He said to them is translated “Jesus answered” by Good News Translation. The use of the pronoun (He) or of the proper noun (“Jesus”) will depend entirely upon the expectations of the receptor language. Further, it should be clear that them refers to the Pharisees, not to the disciples.

Have you not read…? is a rhetorical question which assumes the answer “Yes.” In languages where this literary device for showing emphasis is not common, one may translate “You have surely read” or “I know you have read.” In some languages it may even be necessary to indicate where they read this: “… in our Law,” or “… in our Bible,” or “… in our holy Scriptures.”

The question (or, affirmation) can also be reordered, as in “You know what David did, I am sure, because you have read in God’s book….”

It may be necessary to qualify David as “King David.” The reference is to 1 Samuel 21.1-6.

When is translated “that time when” by Good News Translation; this restructuring is helpful in calling attention to a specific time in the past.

He was hungry, and those who were with him (Good News Translation “he and his men were hungry”): in Hebrew and in languages influenced by Hebrew, such as the Greek of the New Testament, this sort of structure is common. One frequently finds a singular verb and subject followed by other subjects who join the main subject in the action indicated by the verb. In many languages, including English, the most natural restructuring is to link the subjects by the conjunction “and” and then to use a plural verb form, as in Good News Bible.

Those who were with him refers to “his companions” or “his followers.” “His men” of Good News Translation is also good.

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 .