3:19a
end: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as end refers to the conclusion or end result of their lives.
destruction: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as destruction also means “ruin.” It is the opposite of “salvation.” In some languages it may be necessary to translate this as a verb and say, “they will be ruined/destroyed.” In some languages it may be necessary to use an active verb and provide a subject. It is God who will destroy them.
3:19b
their god is their belly: This Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as their belly could have one of two meanings:
(1) It is a figure of speech referring to the desires of their bodies, including desires for food and sex and other earthly pleasures. For example:
their bodily desires (Good News Translation)
-or-
what their bodies want (New Century Version)
(2) It refers to their literal stomachs. Food and drink was what they were most concerned about. (New American Standard Bible, Revised English Bible, New Living Translation (2004))
Most English versions use “stomach” or belly, which can be take either literally or as a figure of speech. It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). In the context of the rest of 3:19 (the more general ideas of shameful things and earthly things), it seems that 3:19b also refers to the more general idea of the desires of the body rather than just the desire for food.
By saying that the desires of their bodies were their god, Paul meant that they obeyed these desires as they would a god.
One way to translate this is:
They care only about the things they want here on earth.
3:19c
their glory: This means that these people glory in something or are proud of something.
their shame: This refers to the shameful things these people do. For example, it refers to the sort of things Paul talked about in 3:19b.
The things they did were shameful and they ought to have been ashamed of them, but they were not. In fact, they were even proud of the way they behaved. The whole phrase then means that they were proud of the things they did, things of which they ought to have been ashamed.
In many languages it will not be possible to use nouns like “glory” and shame, but it will be necessary to use verbs. For example:
They are proud of what they should be ashamed of (Good News Translation)
-or-
They…brag about the disgusting things they do (Contemporary English Version)
3:19d
Their minds are set on earthly things: These people constantly thought about the things on earth. In fact, the only things they paid attention to were things on the earth, things like food, clothes, pleasure. One way to translate this is:
They only ever think about the things on earth.
General Comment on 3:19
In some languages it seems better to place 3:19a at the end of the verse, because it gives the result of the other things Paul talked about in this verse. For example:
So ⌊as a result of this God⌋ will finally destroy them.
However, if you think this might be helpful in your language, consider carefully how you will then maintain the contrast Paul made by putting “earth” (3:19d) and “heaven” (3:20a) close together.
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