Paul on Homosexuality
By: James David Fox / Writer
Earlier today I was sent the link to a video that was created by someone I have in the past had a great deal of respect for and have considered a friend of mine. This individual spoke on what is "NATURAL" and what is "UNNATURAL," leading into a case against gay marriage. On this issue he used as his basis Biblical text 1st Corinthians Chapter 6, Verse 9.
Quoting from the KJV of the Bible it reads:
"1 Corinthians 6:9 King James Version (KJV)
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."
Now, I understand that most Christians use this version of the Bible and modern day translations have taken off from this same version and understanding, especially ENGLISH versions of the Bible.
I myself am a Christian and I do own and read the KJV of the Bible, however, I also realize that the New Testament was written in GREEK and NOT English. So in my Biblical study I include the original Greek in order to fully understand the meaning of what ever Scripture I am reading. So therefore I must also include the original Greek text to the exact same Scripture in the Bible.
Quoting from the Original Greek of the Bible it reads:
"1 Corinthians 6:9 Original Greek Version
9 ἢ οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ἄδικοι θεοῦ βασιλείαν οὐ κληρονομήσουσιν; μὴ πλανᾶσθε· οὔτε πόρνοι οὔτε εἰδωλολάτραι οὔτε μοιχοὶ οὔτε μαλακοὶ οὔτε ἀρσενοκοῖται
9 ē ouk oidate oti adikoi theou basileian ou klēronomēsousin mē planasthe oute pornoi oute eidōlolatrai oute moichoi oute malakoi oute arsenokoitai"
Let's take a look at the word "arsenokoitai," Paul used in Corinthians that so many are taking to mean gay or homosexual.
That's a great study in itself because Paul could have used many words if he intended to blast gays and lesbians. Yet Paul used none of those available words, choosing instead to coin an interesting new word, arsenokoitai.
Despite what some scholars allege, arsenokoitai is never used in any extant Greek literature with our modern meaning of homosexual. The best evidence available today indicates that arsenokoitai described shrine prostitutes. That is the learned opinion of Philo, a contemporary of both Jesus and the apostle Paul and one of the most widely read Jewish intellectuals in the first century.
By: James David Fox / Writer
Earlier today I was sent the link to a video that was created by someone I have in the past had a great deal of respect for and have considered a friend of mine. This individual spoke on what is "NATURAL" and what is "UNNATURAL," leading into a case against gay marriage. On this issue he used as his basis Biblical text 1st Corinthians Chapter 6, Verse 9.
Quoting from the KJV of the Bible it reads:
"1 Corinthians 6:9 King James Version (KJV)
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."
Now, I understand that most Christians use this version of the Bible and modern day translations have taken off from this same version and understanding, especially ENGLISH versions of the Bible.
I myself am a Christian and I do own and read the KJV of the Bible, however, I also realize that the New Testament was written in GREEK and NOT English. So in my Biblical study I include the original Greek in order to fully understand the meaning of what ever Scripture I am reading. So therefore I must also include the original Greek text to the exact same Scripture in the Bible.
Quoting from the Original Greek of the Bible it reads:
"1 Corinthians 6:9 Original Greek Version
9 ἢ οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ἄδικοι θεοῦ βασιλείαν οὐ κληρονομήσουσιν; μὴ πλανᾶσθε· οὔτε πόρνοι οὔτε εἰδωλολάτραι οὔτε μοιχοὶ οὔτε μαλακοὶ οὔτε ἀρσενοκοῖται
9 ē ouk oidate oti adikoi theou basileian ou klēronomēsousin mē planasthe oute pornoi oute eidōlolatrai oute moichoi oute malakoi oute arsenokoitai"
Let's take a look at the word "arsenokoitai," Paul used in Corinthians that so many are taking to mean gay or homosexual.
That's a great study in itself because Paul could have used many words if he intended to blast gays and lesbians. Yet Paul used none of those available words, choosing instead to coin an interesting new word, arsenokoitai.
Despite what some scholars allege, arsenokoitai is never used in any extant Greek literature with our modern meaning of homosexual. The best evidence available today indicates that arsenokoitai described shrine prostitutes. That is the learned opinion of Philo, a contemporary of both Jesus and the apostle Paul and one of the most widely read Jewish intellectuals in the first century.