Her husband Joseph is rendered simply “Joseph” by Good News Translation, Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, 1st edition, New English Bible; Barclay has “her intended husband,” and Phillips “her future husband.” Having said in verse 18 that she was engaged to Joseph, to put “husband” here would be confusing. But translators who cannot say simply “Joseph” will do well to follow Barclay or Phillips with “intended” or “future,” or perhaps “promised husband.”
The Greek adjective just is translated in Good News Translation by the clause “who always did what was right.” There is, however, much difference of opinion regarding its precise meaning in the context, and at least three possibilities present themselves: (1) “one obedient to the commands of God, an upright man, a man of character”; (2) “kind” or “compassionate” (see 25.37-40; 10.41); (3) “good” (see Psa 145.17). The adjective is a key term in the Gospel of Matthew and is discussed more fully in conjunction with the noun form at 5.6, “righteousness.” But see also 5.45, which may be the best commentary on the word. Although there is some overlap, the meaning of “good” (Phillips) or “compassionate” seems most appropriate for the present context. Good News Translation‘s “who always did what was right” is close, if taken in the sense of Micah 6.8. It is interesting that many languages have less difficulty with this word than English does, since they have ways of referring to people who treat others “correctly,” by which they include the idea of “compassion” as well as “legal correctness.” Sometimes “straight” covers this, or “good” or “true.”
Unwilling to put her to shame: the relation between this clause and what precedes it depends in large measure upon the interpretation given the adjective rendered just by Revised Standard Version. If it is understood to mean Joseph kept the Law, that would normally imply that of course he would not follow through with the marriage plans; however, then the fact that he was unwilling to disgrace Mary is unexpected, so “but” would be appropriate, as in Good News Translation: “but he did not want to disgrace Mary publicly.” But if the meaning is taken to be “good,” then there is no need to signify a contrast. One may then follow the restructuring either of Phillips (“who was a good man and did not want to see her disgraced”) or of Jerusalem Bible (“being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity”). Apparently it is the rather rigid interpretation of this adjective with the meaning of “just” that leads many translators to introduce this clause which follows by the conjunction “but.”
The verb put … to shame (Good News Translation “disgrace … publicly”) occurs only here and in Colossians 2.15 in the New Testament. Joseph had two courses of action open to him. He could either have brought charges against Mary in court or else have divorced her privately in the presence of two witnesses. Joseph chose the more merciful course of action. Strictly speaking, the punishment for adultery was death by stoning, although the penalty in New Testament times may have been less severe. Most translators find that the idea of “publicity” is an important part of “shame,” and therefore do something similar to Good News Translation. “He did not want her to suffer public shame,” or “He did not want to cause shame to come on her,” or “He did not want other people to see her in disgrace.”
Resolved means “decided,” “made up his mind to…,” or “planned.”
Divorce: if there is a word for this in their language, translators must find out first whether it can be used for what is essentially the breaking of an engagement. Perhaps “call off the marriage” or “break the promise to marry.”
The adverb quietly (so also Phillips, New English Bible, New American Bible; Good News Translation, An American Translation “privately”) in other contexts may carry the meaning “secretly” (Translator’s New Testament, Moffatt, Barclay). But in the present context the meaning is not “secretly” (that is, “without witnesses”), but “without bringing charges” or “without a public trial and without statement of the cause.”
Some translators say “without accusing her before others,” or “without making her case public (or, known to everyone),” or “without telling other people.” Sometimes it is necessary to make explicit the source of her shame (as Joseph saw it, at least), as in “He did not want to accuse her of adultery in front of other people when he broke the engagement.”
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 .