The sending of other servants recalls 21.36 (“Again he sent other servants”). Barclay has “He sent out a second lot of servants.”

Saying of the Greek text is translated “with this message for the guests” by Good News Translation. It is also possible to translate “So he sent other servants, and told them to say to the guests….” Depending upon the interpretation of the previous verse, this will be either a second or third invitation offered the guests. Most commentators and translators believe it to be the third invitation, following immediately upon their previous rejection. In either case, through this use of multiple invitations, Matthew emphatically underscores the refusal of the guests to respond to the invitation.

Behold serves as an attention-getter (see 1.20); New English Bible has “See now!”

Dinner translates a noun which originally meant “breakfast” but which later was used of other meals as well, including a “feast” (Good News Translation, New English Bible) or “banquet” (New Jerusalem Bible). Elsewhere in the New Testament, the noun occurs only in the Lukan parallel (11.38) and in Luke 14.12; the corresponding verb is used in Luke 11.37. Since dinner is here placed in parallel with marriage feast (see below and Matthew 22.2), one will want to be sure in translation that the readers understand the reference is to the same meal. Behold, I have made ready my dinner is translated “All preparations for the feast are completed” by Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch; New English Bible identifies the persons for whom the preparations have been made: “I have prepared this feast for you.”

Oxen and fat calves (Barclay “oxen and specially fattened calves”) is a way of speaking of the most choice animals. The word translated oxen (Good News Translation “steers”) is used in the New Testament elsewhere only in Hebrews 9.13 and 10.4, where it refers to a sacrificial animal. If oxen are unknown, the translators may say “young bulls” or, if even that poses some problem for readers, “best cattle.” Fat calves (Good News Translation “prize calves”), a word used only here in the New Testament, describes cattle that have been fattened for a special occasion. Often that is exactly what translators say: “calves that have been fed specially to be fat and good for eating.” But “best calves for eating” may be an easier expression.

Good News Translation renders are killed by “have been butchered.” If a passive construction like this is awkward, then “I have butchered” may be better.

And everything is ready may need to be translated “and everything else is ready,” or else rendered as a separate statement, “Everything is ready!”

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 .