And seeing a fig tree may require a transitional: “As he was walking along, he saw a fig tree….”

Many people are not familiar with the fig tree. There is sometimes a temptation for translators to substitute a local fruit tree in the translation, but it may be better to use either a general term such as “fruit tree” or “tree of fruit called fig,” or possibly to compare it to a local fruit that is somewhat similar, as in “tree of a fruit like….”

By the wayside means “next to the road” (Good News Translation “by the side of the road”).

In Greek nothing is emphatic in the text of both Matthew and Mark (11.13). Sometimes it is more natural to say “no fruit” or “no figs.”

May no fruit ever come from you again! is more emphatic than Mark’s “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” (11.14). Mark expresses a strong wish, whereas Matthew has the equivalent of a command or even of a curse. Some possible ways to render this include “I command that you never have any figs (or, fruit) again” or “I declare that you will never bear fruit again.” It should be noted, however, that the form of the text, May no fruit …, is natural in many languages. Sometimes indirect speech is necessary, as in “Jesus commanded that the tree never again bear any fruit.”

And the fig tree withered at once contrasts with Mark (11.20), which states that the disciples did not notice the withering of the fig tree until the next morning. The dramatic effect of the event is reflected by Barclay: “And there and then the fig tree withered.” It is significant that the adverb at once is found only twice in the Gospel, here and in verse 20.

Withered here can be rendered as “dried up” or “died.”

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 .