BIBLE QUESTION DOSSIER
Not in the modern identity-language sense. The Bible contains several passages about same-sex sexual acts or desire, but the Hebrew and Greek texts do not use a modern identity category exactly equivalent to the English word “gay.” What those passages imply for modern same-sex relationships is an interpretive question on which Christians and scholars disagree.
This study separates four questions that are often collapsed together: what each passage literally says, what its Hebrew or Greek words can mean, why English translations choose different wording, and how major Christian interpretations apply those texts today. The goal is not to erase disagreement or to turn a person into a label; it is to show the evidence clearly.
The five translations below are stored locally on Born Again Daily, so you can see the wording before anyone tells you what to think about it.
Hebrew law text concerning a male lying with a male in the manner of a woman.
Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it [is] abomination.
You must not lie with a man as with a woman; that is an abomination.
“‘You shall not lie with a man, as with a woman. That is detestable.
Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.
And with a male thou dost not lie as one lieth with a woman; abomination it is.
Parallel legal text with a penalty in ancient Israel’s holiness code.
If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood [shall be] upon them.
If a man lies with a man as with a woman, they have both committed an abomination. They must surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.
“‘If a man lies with a male, as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
And if a man lie with mankind, as with womankind, both of them have committed abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
And a man who lieth with a male as one lieth with a woman; abomination both of them have done; they are certainly put to death; their blood is on them.
Paul discusses same-sex sexual desire/acts within a larger argument about idolatry and human disorder.
26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
26 For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27 Likewise, the men abandoned natural relations with women and burned with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.
26 For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. For their women changed the natural function into that which is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural function of the woman, burned in their lust toward one another, men doing what is inappropriate with men, and receiving in themselves the due penalty of their error.
26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile passions: for their women changed the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working unseemliness, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was due.
26 Because of this did God give them up to dishonourable affections, for even their females did change the natural use into that against nature; 27 and in like manner also the males having left the natural use of the female, did burn in their longing toward one another; males with males working shame, and the recompense of their error that was fit, in themselves receiving.
A vice list containing the disputed Greek terms malakoi and arsenokoitai, followed by Paul’s “and such were some of you.”
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
9 Or don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor extortioners, will inherit the Kingdom of God. 11 Such were some of you, but you were washed. But you were sanctified. But you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and in the Spirit of our God.
9 Or know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye were washed, but ye were sanctified, but ye were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.
9 have ye not known that the unrighteous the reign of God shall not inherit? be not led astray; neither whoremongers, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, the reign of God shall inherit. 11 And certain of you were these! but ye were washed, but ye were sanctified, but ye were declared righteous, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and in the Spirit of our God.
A vice list containing arsenokoitais.
9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;
9 We realize that law is not enacted for the righteous, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and profane, for killers of father or mother, for murderers, 10 for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave traders and liars and perjurers, and for anyone else who is averse to sound teaching
9 as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave-traders, for liars, for perjurers, and for any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine;
9 as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and unruly, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 for fornicators, for abusers of themselves with men, for menstealers, for liars, for false swearers, and if there be any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine;
9 having known this, that for a righteous man law is not set, but for lawless and insubordinate persons, ungodly and sinners, impious and profane, parricides and matricides, men-slayers, 10 whoremongers, sodomites, men-stealers, liars, perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that to sound doctrine is adverse,
Important: a lexicon gives a word’s possible senses and usage; it does not magically choose the correct sense without context. “The true meaning” of a biblical word is the meaning it carries in its actual sentence and historical usage.
Hebrew noun meaning “male.” Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 describe a male/male sexual act; the ancient Hebrew text does not use a modern identity label equivalent to “gay.”
Greek “male.” It is one element behind the compound arsenokoitēs.
ἄρσην (ἄρρην, T, in Rom.1:27; Rec. in Rev.12:5, 13) -ενος, ὁ, ἡ, ἄρσεν, τό (old Attic for ἄρρην, see supr.; both forms are found in π.; MM, see word), [in LXX chiefly for זָכָר ;] male: Mat.19:4, Mrk.10:6, Luk.2:23, Rom.1:27, Gal.3:28, Rev.12:5, 13.† (AS)
Greek “bed,” including marriage-bed or sexual-intercourse senses in context. It is the other element commonly identified in arsenokoitēs.
κοίτη, -ης, ἡ (in Hom., κοῖτος) [in LXX chiefly for מִשְׁכָּב, also for שְׁכָבָה, etc. ;] a bed: Luk.11:7; esp. the marriage-bed: κ. ἀμίαντος, Heb.13:4; κ. ἔχειν, of a woman conceiving, Rom.9:10 (cf. peculiar phrases in LXX, Lev.15:18, al.); of illicit intercourse, pl., Rom.13:13.† (AS)
A rare Greek compound used in 1 Corinthians 6:9 and 1 Timothy 1:10. It is commonly analyzed from arsēn (“male”) + koitē (“bed/intercourse”). Many scholars see an echo of the Greek wording of Leviticus. Exactly which social practices Paul intended the compound to encompass is debated.
ἀρσενοκοίτης, -ου, ὁ (ἄρσην, κοιτή), a sodomite: 1Co.6:9, 1Ti.1:10.† (AS)
Literally “soft.” It can describe soft clothing and, when applied to persons, can carry moral, social or sexual connotations. Its sense in 1 Corinthians 6:9 is disputed, which is why English translations vary.
μαλακός, -ή, -όν [in LXX: Pro.25:15 (רַךְ) Pro.26:22 (לָהַם)* ;] soft; 1. prop., to the touch (opposite to σκληρός): of clothing, pl., Mat.11:8, Luk.7:25. 2. Of persons and their mode of living; (a) mild, gentle; (b) soft, effeminate: 1Co.6:9 (prob. in obscene sense, cf. Deiss., LAE, 150, 4; MM, xvi; Zorell, see word).† (AS)
The historic majority reading in Catholic, Orthodox and many Protestant traditions understands the relevant passages as prohibiting same-sex sexual behavior, while distinguishing that moral claim from the equal dignity owed to every person.
Affirming interpreters argue that the ancient texts address specific acts and social settings—often discussing exploitation, pederasty, status, idolatry or excessive lust—and should not automatically be mapped onto modern sexual orientation or covenantal same-sex relationships.
The ancient texts do contain references to male/male sexual acts and, in Romans 1, female/female and male/male relations. They do not use a modern psychological or identity category exactly equivalent to the English noun/adjective “gay.” Moving from the ancient wording to a modern ethical conclusion requires interpretation, not vocabulary alone.
The Bible's ancient languages contain texts about same-sex sexual acts and desire, but they do not contain a modern identity term exactly equivalent to ‘gay.’ Christians disagree over how the ancient prohibitions and arguments apply to modern same-sex relationships. The textual evidence should be described precisely, and disagreement is never permission to demean people.
https://www.bibleodyssey.org/articles/homosexuality-in-the-new-testament/
https://www.bibleodyssey.org/articles/the-bible-and-homosexuality/
https://www.bibleodyssey.org/dictionary/homosexuality/
