For God commanded represents the Greek manuscripts which have literally “For God commanded, saying.” Good News Translation follows a different manuscript tradition which has “For God said.” According to TC-GNT, it is the opinion of the committee for the UBS Greek text that the presence of the verb commanded may be accounted for on the basis of “the commandment of God” in verse 3. However, they acknowledge that there is a considerable degree of doubt regarding which of the two readings is preferable. Some languages will automatically require a shift to “commanded,” even if the accepted reading is assumed to be “said”; other languages may use “said” with the extended meaning of “commanded.”

Honor your father and your mother comes from Exodus 20.12. Most English translations have Honor; Good News Translation translates “Respect.” Jerusalem Bible translates “Do your duty to,” with a footnote indicating that the verb is literally “honor,” but “implying a reverence shown in practical ways.” Certainly it would be wrong to translate with something that simply means “to praise,” since it is repeated behavior that is involved.

He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him surely die is a quotation from Exodus 21.17. Both this and the previous quotation are apparently from the Septuagint, though minor differences exist. In place of speaks evil of, a number of translations have “curses” (Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, Moffatt, New English Bible, Barclay). An American Translation has “abuses.” Elsewhere in the New Testament the verb occurs only in the Marcan parallel (7.10) and in Acts 19.9, where Good News Translation translates “said evil things about.” Considered in light of the Old Testament, the verb may cover a wider area of meaning than that of verbal abuse. “Mistreat,” “fail to show proper respect to,” or “fail to do one’s duty to” are also possible meanings.

The text has simply father or mother, but most translators find it necessary to show that the commandment is specifically against speaking evil of one’s own parents, as in “his father or mother.”

Let him surely die can be a little awkward. As the Good News Translation model indicates, it is execution that is meant. “That person should be put to death” is a possible translation.

There are two commandments cited in this verse. In some languages translators will need to use a phrase such as “God also commanded” before the second one, to make clear that it is not just a continuation of the first commandment.

In some languages indirect speech is the more natural way to speak of God’s commandments, as in “For God commanded (us) to respect our fathers and mothers” or “For God commanded that every person should show respect for his father and mother.”

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 .