Since the text goes straight on from the scene in the boat, it will not be a problem in most languages to retain when. Compare how this differs from 8.23, for example. And does indicate it is a new unit, however, but whether to retain it or not depends on the receptor language.

He came: here again Good News Translation identifies the pronoun of the Greek text as “Jesus,” since a new section is introduced.

Came may also be rendered “arrived” or “reached.”

The other side refers to the eastern shore of Lake Galilee. See comment at verse 18. As there, some will say “the other side of the lake.”

There is a textual problem regarding the name Gadarenes. Other manuscripts have “Gergesenes,” and still others have “Gerasenes.” The best textual evidence is in favor of Gadarenes, from Gadara, a town about five miles southeast of Lake Galilee. Although the town is five miles distant from Lake Galilee, ancient coins bearing the name Gadara often have a ship on them. Moreover, the Jewish historian Josephus indicates that Gadara possessed territory bordering on Lake Galilee.

The text refers to the area as the country of the Gadarenes, that is, the country of the people of Gadara. Whether to retain “people” or refer to the area by the name of the town, as in “the region of Gadara,” will depend on what the receptor language normally does.

Two demoniacs met him, coming out of the tombs may sound to the reader, especially to the hearer, as though Jesus was the one coming out of the tombs. Good News Translation does considerable restructuring to avoid this ambiguity: “he was met by two men who came out of the burial caves there. These men had demons in them….” Another way this can be restructured is “He was met by two men who had evil spirits in them. The men were coming out of the burial caves.”

The tombs were more specifically “burial caves,” as Good News Translation indicates. The dead were customarily placed in the rear of burial caves, leaving a small antechamber toward the front of the cave. It was there, in the front part of the cave, that these men would probably have lived. According to Jewish teaching, tombs were ritually unclean, but they would have been considered suitable homes for demons and demon-possessed people.

The idea of burying people in caves seems most odd in many parts of the world. For this reason some translators have preferred to say “the area of the tombs” or “places where they bury people.” However, this does not give as complete a picture as Good News Translation‘s “burial caves,” and a slightly better rendering may be “the caves where the Jews used to bury people.”

Fierce (so also Good News Translation) may also mean “violent” (New English Bible) or even “savage” (New American Bible). At least one commentator suggests the meaning “difficult to subdue.” Other words that can translate the word are “dangerous” or “uncontrollable.”

Could is the preference of most translations. Good News Translation and New English Bible have “dared.” The verb literally means “be strong” or “able” (Barclay).

Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates the entire verse: “On the other side of the lake Jesus came to the territory of Gadara. There two men from the burial caves ran out to meet him. They were possessed by demons and were so fierce that no one dared use that road.”

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 .