And Peter answered him, a literal rendering of the Greek text, is translated “Then Peter got up his courage and said” by Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, 1st edition. Notice that both Good News Translation and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch have rendered the And, the word that shows the story is continuing, as “Then.”

Answered may not be the most appropriate word since Jesus has not asked a question. Good News Translation has used “spoke up.”

For English speakers Lord suggests that Peter is making a full confession of the lordship of Jesus Christ. The same problem of interpretation exists here as in 8.25 (see comments there), where the Greek noun of address may mean either Lord or “sir” (INCL: “Sir, if you really are Jesus…”). The perspective from which Matthew writes is of supreme importance: how much does he intend to reflect the actual historical situation at the time that this happened, and to what degree has he modified the account for the encouragement of his readers? It does not appear that Peter and the other disciples recognized who Jesus really was until after he had caused the storm to stop (see verse 33). So then, if the translation is made from the perspective of the time in which this event is placed in the ministry of Jesus, the word may well be understood as an honorific. On the other hand, Matthew may intend the meaning Lord, because he addresses his message to a church for whom this has become the proper confession. Probably more translators use this Christian sense of Lord than use “Sir.”

If it is you (so also New Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible) is translated “if it is really you” by Good News Translation and New American Bible. One commentator notes that this is an expression of certainty rather than doubt.

Bid (Good News Translation “order”; New Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible “tell me”) is one of Matthew’s favorite words; it is used of Jesus in 8.18 and 14.19, of Herod in 14.9, and of Pilate in 27.58. The basic meaning of the word is “order” or “command”; Barclay translates “give … an order.”

On the water (so also most translations) is literally “on the waters.” The use of the plural may be influenced by the Old Testament, since the Hebrew word for “water” always takes a plural form.

As with the similar phrase in verse 25, the readers should understand that Peter is asking to walk on top of the water. “Walk to you on top of the water” or “walk across the top of the sea to you” will show this.

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 .