At once is the same adverb translated “immediately” in 4.20. Here it emphasizes the immediacy with which the servant acted: “Immediately the man who had received the five thousand went…” (New American Bible).

Traded with them translates an idiomatic expression, literally “worked with them”; Good News Translation has “invested his money,” New International Version “put his money to work,” and An American Translation “went into business with the money.” In societies where investing money is not commonly done, translators may have to say “did business with the money.”

Made five talents more is more literally “gained another five”; Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates “was able to double the amount.”

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 .