“Suddenly” (Good News Translation, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, New English Bible, New American Bible) is a valid way of translating And behold, which is one of Matthew’s favorite transitional markers (see comment at 1.20).

Earthquake translates the same word used in 8.24 (“storm”); 24.7; 27.54.

The Greek text suggests that the coming of the angel of the Lord triggered the other events of this verse, and that all of them took place almost simultaneously: “And all at once there was a violent earthquake, for the angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled away the stone and sat on it” (Jerusalem Bible). Similarly Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, 1st edition has “Suddenly there was a violent earthquake, and an angel of God came down from heaven. He went to the tomb, rolled away the stone, and sat on it.” Commentators note the similarity between the events described here and the words of Psalm 114.7: “Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the LORD….”

Angel of the Lord was also used at 1.20. See comments there.

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 .