Then indicates that the events described here occurred immediately after the baptism described in chapter 3. Translators can use “Next” or “After that.”
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit is transformed into an active construction by Good News Translation: “Then the Spirit led Jesus.” Mark (1.12) uses an active form and a stronger verb: “the Spirit made him go.” It is characteristic of Matthew that he changes Mark’s active voice into a passive (see 9.25; 14.11; 16.26; 18.8; 19.13; 24.22 [twice]; 26.57; 27.38; 28.6); however, this stylistic feature of Matthew’s Gospel must not be carried over automatically into translation. Instead the translator must choose in each instance the form that is most satisfactory for his own language (whether active or passive), rather than following the form of either Matthew or Mark.
The root meaning of the verb used by Matthew is “to lead up” (see Revised Standard Version, Translator’s New Testament, Phillips). However, most translations do not render the verb literally, even though from the Jordan River valley one would have to go “up” to get into the Jordan wilderness.
The word translated was led up is not as strong as the one used in Mark (“was made to go”), but it is nevertheless important to avoid a word that means simply that the Spirit “went before him” or “showed him the way.” Translators should use “was taken” or “was conducted,” or if the active form is used, “took” or “conducted.”
Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch explicitly identifies the Spirit as the “Spirit of God.” In fact, there are many languages where it will be necessary to do the same thing, or perhaps to use “Holy Spirit.” Otherwise, in cultures where everyone is believed to have a spirit in him, it could appear that it was Jesus’ own spirit that led him, or that he went entirely at his own inclination.
Translators should use the same word for wilderness here that they did in 3.1.
Matthew sees divine purpose involved in Jesus’ going to the wilderness, as is indicated by the structure to be tempted (see comment at 3.13). Although to be tempted is the rendering represented by most translations, the context seems better satisfied by “to be put to the test” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Translator’s New Testament). In the same way that God put his son Israel to the test during the days of Moses, so now his son Jesus is put to the test in the wilderness. However, in keeping with later Jewish thought, it is the Devil, rather than God, who now puts Jesus’ loyalty to the test.
When translating to be tempted, it is first necessary to find a solution for “tempted.” As we pointed out, “put to the test” is probably closer to the meaning in this context. Barclay has “to undergo the ordeal of temptation.” Some translations have “prove” or “test to see how strong he was.” Others have used “to be tried” (but in the sense of testing, not in a juridical sense of being on trial). There are translators who have followed the more traditional understanding of “tempted” and said “so the Devil could try to make him do wrong.”
The construction shows purpose. He was led into the wilderness “in order to be tested” or “so that he could be tested.” Often an active sentence is better than a passive one: “so that the Devil could put him to the test” or “so that there the Devil would test him.”
The devil is the translation of the Greek word that means “the accuser, opponent.” This is one of the titles for “Satan”—which is just one of his names. As part of the same exercise that translators go through to find a good way to translate “Holy Spirit,” a word is usually discovered that can be used for “spirits,” supernatural beings that have the power to act in the world in various ways. Sometimes these are seen by people as inherently evil, so that the word can stand alone to translate “evil spirits,” “demons,” and “unclean spirits.” In other cultures, these spirits are thought to do both bad and good, and the adjective “evil” or “bad” must be used with the noun in translation. Often there will be a name for one evil spirit that is the source of evil or the source of power for the other evil spirits, and this name can then be used for “Devil.” Otherwise, the word “chief” or “head” is used with the word chosen for “evil spirits,” so that “Devil” is “chief (or, head) evil spirit.” If possible, translators should then use this title in places where the text has “Devil,” and reserve “Satan” for the places where that proper name is used.
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 .