This brief parable concerning going before the judge is also found in Luke 12.57-59, though in an entirely different context. Here it warns of the necessity for being quickly reconciled with one’s legal adversary, lest one wind up in jail! Luke places the parable in an eschatological context, with the meaning, just as you would try to settle a case out of court, in the same way, the time to get reconciled with God is now. But several scholars interpret the real focus to be God’s final judgment in Matthew as well, concerning which the disciples are warned of the urgency to be reconciled with their brothers, without which it is impossible to be reconciled with God.

At the first of the verse, Good News Translation includes a clause which places the saying in its proper context: “If someone brings a lawsuit against you and takes you to court.” Support for Good News Translation‘s restructuring is provided from at least two directions: (1) The noun accuser (Good News Translation “someone [who] brings a lawsuit against you”) represents the injured party in a legal action. (2) The Greek “while you are with him in the way” actually means while you are going with him to court (see also Phillips, New English Bible, New American Bible, and others which specify “to court”). Many translators have found this model of Good News Translation very helpful. Other examples are “If someone is taking you to the judge to accuse you” or “If someone is accusing you of things, while you are going with him to court (or, to the judge)….”

Make friends … with (Good News Translation “settle the dispute”) focuses on the need to resolve the differences with one’s legal adversary before getting to court; New English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible have “come to terms with”; New American Bible renders “settle with.” Other translations have said “make an agreement with,” “settle the matter,” or “find a solution to your differences.”

Quickly (Good News Translation “while there is time”) is also translated in a number of ways: New English Bible “promptly”; Jerusalem Bible “in good time”; New American Bible “Lose no time.”

“Once you are there” of Good News Translation provides a necessary transitional in the English structure. A number of other translations use the word “otherwise” (New American Bible, New English Bible, Phillips). Barclay translates “if you do not” (so also Translator’s New Testament). Revised Standard Version has the word lest, which means literally “so that not.” It can also be expressed as “so that your accuser won’t…” or “in order to prevent him from….”

Judge is the preference of most translations for the first of the two officials. But the noun translated guard is more difficult. The primary meaning is “servant, helper, assistant”; but since the reference here is specifically to the servants of the court, Revised Standard Version has guard, and Good News Translation “police.” Moffatt and Translator’s New Testament translate “jailer”; Barclay “court officer”; New Jerusalem Bible “officer.” In 26.58 the reference is to the Temple guards.

In many cultures it seems odd to speak of handing someone over to a judge. Translators have to say “give you to the judge so he can deal with you,” “ask the judge to deal with you,” or “charge you before the judge so he decides your case.”

However, when the judge hands someone over to the guard, that is so that the guard can administer the punishment determined by the judge—in this case, to be put in prison. Thus the translation can have “and the judge will give you to the guard” or “… will tell the guard to take you and put you in prison.”

For guard translators may say “soldier,” “police,” “official,” or whatever term normally designates the person who is responsible to put someone in jail.

A prison or “jail” is well known now in most parts of the world. In some places it may be necessary to say “the building where they guard you and you can’t leave” or “the building where they punish people by making them stay 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 .