19:5

Many English versions put this verse in single quotes to show that Jesus was quoting from the Old Testament. It is from Genesis 2:24. You also may want to use single quotes and add a footnote with the reference.

19:5a

and said: This verse continues from 19:4, so the subject of the verb said is “the Creator.” Use the correct grammar in your language to show that “the Creator” spoke the following words. For example:

and ⌊he⌋ said
-or-
and ⌊God, the Creator⌋ said

For this reason: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For this reason is more literally “On account of this.” This phrase introduces a conclusion based on something said just before.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

Therefore (English Standard Version)
-or-
That is why (New Jerusalem Bible)

a man will leave his father and mother: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as will leave is future. It describes a universal truth. (It is not a command.) It means that the man who intends to marry a woman “will leave behind” his strong connection to his parents. He will change his primary relationship from a child-parent relationship to a husband-wife relationship.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

a man shall leave his father and his mother (English Standard Version)
-or-
a man leaves his father and mother (Contemporary English Version)

19:5b

and be united to his wife: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as be united to is more literally “stick” or “bind.” It indicates that the man separates himself from his parents and then joins himself to his wife. It is also in the future tense and describes a universal truth.

Here are some other ways to translate this verb:

unite with his wife (Good News Translation)
-or-
is joined to his wife (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
will attach to his wife

19:5c

the two: This phrase refers to the man and woman who come together in marriage.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

the two of them
-or-
the man and the woman

will become one flesh: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as flesh refers to the physical body. This is a description of sexual relations between the man and the woman. It also indicates that the intimate relationship that the man and woman have is different from the relationship that they had with their parents.

The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as will become is also future, as the two previous verbs. It indicates a universal truth about marriage.

Here is another way to translate this clause:

will become one body

This clause is figurative language. The picture of two separate people becoming one flesh is a picture of the most intimate relationship possible between two people. You should translate this as close to the original as you can. However, you may also use a simile. For example:

He becomes like one person with his wife (Contemporary English Version)

-or-

they become like one body

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