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How Bible Translations Handle Mystērion

Because the English words "mystery" and "secret" carry different connotations (see Mystery vs. Secret), the choice of translation in any given verse can shape how readers understand the passage. Below is a comparison of how five major English translations render mystērion in key passages.

Comparison Table

PassageKJVESVNASBNIVNLT
Matt 13:11mysteriessecretsmysteriessecretssecrets
Mark 4:11mysterymysterymysterysecretsecret
Rom 11:25mysterymysterymysterymysterymystery
Rom 16:25mysterymysterymysterymysterysecret plan
1 Cor 2:7wisdom of God in a mysterysecret and hidden wisdomGod's wisdom in a mysteryGod's wisdom, a mystery... hiddenmysterious plan
1 Cor 4:1mysteriesmysteriesmysteriesmysteriesmysteries
1 Cor 15:51mysterymysterymysterymysterywonderful secret
Eph 1:9mysterymysterymysterymysterymysterious plan
Eph 3:3-4mysterymysterymysterymysterymysterious plan / secret plan
Eph 5:32mysterymysterymysterymysteryillustration
Eph 6:19mysterymysterymysterymysterymysterious plan
Col 1:26-27mysterymysterymysterymysterysecret
2 Thess 2:7mysterymysterymysterysecret powerlawlessness... already at work
1 Tim 3:16mysterymysterymysterymysterymystery
Rev 1:20mysterymysterymysterymysterymystery
Rev 10:7mysterymysterymysterymysterymysterious plan
Rev 17:5mysterymysterymysterymysterymysterious name

Observations

The KJV and NASB are the most consistent, rendering mystērion as "mystery" in virtually every occurrence. The ESV is nearly as consistent but shifts to "secrets" in Matthew 13:11 and "secret and hidden wisdom" in 1 Corinthians 2:7.

The NIV is mixed. It uses "mystery" in most Pauline epistles but prefers "secret" or "secret power" in the Synoptic Gospels and 2 Thessalonians 2:7. This inconsistency can be confusing for readers trying to trace the word across the New Testament.

The NLT takes the most interpretive approach, frequently paraphrasing as "mysterious plan," "secret plan," "wonderful secret," or even "illustration" (Ephesians 5:32). While each of these captures some aspect of the meaning, the use of different phrases obscures the fact that the same Greek word underlies all of them.

The Vulgate and "Sacramentum"

An important historical note: the Latin Vulgate, the standard Bible of the Western church for over a thousand years, translated mystērion as sacramentum in several passages, including Ephesians 5:32. This translation choice directly influenced the development of sacramental theology in the Catholic tradition, as the mystery of marriage page discusses. See New Advent: Sacraments for the Catholic theological perspective.

Which Translation Is Best?

For the purpose of studying mystērion as a theological concept, translations that consistently use "mystery" (like the KJV, NASB, and ESV) make it easier to identify and trace the word across the New Testament. The NLT and NIV may be easier to read in isolation, but they can make it harder to see the connections between passages that all use the same Greek term.

Ultimately, no English word perfectly captures mystērion. The best approach is to understand the concept behind the word and read any translation with that concept in mind. See the Greek word study for the full etymological background.

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