“Now” (Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, Phillips) translates a Greek particle generally rendered therefore (Revised Standard Version, New International Version). It is the kind of word which does not require explicit mention in translation, and some prefer to leave it implicit (New American Bible, New English Bible). Good News Translation begins a new paragraph here, and this may prove helpful in other languages as well. However, it may then be necessary to preface Jesus’ question with “So Jesus asked them.”

When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes is included only by Matthew; Mark has “What will the owner of the vineyard do?” (12.9), and Luke, “What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?” (20.15). Some languages may require this mention of movement by the owner, but for Matthew it is really more than that. For him it emphasizes the coming judgment, perhaps with specific reference to the return of the Lord. However, it must be emphasized that in translation one cannot be explicit on the basis of Matthew’s assumed intention. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch lays stress upon this phrase without going beyond the limits of translation: “when he himself comes.”

Sometimes the order of the question needs to be changed to be natural in the receptor language, as for example in “Now what will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he himself comes?”

Matthew does not indicate the persons of whom Jesus asked this question, but some translations will require “them” at the least. Other translations may require a more specific indirect object: “the chief priests and the elders” (see verse 23).

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 .