Wicked in the Greek is also used in 21.41 (see comments and translation there) and 27.23 (“evil”), but nowhere else in the Gospel. There is a slight translation problem here because the previous verses have been describing a good servant, and now the phrase that wicked servant seems to refer to the same person. Good News Translation has “But if he is a bad servant,” and Barclay has “But, if a bad servant says to himself.”

To himself is literally “in his heart.” However, in biblical psychology the “heart” is primarily the place of thought rather than of emotion, though sometimes it may also denote the entire person. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates “But if he is untrustworthy and tells himself….”

My master is delayed, as Revised Standard Version indicates, represents direct discourse of the Greek text. Good News Translation shifts to indirect: “that his master will not come back for a long time.”

Delayed translates a verb which may mean either “stay away for a long time” or “take a long time in doing something.” Is delayed implies that circumstances had come about which had caused the man to stay longer than he had originally intended, but this is not necessarily the meaning of the Greek text. Barclay seems to be more accurate: “I need not expect my master for a long time yet.”

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 .