The disciples may better be translated “The two disciples” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch), since reference was last made to them in verse 1.

Went may require a direction, as in “went to the village” or “went ahead.”

And did as Jesus had directed them is rendered by Phillips with a noun to replace the second verb (“and followed Jesus’ instructions”); Barclay is similar (“and carried out Jesus’ instructions”).

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 .