In this verse Jesus’ promise of reward is extended beyond the circle of the twelve to encompass all who will ever be called upon to make a sacrifice for him.
Left (so most translations) here means “left behind” or even “given up.”
New English Bible very effectively combines houses … or lands as “land or houses” and places the phrase following the listing of relatives: “And anyone who has left brothers or sisters, father, mother, or children, land or houses.” Lands translates the same word used in 13.44. In the plural it can mean either “farm (or, farms)” or “village (or, villages).” It can be translated as “property” or “fields” (Good News Translation).
For my name’s sake appears as “for my sake” in a number of translations (Good News Translation, An American Translation, Phillips, New American Bible, New International Version, Barclay). It will be similar in meaning to the formulas used in 18.5, 20; see also comment at 10.22. One may translate “for the sake of following me” or “for the sake of being my disciple.”
A hundredfold or “a hundred times more” (see Moffatt, Barclay, New Jerusalem Bible, Luther 1984, New International Version) represents the wording of some Greek manuscripts; others have the equivalent of “many times as much” (New American Bible, New English Bible, An American Translation, Phillips, Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, 1st edition, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). The UBS Greek New Testament prefers the wording followed by Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation (see Mark 10.30), though the other wording obviously has strong support (see Luke 18.30).
When translating a hundredfold as “a hundred times more,” it may be necessary to indicate what it is a hundred times more than. “A hundred times more than they gave up” will do this.
Translators may also have to specify from whom people will receive, as in “will receive from God” or “God will give those people.”
Inherit eternal life differs slightly from the phrase “have eternal life” of verse 16. Inherit is the traditional verb used in the Scriptures of God’s bestowal of blessings on his people. But to translate literally may imply to some readers that God has died. Therefore Good News Translation translates “will be given eternal life.” Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, 1st edition expresses will receive … and inherit … by one verb: “will receive it all back many times over and in addition eternal life.” It is also possible to identify the “hidden agent” of the verb inherit as God: “God will give him eternal life as well.” For eternal life, see the discussion at verse 16.
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 .