The Greek that is typically transliterated in English as “Satan” is transliterated in Kipsigis as “Setani.” This is interesting because it is not only a transliteration that approximates the Greek sound but it is also an existing Kipsigis word with the meaning of “ugly” and “sneaking.” (Source: Earl Anderson in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 85ff. )
In Morelos Nahuatl it is translated as “envious one” (source: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.) and in Tibetan: bdud (བདུད།), lit. “chief devil” (except in Rev. 20:2, where it is transliterated) (source: gSungrab website ).
Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Timothy 1:20:
Uma: “Two whose faith is wrecked are Himeneus and Aleksander. Those two I hand over to the power/authority of the King of Evil-ones in order that he punish them, in order that they no longer belittle God with their evil teaching.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Like that are Himunus and Iskandal and some others also. I have abandoned them to be carried/influenced by the leader of demons so that they learn a lesson that they should not speak-evil-against God.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander. I have turned them over to Satan so that they might be taught that they cannot speak in rejection against God.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Two of them, (they) are Himeneus and Alexander whom I have turned-over to Satanas so that they will learn-thereby not to speak-evil-about God.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “I mean by that, ones like Himeneo and Alejandro whom I have punished. My punishment of them is, it’s like I have returned them to the controlling of Satanas, so that hopefully, through what they will experience, they’ll just be taught that they are indeed not to stand up for those wrong teachings which are like insulting God.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “This is what was done by Hymenaeus and Alexander. These two men I delivered to the devil so that they would realize what they are doing. Because it is not good to speak evil of God in their talking.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Among them another way to express this phrase is “Two of them are” (Contemporary English Version).
Two names are mentioned as examples of those who advocate wrong teachings. Hymenaeus appears also in 2 Tim 2.17; if the two references are identical, then we have an example of what Hymenaeus taught, namely, that the resurrection is a past event (2 Tim 2.18). The name Alexander, on the other hand, appears in 2 Tim 4.14; he is identified as one who did Paul great harm, but there is no reference to any specific act that he did or doctrine that he advocated. There is also a reference to Alexander in Acts 19.33. Other than these references, these two names are not mentioned anywhere else in the New Testament, except for Mark 15.21 and Acts 4.6. Are these the same people, then? It is very hard to be sure. All we can be certain about is that they were known within the Christian community and were perhaps leaders in the church, either deacons or more probably elders. Other than that, we cannot say anything else. But fortunately for translators, it is not necessary to come to any conclusion on the identity of these people; what is important is to transliterate their names properly according to the requirements of the receptor language.
As punishment for what they have done, Paul has delivered these two people to Satan. The expression used here also appears in 1 Cor 5.5 to describe the punishment of the Corinthian sinner; the difference is that in 1 Corinthians the sinner is being handed over to Satan for the destruction of his body, so that his spirit may be saved, whereas here the focus is on disciplining the false teachers. The primary question to ask is: what is involved in handing someone over to Satan? Does the expression mean excommunication from the church or infliction of physical harm? Or perhaps a combination of both? Does this expression have the same meaning as in 1 Cor 5.5? Many commentators favor the first of these possibilities, namely, that this refers to being expelled (excommunicated) from the Christian community. Since the false teachers are outside the realm of the church, they are, so to speak, within the realm of Satan and, like Job, would be subject to the pain and suffering that Satan inflicts.
One notes, however, that the handing over to Satan has a corrective and remedial function: it is to educate these false teachers and help them to get rid of their habit of blaspheming. For blaspheme see discussion on 1.13. In the present context the focus seems to be on falsely claiming to have power and authority from God; this is shown by the fact that they are teaching their own doctrines as God’s truth. By doing this they are actually misrepresenting God and opposing God (compare Contemporary English Version, “so they will learn not to oppose God”). Implicit in the verse is that, once these false teachers repent of their wrong doing, they could be reinstated as members in good standing of the Christian community. Since it is not clear exactly what delivered to Satan means, translators are urged to use a more ambiguous translation such as Good News Translation‘s “whom I have punished by handing them over to the power of Satan.” In cultures where Christianity is only a recent phenomenon, a suitable term for Satan or the Devil may not yet have been agreed upon by the Christian community. Translators in concurrence with the churches should carefully select a term that adequately translates the biblical idea of “Devil” or Satan. If a community chooses to use the name Satan, as in this context, it will be helpful to have an item in the glossary explaining who Satan is.
That they may learn not to blaspheme may also be rendered as “that they may learn to stop opposing God,” or “this will teach them to stop misrepresenting God,” or “that they may learn to stop claiming to have God’s authority when in fact they don’t.”
An alternative translation model for this verse is:
• Two of these are Hymenaeus and Alexander. I have let Satan have power over them. This will teach them to stop teaching things that are against God’s truth.
Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Paul’s First Letter to Timothy. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1995. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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