At least two aspects of this verse call for general comment: (1) Matthew omits the warning that the Son of Man will deny at his coming those who have denied him on earth, though it is placed in emphatic position in the Marcan parallel (8.38); and (2) Matthew includes an allusion to Psalm 62.12, which indicates that the Son of Man “will reward each one according to his deeds.” The omission is best accounted for by the fact that the saying is found earlier in Matthew’s Gospel (10.33), while the psalm allusion represents a major theme of the Gospel.
For does not just link verse 27 to the previous question but to what Jesus has been speaking about since verse 24. To make this clear, some translations will have “In fact” or “I tell you all this because.”
Is to come (so also New English Bible; Good News Translation “about to come”; New Jerusalem Bible “is going to come”) translates the Greek text literally. Although this form of the verb may signify no more than the simple future, the context does intimate that the event is conceived of as about to take place in the immediate future, within the lifetime of the people to whom Jesus is speaking. The same Greek verb formation is used in 17.12, 22, where the immediate future is definitely in view. Some translations have had “will come soon.” In many languages come will require some direction or location, so that “come among men,” “appear,” or “come back” are more natural.
For Son of man, see discussion at 8.20. Even though it is generally preferable to retain third-person reference, here Matthew clearly intends that his readers will understand that Jesus is the exalted Lord, the Son of man. If the third-person reference in effect denies this intention in a language, one may then translate “For I will return as the Son of man….”
His angels most naturally is taken to mean “his Father’s angels” or “God’s angels.” For angels, see comments at 1.20.
In the glory of his Father may be rendered either “in the same glory that his Father has” or “with the glory that his Father gives him.” Glory is used to refer to the power, brilliance, splendor, presence, authority, and majesty of God, and in various contexts one or another of these aspects can be emphasized in the translation. Here almost any one can fit, but because the verse goes on to speak of judgment, “power that comes from God” or “authority that God gives” are the more common translations.
Note that Good News Translation has restructured slightly, putting “with his angels” after “come in the glory.” Some translators will even make two separate sentences, as in “… will come with God’s great authority. God’s messengers will come with him.”
As in many other contexts, his Father can be “his Father in heaven” or “God his father.”
And then he will repay every man for what he has done comes from Psalm 62.12. New Jerusalem Bible translates “he will reward each one according to his behaviour,” and Barclay “he will settle accounts with each man on the basis of how each man has lived.” Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, 1st edition translates “Then he shall give to each one what he deserves on the basis of his deeds.”
Repay is expressed as “reward” in Good News Translation. For many readers this is misleading, since for them it will refer only to good things given. But in this verse people are to be punished or blessed depending on whether their actions were bad or good. Therefore ways to translate the sentence include “He will give blessings or punishment to people according to whether they have done good or evil” and “He will punish or reward people according to the things they did.”
Note that he refers to the Son of Man.
As in most cases, every man refers to all people, not just men, and translators can use “all people” or “each person.”
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 .