The structure of the Greek sentence is loose, as we stated in the comments at the beginning of this section. But it seems best to link deliver this man with I have already passed judgment. This man is literally “such a man,” but only one case is under consideration. The meaning, then, is “such a bad man,” not “any such man” (compare 2 Cor 2.6-7).
Deliver … to is often used of people being handed over to evil powers (see Rom. 1.24, 26, 28, where Good News Bible has “given … over”). It is also used of someone being betrayed or handed over to his enemies (see 11.23, “betrayed,” and compare Mark 14.42). However, Revised Standard Version‘s or Good News Bible‘s translations are more natural in this context.
Satan may need a glossary note in some languages (compare 7.5; 2 Cor 2.11; 11.14; 12.7). Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente‘s note is as follows: “Devil. In the New Testament, refers to the most direct enemy of God, the tempter and seducer of mankind. He is also called Beelzebul or Satan (Mark 3.22, 23).” The present context shows that Paul is thinking of a spiritual power.
Flesh (Good News Bible‘s “body”) is contrasted with spirit in this context. The thought may be that the guilty man is condemned to physical death by being thrown out of the Christian fellowship (compare 11.30; Acts 5.1-11). Alternatively, “What Paul was desiring by having this man put outside the believing community was the destruction of what was ‘carnal’ in him…” (Fee). In any case, the purpose of punishing him physically now is that he may be spiritually saved when Christ returns in judgment (see 3.13). Good News Bible has added “his” before “body,” as it is implied in the text and is a more natural translation.
The clauses for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit … may be restructured in the following way: “so that even though his body is destroyed, his spirit may be saved” or “so that even though Satan destroys his body, Jesus will save his spirit.”
Day of the Lord Jesus: as in verse 4, many Greek manuscripts have “of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The UBS Greek text, however, has “the Lord.” This is probably what Paul wrote, and Good News Bible has translated it this way (also New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible). Some translators may need to render the phrase day of the Lord Jesus as “the day when our Lord returns” or “the day of the Lord’s judgment,” so as to avoid giving the impression that it is a day that belongs to the Lord. Translators should also avoid any phrase that might be understood as meaning “Sunday.”
Quoted with permission from Ellingworth, Paul and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, 2nd edition. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1985/1994. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .