Note that “burned in the fire” (Good News Translation) is generally more natural than burned with fire. But some will have simply “burned.”

It is quite possible that the reader will miss the comparison intended in so will it be at the close of the age. That is, it may sound as though weeds will be gathered up and burned in the fire at the end of the age in the same way that they are gathered and burned at harvest time. One may then translate “… so the people who belong to the Evil One will be gathered and burned in the fire at the end of the age.” Then verses 41-42 will immediately be understood as an explanation of the manner in which this is accomplished.

The close of the age will be as in verse 39.

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 .