All the people (so also New Jerusalem Bible) is literally “all the crowds.” Both Good News Translation: (“The crowds”) and New English Bible (“The bystanders”) introduce the component of “all” in conjunction with the verb phrase “were all amazed.”

This is the only place where the verb amazed is found in Matthew’s Gospel (literally “were beside themselves”). It occurs quite frequently in Luke’s writings: three times in the Gospel and eight times in Acts. Elsewhere in the New Testament it is used once in 2 Corinthians and four times in Mark. Some languages may require the express mention of an object following the verb amazed: “at what Jesus had done” (Good News Translation). Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch accomplishes the same goal through a German idiomatic expression: “Therefore the crowds fell into amazement.” It is possible to combine what was done in Good News Bible and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch: “As a result of what Jesus had done, the crowds became amazed.”

The text says that people said. “Asked themselves” or even “asked each other” may be better here.

Can this be the Son of David? translates a question form which normally would expect a negative reply. But it may also be used on occasion to indicate no more than an expression of uncertainty: “Is he perhaps…?” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). “Can it be that…?” or “Is it possible he is…?” are other ways to render this.

Son of David was a popular title for the promised Savior King (see comments on 1.1; 9.27); his appearance would be a sign that the long-awaited salvation had at last arrived. As in 1.1, this may be translated “the descendant of (King) David.” However, if possible, it is good to indicate it is a title: “the one who is called Descendant of David.” Another way to express it is “the Descendant of David we look for.”

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 .