Transgress (so also Moffatt) is translated “disobey” by Good News Translation. A number of English translations prefer “break” (New English Bible, Barclay, New International Version, Phillips, An American Translation). New American Bible selects “act contrary to,” and New Jerusalem Bible “break away from.” The verb literally means “go aside” or “turn aside”; however, when used of rules or regulations the meaning is “break” or “disobey.” In Matthew the question is phrased somewhat stronger than in Mark, which has “Why do your disciples not live according…?” (Mark 7.5). Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates the two parallel passages in the same way, following the wording found in Mark.

The tradition of the elders (so also New Jerusalem Bible, New International Version) is translated “the teaching handed down by our ancestors” in Good News Translation. These traditions refer to the oral (and later, written) interpretation of the Old Testament laws, which developed over centuries in order to make these laws applicable in current situations. Finally, in New Testament times, these traditions became as authoritative as the Old Testament laws themselves. New English Bible translates the phrase as “the ancient tradition,” Phillips “our ancient tradition,” and An American Translation “the rules handed down by our ancestors.” It is important to render the tradition of the elders differently than “the Law.” “The teaching handed down by our ancestors” (as in Good News Translation) or “the things our ancestors taught us” will be better.

Some translators have understood Why…? as a genuine request for information. Others have seen it to be a rhetorical question which really functions as an accusation. As a result they have rendered it with a statement, such as “Your disciples are violating the teachings of our ancestors” or “It is wrong for your disciples not to follow our forefathers’ teaching.” In some languages an effective translation will be “Your disciples are not following what our ancestors taught us. Is that proper?” Probably either interpretation is acceptable.

For can easily be mistranslated. The Pharisees are indicating in what way the disciples are violating the tradition of the elders. This can be indicated with a phrase such as “Look, they don’t even wash their hands properly before they eat.” Another way will be to reverse the order of the verse, as in “Your disciples don’t wash their hands properly before they eat, and that is against the teaching of our ancestors. Why do they act this way?” Other translators will find it more natural to simply drop For, as Good News Translation has done.

“In the proper way” (Phillips “properly”) is included by Good News Translation to make explicit the meaning of wash their hands. Otherwise, readers may understand that the reference is to the washing of hands before a meal for hygienic purposes. The reference is to the special way of washing one’s hands as defined by the Pharisees for the sake of ritual cleanliness. Barclay translates “give their hands the prescribed washings.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates “Why do they not purify their hands…,” and they follow this with a glossary note concerning the meaning of the verb “purify.” Translators can also try “wash their hands the way our religion teaches” or, if there is no word for “religion,” “the way we should if we are to honor God properly.”

When they eat is literally “whenever they eat bread.” New English Bible renders “before meals,” and New American Bible “before eating a meal.” It is important that the sequence of events be maintained in the proper order; that is, the washing of the hands took place before the eating of the meal, not during the course of the meal, as when or “whenever” might imply. Both New English Bible and New American Bible supply “a meal” as the object of the verb eat. The Greek text has “bread,” since this was the basic element in a Jewish meal. Jerusalem Bible translates “eat food,” with the footnote “Lit. ‘eat bread.’ ” In many languages an object will be necessary after the verb “eat,” and whatever word is used must suggest a regular meal.

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 .