With what belongs to me is translated “with my own money” by Good News Translation, New English Bible, and New International Version. Since the preposition with may also mean “in” or “on,” the phrase may also mean “on my own land” or “on my own estate.” Nevertheless, this alternative possibility is not represented in any of the standard translations. It is possible to change the question form to a strong affirmation: “I have the right to do what I wish with my own money!” New English Bible does away with the question form: “Surely I am free to do what I like with my own money.”

Do you begrudge (so also An American Translation) translates an idiomatic expression (literally “is your eye evil”) which Good News Translation and New English Bible take to mean “are you jealous.” New Jerusalem Bible, New International Version, and New American Bible each use the term “envious.” The same idiom is found in the list of sins in Mark 7.22. “Are you annoyed” is also acceptable.

Generosity (so also An American Translation; Good News Translation, Moffatt, New Jerusalem Bible “generous”) translates the adjective “good,” which here has the specific connotation of generosity. The question Or do you begrudge my generosity? may take the form of a statement: “You should not be jealous just because I am generous.” It may be necessary to indicate some recipient of generosity, as in “Are you jealous because I am generous toward someone else?” or “Does it make you jealous when I am generous to these people?”

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 .