What exactly do the New Testament manuscripts say about homosexuality?
In Romans:
“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: 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 recompense of their error which was meet.” (Romans 1:26-27, NKJV)
Advocates for homosexuality still argue that Saint Paul was not condemning homosexuality per se but merely the Greek practice of pederasty (sodomy with a boy) or the “unnatural” practice of heterosexuals turning to homosexuality. Yet, the truth is that not once does Saint Paul mention pederasty, nor does he imply that he is referring only to heterosexuals who practice homosexuality in any of his other letters in the New Testament. Neither does he distinguish the supposed homosexual act/condition. Paul is plainly condemning homosexuality itself.
In First Corinthians:
”Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10, NKJV)
Homosexuals have maintained that this passage is either mistranslated or culturally restricted. Some have claimed that the word malakos (translated “male prostitutes”) refers only to a general moral weakness with no specific reference to homosexuality and that arsenokoitai (translated “homosexual offenders”) refers to male prostitutes—and thus once again these verses are not condemning modern “loving” homosexual unions.
In Greek culture, it was used metaphorically for males who partook in the passive role in the homosexual act. The second term, arsenokoitai, also clearly refers to homosexual relationships—specifically, to the person who took an active role in the homosexual act. In arsenokoitai, arsen refers to a “male” and koitai to “bed”—a word with clear sexual connotations. In other words, this term refers to males who go to bed with other males. Or in the words of Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon, “One who lies with a male as with a female.”
In Jude:
The Epistle of Jude also spoke about homosexuality “as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.” (Jude 1:7, NKJV). It’s vividly clear that homosexuality reflects “Lust” and not “Love”. So, Paul was not the only author in the New Testament who condemned homosexuality.
However:
The good news is that homosexuality is not an unpardonable sin. It is forgivable when we repent and turn to Jesus (Acts 2:38). As has been noted, 1 Corinthians 6:9–10 includes homosexuals in a list of those who will not have a part in God’s kingdom. But verse 11 goes on to say, “Such were some of you, but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”
Someone trapped in homosexuality can be set free to walk in purity when he or she agrees with God about sin and trusts His power to forgive and restore.
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