Ephesians 5:32 kjv
This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Ephesians 5:32 nkjv
This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Ephesians 5:32 niv
This is a profound mystery?but I am talking about Christ and the church.
Ephesians 5:32 esv
This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.
Ephesians 5:32 nlt
This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one.
Ephesians 5 32 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ephesians 5:31 | For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and hold to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. | Genesis 2:24 (Fulfillment) |
| Matthew 19:5 | and said, 'Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' | Mark 10:7-8 (Echoes statement) |
| 1 Corinthians 6:17 | But the one who joins himself to the Lord with one spirit. | Genesis 2:24 (Pertains to union) |
| Romans 12:5 | so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individual members of one another. | Romans 12:5 (Spiritual oneness) |
| 1 Corinthians 12:12 | For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. | 1 Corinthians 12:12 (Oneness in Christ) |
| Revelation 21:2 | And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. | Revelation 21:2 (Bride imagery) |
| Isaiah 54:5 | For your Maker is your husband— the LORD of hosts is his name; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; the God of the whole earth he is called. | Isaiah 54:5 (God as husband) |
| Jeremiah 3:14 | "Return, O faithless children," declares the LORD; "for I am your master; I will take you, one from a city and two from a clan, and I will bring you to Zion." | Jeremiah 3:14 (God's relationship) |
| John 17:21 | that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. | John 17:21 (Unity of believers) |
| Galatians 3:28 | There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor free; there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. | Galatians 3:28 (Oneness in Christ) |
| Acts 4:32 | Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but all things were their property in common. | Acts 4:32 (Community of believers) |
| Song of Solomon 4:7 | You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you. | Song of Solomon 4:7 (Christ's view) |
| 2 Corinthians 11:2 | For I am jealous of you with a jealousy proper to God. I betroth you to one husband, to present a pure virgin to Christ. | 2 Corinthians 11:2 (Betrothal) |
| Hosea 2:19 | And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. | Hosea 2:19 (Betrothal imagery) |
| Ephesians 3:10 | so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. | Ephesians 3:10 (Church's purpose) |
| 1 Timothy 3:16 | Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory. | 1 Timothy 3:16 (Mystery of godliness) |
| Colossians 1:27 | to them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. | Colossians 1:27 (Mystery revealed) |
| Ephesians 1:9-10 | making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. | Ephesians 1:9-10 (Mystery of will) |
| Philippians 2:5-8 | Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. | Philippians 2:5-8 (Christ's example) |
| 1 Corinthians 15:45 | Thus it is written, "The first man Adam became a living soul." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. | 1 Corinthians 15:45 (Adam connection) |
Ephesians 5 verses
Ephesians 5 32 Meaning
This verse declares that this mystery is profound, referring to the union between Christ and the Church. It is a sacred and deep truth that human understanding can scarcely grasp, revealing a spiritual reality of immense significance.
Ephesians 5 32 Context
This verse is the concluding statement of Ephesians 5, which explores the nature of love and submission within relationships. The preceding verses (31-32) use the profound analogy of marriage, specifically the union of a husband and wife as a reflection of Christ's relationship with His Church. This marital covenant, initiated by God in Genesis, serves as a powerful earthly representation of a deeper, spiritual reality. Paul presents this relationship as a mystery, highlighting its sacred and often unfathomable nature for human understanding, rooted in Christ's supreme love for the Church.
Ephesians 5 32 Word Analysis
- οὗτος (houtos): This demonstrative pronoun, meaning "this," points directly back to the preceding statement regarding the marital union and its deep significance.
- ὁ (ho): The definite article, "the."
- μυστήριον (mustērion): "Mystery." This word signifies a truth that was previously hidden or unknown, but is now revealed by God. In the New Testament context, it often refers to divine plans or truths now made known through Christ and the gospel, particularly concerning the inclusion of Gentiles and the unity of believers in Christ. Here, it refers to the profound spiritual reality underlying the human marriage analogy.
- μέγα (mega): "Great" or "large." It emphasizes the profoundness and immense significance of this mystery.
- ἐστίν (estin): The third-person singular present indicative form of the verb "to be," meaning "is."
Word Group Analysis
- οὗτός ἐστιν μυστήριον μέγα (houtos estin mustērion mega): This phrase collectively means "This is a great mystery." The structure highlights "this" as the subject, with the predicate identifying it as a "great mystery." This encapsulates the awe-inspiring and divinely revealed nature of the union between Christ and the Church, exemplified by the marriage covenant.
Ephesians 5 32 Bonus Section
The concept of "mystery" (μυστήριον - mustērion) in the New Testament often refers to divine truths that were not fully understood in the Old Testament but are revealed through Jesus Christ. Examples include the inclusion of Gentiles in God's plan (Eph 3:3-6), the indwelling of Christ in believers (Col 1:27), and the nature of the resurrection. This specific mystery concerning Christ and the Church is paramount, reflecting a unity far deeper than natural human relationships, a union characterized by Christ's sacrificial love and the Church's faithful devotion. Scholars emphasize that while the analogy draws from the Old Testament's understanding of marriage (e.g., Isaiah 54:5, Hosea 2:19), Paul elevates it to reveal a central truth of the Christian faith. The concept echoes the original unity broken by sin and restored in Christ, bringing believers into an intimate relationship with God.
Ephesians 5 32 Commentary
This verse culminates Paul's discussion on Christian marriage by declaring its ultimate symbolic meaning: the profound, unified relationship between Christ and His Church. The human institution of marriage, when lived out according to God's design, is a visible, though imperfect, representation of an even greater, sacred mystery. This mystery, which the world can scarcely comprehend, is Christ’s boundless love for the Church, His bride, and the deep spiritual union they share. It signifies an unbreakable covenant, mutual indwelling, and complete devotion, a truth revealed by God through His Spirit to His people.