In Greek this verse is a continuation of the sentence from verse 30, which Revised Standard Version renders rather literally: so that the throng wondered, when they saw…. Many English translations prefer to begin a new sentence: “The crowds were astonished to see…” (New Jerusalem Bible), “Great was the amazement of the people when they saw…” (New English Bible), “His power to heal left the people amazed, when they saw…” (Barclay), and “The result was great astonishment in the crowds as they beheld…” (New American Bible).

In some languages it does not seem natural to speak of the dumb speaking since they are no longer dumb. Translators can say “formerly dumb” or “people who had been dumb before.” The same is true with the afflictions mentioned in the rest of the verse.

For the maimed to be made whole means they “were made fit again,” “were made well,” or “recovered the use of their limbs.”

The formerly lame were now walking or, possibly better, were now “able to walk.”

Greek manuscripts differ considerably concerning the order and inclusion of the four groups of people who were healed. However, as New Jerusalem Bible‘s footnote indicates, the major textual problem relates to the phrase the maimed whole. According to TC-GNT, the committee for the UBS Greek text acknowledges that the phrase may have been added in order to complete the series of four mentioned in verse 30. But they are of the opinion that it was originally a part of the Greek text, which was later omitted by scribes who felt it was unnecessary to say both that the maimed were made whole and the lame were walking.

They glorified the God of Israel is more naturally expressed by “they praised the God of Israel” of Good News Translation and New Jerusalem Bible. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “Aloud they praised the God of Israel.” Of course, the text indicates it was the crowds who were praising God, not just the healed people. There are languages where the verse will need to be restructured: “The crowds saw people who had been dumb now speaking … and formerly blind people now able to see. When they saw this, they were amazed, and they praised the God of Israel.”

The meaning of God of Israel is “God whom the people of Israel worship.” Not all translations will need to make that explicit, but if a literal translation leaves readers thinking the reference is to a local god that had power in that place, then the fuller form may be needed.

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 .