Blessed: see comments on 5.3. As we suggest there, a common way to render this is “The man who … is blessed” or “… is in a good position.”

He who takes no offense at me: Jerusalem Bible has “the man who does not lose faith in me,” and New English Bible “the man who does not find me a stumbling block.” Good News Translation, on the other hand, employs a plural: “those who have no doubts about me!” The choice of a singular or plural form for the saying will depend entirely on what is felt natural in the receptor language. The Greek verb form is the same for middle and passive, and so it may mean either “take offense at someone” or “be led into sin (by refusing to believe in someone).”

Following the first meaning of offense may result in a rendering such as “the person who is not offended by me,” “… by who I am,” or “… by what I do.” Following the second meaning would result in translations such as “the person who does not lose faith in me,” “… whose faith in me is not destroyed,” or “… who doesn’t do wrong by refusing to believe in me.” For occurrences of this verb with similar meanings see 13.57; 26.31, 33; Mark 6.3; Luke 7.23.

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 .