Notice that, since this does begin a new paragraph, the pronoun he is usually replaced by “Jesus.”

Upbraid (Good News Translation “reproached”) translates the verb rendered “revile” by Revised Standard Version and “insult” by Good News Translation in 5.11. Here it can be expressed as “say they were wrong,” “condemn,” or “accuse of being wrong.” In some languages it is possible to say Jesus is condemning the cities, but often “people of the cities” will be better.

Cities, as in the other places we have seen, is more naturally “towns,” to contrast them with the really large places like Jerusalem.

Where most of his mighty works had been done is altered to an active by Good News Translation: “where Jesus had performed most of his miracles.” For comments on mighty works, see 7.22.

The cities … because they did not repent: in many languages it will not be possible to speak of cities repenting; instead one must say “the people of the cities.” Repent here means “turn from their sins” or “turn to God” (see comments on 3.2). Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates this part of the verse “Then Jesus began to say harsh things about the places … and still the people there had not changed.”

Then marks a transition and may be rendered “At that time” or “After that.” However, since there is a clause introduced by because at the end of the verse, translators must find a good way to handle Then and because naturally in the same sentence. One way is “At that time, Jesus began to condemn the people in the cities where he had performed most of his miracles. He did that because those people refused to turn from their sins.” However, many languages find it more natural to reverse the order of the verse in a manner similar to Good News Translation; for example, “In the towns where Jesus had performed most of his mighty actions, people did not change their lives. So Jesus began at that time to accuse those people of being wrong.”

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 .