And you (Good News Translation “And as for you”) has the same function as “But I tell you” of verse 22.
Jesus made his home in Capernaum (4.13), and it can be referred to as his hometown (9.1). The denunciation of Capernaum echoes Isaiah’s words of judgment against the pride of Babylon (Isa 14.12-15). As in the previous verses there will be cases where it will not be possible to address a town. Then the translation for the beginning of this verse will be “As for you, people of Capernaum.”
Will you be exalted to heaven? (Good News Translation “Did you want to lift yourself up to heaven?”) is a judgment against the pride of the people of Capernaum. The cause of their pride is not stated, nor is it necessary to express in translation. It may well have been their prideful rejection of Jesus and his message. For translation it may be helpful to alter the rhetorical question form to a strong statement: “Even though you exalt yourself to heaven…” or “You may exalt yourself to heaven, but….”
Exalted to heaven is not always easy to express. Some renderings translators may consider are these: “Did you think you were going to be raised right up to heaven?” “Did you think you could raise yourself up to heaven?” “Did you think you would be praised all the way up to heaven?” or “Did you think you would become the most important town?” Any of these questions can be transformed into statements if translators believe those would be clearer: “You think you will be raised….”
You shall be brought down may be better expressed in an active form with God as subject: “God will bring you down….” It may be good to start this sentence with a word or expression that clearly marks the contrast with the previous sentence. “Instead, God will…” is an example.
Hades (so also Moffatt) is translated “hell” by many (Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, Bible de Jérusalem, Luther 1984; Barclay “the depths of hell”). Bible en français courant renders “world of the dead” (An American Translation, Phillips “among the dead”; New American Bible “the realm of death”; Zürcher Bibel “Kingdom of the dead”; Traduction œcuménique de la Bible “abode of the dead”). New English Bible has “the depths,” and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “the abyss.” Hades is merely a transliteration of the Greek word, and as such it is probably a meaningless term for many readers. For other readers who are familiar with the word, it may even convey overtones that are contradictory to the New Testament concept. The basic meaning of the term is “place of the dead,” though it may be used in a more restricted sense; for example, “place where the wicked dead are punished.” Many translators, for example Good News Translation, have rendered Hades as “hell.” Keeping in mind that God is the agent, a translator can render it “God will throw you down to hell.” Others have said “… down to the place of the dead.” In line with this theme, another translation can be “God will destroy you” or “… throw you down to the place of punishment.”
For if the mighty works …: see verse 21 for a suggested restructuring.
Sodom was a city noted for its wickedness (see comments at 10.15). For an account of the destruction of Sodom, see Genesis 19.24-29. Here some translators will have “in the wicked city of Sodom.”
It would have remained until this day means “it would still exist now.” Barclay has “it would still be standing today.” Some will add in a footnote “God destroyed this town because of its wickedness.”
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 .
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