When he was utterly helpless, the king ordered them to take him to the fire, still breathing, and to fry him in a pan: Good News Bible‘s translation is gruesome here but well done; however, it may be difficult to translate. When he was utterly helpless may be expanded to “They did this, and when the young man was completely helpless.” This rendering makes it clear that the king’s orders in the previous verse were fulfilled. The clause still breathing may follow When he was utterly helpless by saying “They did this, and when the young man was totally helpless, but still alive.” The king ordered them to take him to the fire … and to fry him in a pan may be expressed as “the king told his men to take him and fry him in one of the pans” or “the king told his men, ‘Carry him over to the fire and fry him in one of the pans.’”
The smoke from the pan spread widely: The smoke came from the man’s burning flesh. Again, translators may feel the need to say that the order just given was carried out. If so, this clause may be rendered “They did this, and the smoke from the pan spread widely [or, went everywhere].”
But the brothers and their mother encouraged one another to die nobly, saying: As the mother and brothers watched their loved one die, they tried to encourage each other, knowing that each of them would meet a similar fate. Good News Bible provides a good model here.
An alternative model for verses 3-5 is:
• 3 These words made the king so angry that he ordered his men to heat some huge pans and kettles until they were red hot, 4 and they did so. Then the king ordered the mother and the other brothers to watch as he had his men cut out the young man’s tongue, cut the hair and skin from off his head, and cut off his hands and feet. 5 They did this, and when the young man was completely helpless, but still alive, the king ordered his men, “Carry him over to the fire and fry him in one of the pans.” They did this, and the smoke from the pan went everywhere. Meanwhile, the other brothers and their mother encouraged each other, saying, “Let’s die bravely.
Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Maccabees. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.