Ephesians 5:31
What does Ephesians 5:31 mean?
A plain-English look at Ephesians 5:31 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Ephesians 5:31 means
Paul quotes the creation pattern of marriage: a man leaves his parents, cleaves to his wife, and the two become one flesh. Marriage creates a new, primary human bond marked by covenant loyalty and deep unity. “Leave” and “cleave” describe both decisive commitment and enduring faithfulness. “One flesh” includes physical union but also the comprehensive sharing of life. By citing this, Paul shows that his teaching on marriage is not merely cultural but rooted in God’s original design. This design undergirds the call for husbands to love as themselves and for wives to align with their husbands, for they are now one entity.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh.
KJV
King James Version · 1611For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949For this cause will a man go away from his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862`for this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined to his wife, and they shall be--the two--for one flesh;'
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother: and shall cleave to his wife. And they shall be two in one flesh.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Because of this a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall be united to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh.
Context
After establishing that believers are members of Christ’s body (v. 30), Paul reaches back to Genesis to ground marital unity in creation. This sets up verse 32, where he unfolds the deeper significance: the one-flesh union is a “great” mystery pointing to Christ and the church. The scriptural citation thus serves both as foundation for marital ethics and as a bridge to the profound typology revealed in the gospel.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Matthew 19:5
and said, For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh?
- Genesis 2:24
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
- Mark 10:7
For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife;
- 1 Corinthians 6:16
Or know ye not that he that is joined to a harlot is one body? for, The twain, saith he, shall become one flesh.
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