Satan

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 ).

See also devil.

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Satan .

complete verse (Matthew 12:26)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 12:26:

  • Uma: “So also in the kingdom of demons. If the King of Demons causes-to-leave his fellow demons, it means that a demon opposes his fellow demons, with the result that that kingdom of demons will fall/be-ruined.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Therefore if the leader of demons drives out his demon adherents, that means that they are opposing each other already and the ruling of the demon will not last.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Therefore if by means of the power of Satan I am able to defeat the power of Satan, he is fighting his own subjects, and he is destroying his own power.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “It is the same also with Satanas. If he is causing-his companion evil-spirits -to-leave, it means he is fighting with them, and his ruling will certainly be destroyed.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Supposing Satanas is driving out his own subjects who are the evil spirits, isn’t it so that he is opposing his own self? Well, how can his kingdom last? Of course it won’t.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Like that is the word I tell you here. If the devil should be against his own work then his work would be spoiled.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Matthew 12:26

In this verse Jesus makes explicit application of the parables of the divided country and the divided family of verse 25. This can be made explicit in the translation by beginning the verse “In the same way…” or “Thus it is that if Satan….”

In the clause if Satan casts out Satan, it is clear that the name of the leader of the group, Satan, is used to represent either one of Satan’s demons or a group of Satan’s demons. This is the basis for Good News Translation: (“So if one group is fighting another in Satan’s kingdom”) and Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, 1st edition (“If one demon is casting out the other, then Satan would be fighting against himself”). It is absolutely necessary that the readers be made to understand that Satan of this verse is the same person as Beelzebul of verses 24 and 27. It may be good to have a footnote saying that Satan and Beelzebul are two names for the same person. Another way to help readers make the identification is to expand the Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, 1st edition model: “If one evil spirit of Satan’s kingdom is casting out another, then Satan would be fighting against himself.” For further comments on Satan, see 4.1, 10.

How then will his kingdom stand? is a rhetorical question in Greek and is translated by Good News Translation “this means that it is already divided into groups and will soon fall apart!” An adequate and accurate translation of this verse may require much restructuring: “If what you say about me is true, then this shows that Satan’s kingdom is already divided into groups. One group is fighting against another, and so his kingdom will soon fall apart.” Or, patterned after Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, 1st edition, “You say that I am using Satan’s power to cast out demons. This means that Satan is fighting against himself, and so his kingdom will not last much longer.” A variation is “If one member of Satan’s kingdom is casting out another, which is what you say is happening when I cast out evil spirits, then Satan is fighting against himself, so his kingdom will soon be destroyed.”

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 .