Short answer: Devout, Bible-believing Christians often disagree on how to interpret these passages, but most experts agree that the Greek words here (arsenokoitai and malakoi) do not simply mean “homosexuals” (that is, people attracted to the same sex).
Deeper dive:
- Researchers Kathy Baldock and Ed Oxford note that the word “homosexuals” (or “homosexual”) did not appear in any Bible before 1946, when it appeared in the Revised Standard Version. The next edition of the Revised Standard Version, in 1971, changed the translation of the same two words to “sexual perverts.”
- Baldock and Oxford argue that the translation “homosexuals”—which would condemn not only all same-sex sexual behavior but even people with an unchosen attraction to the same sex—has done terrible damage to many people and turned many away from Christ. (For more, see the documentary 1946 and Baldock and Oxford’s upcoming book, Forging a Sacred Weapon.)
What these words do mean is the subject of much debate.
- The word malakoi:
- literally means “the soft ones” and was used in various contexts to describe people as “morally soft,” lacking in self control.
- has been translated a variety of ways in different Bibles, including ”male prostitutes,” “boy prostitutes,” “sensual,” “effeminate,” “perverts,” “weaklings,” “wantons” (sexually unrestrained people), and “the self-indulgent.”
- in ancient literature, often described heterosexual men with a weakness for women.
- The word arsenokoitai:
- comes from the Greek roots for “male” and “bed.”
- has sometimes been interpreted as referring to a particular male–male sex act, perhaps coined by Paul to reference Leviticus 18:22, which prohibited male–male intercourse for the Israelites.
- However, ancient texts suggest there’s more to the story, appearing to link arsenokoitai to exploitation, not consensual sex.
(Reformation Project founder Matthew Vines goes into more detail on these words in his book God and the Gay Christian.)
Many non-affirming scholars believe that arsenokoitai refers not just to a particular sex act in a particular context but to all same-sex sexual behavior in any context.
- One of the most influential people to make this case was New Testament scholar Richard B. Hays, who wrote in his 1996 book The Moral Vision of the New Testament that Paul likely coined arsenokoitai as a reference to the Old Testament rule, showing that he condemned all same-sex sexual behavior and that gay Christians should therefore be celibate.
Many affirming scholars, however, argue that Paul was simply condemning the sinful behavior happening at that time, not modern loving relationships—just as when the Bible talks about “tax collectors,” it’s referring to the corrupt tax collection practices of that time, not modern IRS agents.
- Scholar Karen R. Keen, for instance, says that “the apostle Paul likely had in mind the behavior he saw around him, namely, pederasty or sex with male slaves and prostitutes.” (See more in her book Scripture, Ethics, and the Possibility of Same-Sex Relationships.)
- Surprisingly, before his death, Richard B. Hays (the one who helped popularize the non-affirming argument above) said that the work of Keen and others had convinced him he was wrong and that the church should support same-sex marriage.
For a thoughtful, easy-to-read take on this, see these well-researched articles from a straight Christian couple’s website on LGBTQ people and the Bible:
See the books in our Resources section for a much deeper dive on these and other Bible arguments.
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