5:32a

This mystery is profound: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as This mystery is profound is literally “this mystery is great.”

Here is another way to translate this clause:

This is a great mystery (Contemporary English Version)

This: The pronoun This refers back to 5:31b. The great “mystery” is that “the two will become one flesh.”

mystery: Here the word mystery means “a truth that is not easy to understand or explain.” It is something that God had previously hidden from man but has now revealed to him. See how you translated mystery in 1:9a, 3:4–6 and 3:9a.

Here are some other ways to translate mystery :

secret (Good News Translation)
-or-
truth that is difficult to understand
-or-
this talk is hidden

profound: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as profound is literally “great.”

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

There is a deep secret truth (Good News Translation)
-or-
This is a truth that is very difficult to understand

General Comment on 5:32a

Some English versions end 5:32a with a dash “—.” This is to show that the following verse, 5:32b is a comment inserted by the author. Most other versions translate this verse without a dash, as the Berean Standard Bible also does. Translate it in a way that is natural in your language.

5:32b

but: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as but introduces an explanation of another way Paul interprets the quoted passage from Genesis. Some other English versions translate this word as “and.” Still other versions do not translate this conjunction. Translate it in a way that is natural in your language.

I am speaking about Christ and the church: The quote from Genesis is talking about the relationship between a man and his wife. But Paul interprets the quote to also refer to Christ and the church. Here is one way to translate this:

but I am actually speaking with reference to Christ and the church (NET Bible)

church: The church is the group of all believers in Christ throughout the world. See how you translated church in 5:29b.

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