Dragged (so also Jerusalem Bible, Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, 1st edition) is translated “be brought” by many. In everyday speech the verb does mean “bring,” but it may also acquire the technical sense of “arrest,” “take into custody,” “bring to trial.” Since the context suggests the use of force, one may even translate “drag (you) to trial.” In many languages it will be necessary to make the sentence active, as in “and those people will drag you to trial.”
Governors was first used in 2.6, where it appears in a quotation from Micah 5.2. Elsewhere in the New Testament it is used only of Roman governors: Pontius Pilate (27.2, 11, 14, 15, 21, 27; 28.14; Luke 20.20), Felix (Acts 23.24, 26, 33; 24.1, 10), and Festus (Acts 26.30). Governors is sometimes rendered as “rulers (or, chiefs) sent from Rome” or “… sent by the Roman Emperor.” A similar way is “men who ruled on behalf of the Roman Emperor.” However, in this context “leaders” may suffice, or “rulers.”
Kings (so all translations) includes persons such as Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12.1) and other members of the Herod family (for example, Herod Antipas), who ruled in various capacities under the Roman authority. If there is no word for kings in a culture, then “chiefs” is acceptable. If governors was translated as “leaders sent from Rome,” then kings can be “the people’s own chiefs (or, rulers).”
For my sake (so most translations) is placed initially by Good News Translation for emphasis. Like Revised Standard Version, most translations retain the word order of the Greek text, but New American Bible translates “on my account” and places the phrase at the end of the sentence. Phillips departs from the traditional rendering with “because of me,” though still keeping to the Greek word order. Here it is best taken to mean “because you are my disciples (or, followers)” or “because you follow me.”
To bear testimony translates a noun phrase in Greek (“for testimony [or, witness]”). This phrase does indicate some purpose. Jesus tells the disciples they will be brought to trial “so that you can tell about me.” In many languages an object is required, and a least two possibilities present themselves: “concerning the Good News” (Good News Translation, Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, 1st edition) or “concerning me” (Barclay “but you must regard that as an opportunity to demonstrate … your loyalty to me”). No other translations are explicit, and the commentators do not offer much help, but either of these solutions is in keeping with the context. One may even need to supply a double object: “to tell the Good News about me” or “to tell the Good News about (or, from) God.”
The persons referred to by them and the Gentiles are not evident. Them may be the governors and kings previously mentioned in the verse, in which case Gentiles probably were the non-Jewish populace in general. An alternative possibility is to take them as Jewish accusers and authorities in contrast to Gentile authorities.
If the first interpretation of them is chosen, then a possible translation is “to those rulers (or, to them) and to non-Jews.” If the second is preferred, it can be expressed as “to those who accused you and to those non-Jewish rulers.”
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 .