Revised Standard Version offers a literal rendering of this verse, while Good News Translation makes a few noteworthy translational adjustments. For stylistic reasons any one is changed to the plural “Those who.” Then the last sentence in Greek (this is what was sown along the path) has been altered to a simile (“Those … are like…”) and joined to the first sentence in Good News Translation. Finally, the word of the kingdom has been made explicit: “the message about the Kingdom.” It may even be necessary to qualify the word of the kingdom more precisely: “there are people who have heard the Good News that God will establish his reign” (Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, 1st edition). INCL has “… the news concerning God and his reign.” Translators should study these adjustments carefully, since in some cases they will be useful models to follow.

Whether to retain any one or use a plural will certainly depend on the receptor-language style.

As for the word of the kingdom, translators can follow the examples cited above from Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch and INCL, or they may say “the news I give about God’s rule.”

Understand is the meaning followed by most all translators. But Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, 1st edition renders “(do not) take (the message) seriously,” which is supported by both the immediate context and other contexts in which the verb is found. Another attempt that has been made to render understand is “make it part of his understanding.” Since this is a fairly high level of language, others have said instead “understand it completely” or “try sincerely to understand it.” Note that all these examples are attempting to include in the translation an element of willingness on the part of the hearer.

The evil one appears as “Satan” in the Marcan parallel (4.15). For some readers it may be necessary to make the identity explicit: “the Evil One, that is, Satan” or “…, that is, the Devil.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “God’s enemy comes.” Readers should see also comments at 4.1 and 5.37.

Snatches away can be “takes away” or “grabs and carries off.”

In his heart: in Hebrew thought the heart was the instrument used for thinking and willing, and so both New American Bible and An American Translation render “mind.” In the present context the meaning is sufficiently expressed by “in them” or “within them,” since the analogy is that of the word placed in the heart in the same way that seed is placed in the soil.

The expression what is sown in his heart may or may not be readily comprehensible. If the image simply is not clear, then translators can say “the message that he heard” or “the true word that was put in his heart (or, mind).” To avoid a passive construction, translators can also say “that God put in him.” However, it is obviously better to retain the imagery of the parable, so that “the word God sowed in his heart” or “the message planted in them” and similar sentences are better solutions. Note that sown can be “planted.”

As noted above, this is what was sown along the path is translated as a simile in Good News Translation. This shift from a metaphor to a simile by the inclusion of “are like” simplifies the understanding of the text. In fact, in some languages the shift to a simile will be obligatory. But even this adjustment does not resolve one major contradiction which causes difficulty for numerous readers. That is, the seed is identified with the hearers, whereas the true equation is that the seed is the message. The parable makes sense only if the soil is identified with the hearers. And this problem may be resolved if this is what was sown along the path is taken to mean “This kind of person is represented by the picture of the seed sown on the side of the road” (Barclay) or “This is like the seed sown by the road-side” (Phillips). Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch resolves the problem by translating “With them it is like the seed which fell on the road.” Another way many translators have used is “When that happens, it is just like when some of the seed fell along the path.”

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 .