Many has sometimes been translated as “many of you” or even “many of my followers.” But “many people” is also acceptable.

Fall away, as the RSV footnote indicates, is literally “stumble”; this is one of Matthew’s favorite terms, used fourteen times throughout the Gospel (see comment at 5.29). Good News Translation translates it “give up their faith.” Similar translations are “will stop believing in me” or “give up being my followers.”

Betray represents the same verb translated “deliver … up” in verse 9. Significantly, this is the verb that is used consistently of Jesus’ own betrayal. Matthew is thereby saying that the disciples must share the same fate as their Lord. In this verse it may be translated literally as “betray,” or it may be expressed as “turn each other over to the authorities.”

Hate is used in a similar context in 10.22.

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 .