitated”), but the translators confess that this has less grammatical support than the reading which they place in the text (“though some hesitated”). As a matter of fact, it is difficult to find any grammatical support for the interpretation of New American Bible; it appears rather to be an attempt to force a theological judgment on the text.

The clause is also difficult to interpret for other reasons. First, some may refer exclusively to the eleven disciples (“some of the disciples”) or to others outside the group of the disciples (“some other disciples”). But even if the exegesis of Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation (“the eleven”) is accepted, then two possibilities still result: (1) “All eleven of the disciples worshiped Jesus, even though some of them had their doubts”; and (2) “Some of the eleven disciples worshiped Jesus, but others of them only doubted.” If the alternative exegesis is followed, then once again two possibilities result: (1) “The eleven disciples worshiped Jesus, while a larger group of disciples who were there only doubted”; and (2) “The eleven disciples worshiped Jesus, as did some others in the larger group of disciples who were there, but others of them doubted.”

The second major concern is that of the time perspective of the two events (“doubting” and “worshiping”), which Matthew almost with certainty regards as simultaneous. Moreover, since he specifically identifies only the eleven as the participants in the event, it is logical to conclude that he conceives of them all as both doubting and believing. The nearest grammatical antecedent to this construction is found in 26.66, where “they” in Greek is the same as some here: “They answered, ‘He deserves death.’ ” This cannot possibly be taken to mean “Some of them answered”; it must mean “They all answered.” On the basis of this grammatical pattern, one is forced to conclude: all eleven saw him, all eleven worshiped him, and yet all eleven doubted! Thus one can translate “When they saw him, they worshiped him, even though they were not completely sure that it was Jesus.” In this same regard it is of interest to note that the only other occurrence of the verb “doubt” in Matthew’s Gospel has the disciples as its subject (14.31). Doubted is often expanded to “doubted it was Jesus” or “were not sure it was really him.”

It is also “them” (that is, the eleven) to whom the risen Lord announces his authority (verse 18), gives the commission (verses 19-20a), and grants the promise of his presence (verse 20b). It is this word that dispels doubt and evokes faith!

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Jesus came translates the same verb used of Jesus in 17.7. Good News Translation renders it as “drew near,” which is more natural in English.

All authority … has been given to me may need to be reformulated as an active construction with God as the expressed agent: “God has given me all authority” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Or, on the basis of verse 19, it may be even better to render “My Father (in heaven) has given me all authority.”

Jesus first declares his authority in 7.29; see discussion there for the other places where similar declarations are made of Jesus. All authority in heaven and on earth may need to be expressed as “complete authority over all (living) creatures in heaven and on earth.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Go … baptizing … teaching (verse 20) are each participles dependent upon the main verb make disciples. But in such a construction it is not uncommon for the participles themselves to assume the force of an imperative. However, the command to make disciples is the primary command, while the commands to baptize and teach are ways of fulfilling the primary command. Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, and Luther 1984, together with a number of other modern translations, translate all of the four verb forms as imperatives: “Go … make … disciples … baptize … teach (verse 20)” (Good News Translation). Of the contemporary translations, Revised Standard Version and New International Version are in the minority as they follow the pattern set by King James Version, which renders “baptizing” and “teaching” as participles.

All nations (Good News Translation “all peoples everywhere”) continues the concept of all-inclusiveness which is emphasized throughout verses 18b-20: “All authority … all nations … all that I have commanded … always.”

Make disciples is also used with a causative force in Acts 14.21; the only other occurrences of this verb in the New Testament are in Matthew 13.52 (“has been trained”) and 27.57 (“was a disciple”). The notion of discipleship is integral to the Gospel of Matthew, where the noun “disciple” is used seventy-two times.

To make disciples of all nations has been translated by Barclay as “make the people of all nations my disciples.”

The disciples are to proceed with their work by baptizing the people of all nations. (Notice that in most languages one can baptize people, not nations.) “Baptism” was discussed at 3.1.

That baptism should be in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit is stated only here in the New Testament. In fact, a Trinitarian formula is found elsewhere in the New Testament only in 2 Corinthians 13.14 (TEV 13.13), where it forms part of a benediction. Elsewhere in the New Testament baptism is done only “in the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 2.38) and “in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 8.16).

In the name of means “by the authority of”; most translations retain the literal form, perhaps under the influence of church tradition. In some cases the phrase will have to be used with all three authorities, as in “in the name of the Father, in the name of the Son, and in the name of the Holy Spirit.”

There will be languages where the Father will have to be “God the Father,” but it would not be normal to render the Son by “Jesus the Son,” if for no other reason than that it is Jesus himself speaking here. “God the Son” is certainly the way most churches understand this phrase, but it should not be added to the translation. (On the other hand “God the Father” will have been used by many throughout the Gospel of Matthew.)

For Holy Spirit, see discussion at 1.18.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Teaching is best interpreted as the equivalent of an imperative (see comment at verse 19).

Some translations render them to include only those who have been baptized, and others make it refer to the people of all nations. Probably a reference to all people is more natural, since the command of Jesus does not say to baptize only some, and translators should not be specific in this verse in a way the text is not.

Observe is used of commandments in 19.17 and of instructions in 23.3; it is also the same verb translated “keep watch” in 27.36, 54, and the participle “guards” (28.4) is also derived from this same verb. Here translators can say “to do all the things I have commanded you” or “to live according to my commandments to you.”

Commanded is first used in 4.6 (translated “give … charge of”); it is found elsewhere in 15.4; 17.9; 19.7. Commentators note that the construction all that I have commanded is similar to one that is frequently employed in the Septuagint of God’s commands to Israel (for example, Exo 7.2; 23.22; 29.35; 31.11; Deut 1.41; 4.2; 6.6). Translators can have either “everything I have commanded you” or “all the commands I have given you” (so Barclay).

The expression and lo is not natural in contemporary English, so most translators drop it. But sometimes it is rendered as “And it will be” or “It will happen that.”

I am with you always also has its roots in the Old Testament (see Exo 3.12; Josh 1.5, 9; Isa 41.10; 43.5). It is often more natural to say “I will be with you always (or, at all times).”

The close of the age is the same expression used in 13.39. The period indicated here is that which extends from the time of Christ’s resurrection-exaltation to the end of the world. Translators can have “until the end of the world (or, the end of time).”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .