How 'Homosexual' Entered the Bible: 1 Corinthians 6:9 Translation Timeline
The word HOMOSEXUAL didn't exist in the Bible UNTIL 1946…
So what Does this verse really mean???
“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?
…nor homosexuals…”
1 Corinthians 6:9 (abbreviated)
How 'Homosexual' Entered the Bible: 1 Corinthians 6:9 Translation Timeline
1 Corinthians 6:9 is a verse from the New Testament in which the Apostle Paul lists categories of people who, he says, will not "inherit the kingdom of God."
Here's the verse in Greek and several key English translations, so you can see how it has evolved:
Origin of the Word "Homosexual"
The word "homosexual" was invented in 1869 by Karl-Maria Kertbeny, a Hungarian-German writer and early advocate for human rights. He introduced the term in a German-language pamphlet pushing back against Prussia's anti-sodomy laws.
Key facts about "homosexual":
Fuses Greek "homo-" (meaning "same") and Latin "sexualis" (pertaining to sex)
The concept of sexual orientation as an identity did not exist in ancient times
This word reflects modern 19th-century thinking
No biblical manuscripts, in Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek, contain this word or anything equivalent to it
The word "homosexuals" was first inserted into an English Bible in 1946, in the Revised Standard Version (RSV)
This marked the first time in history that "homosexual" was presented as a biblical term
Greek (Original Koine Text)
Ἢ οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ἄδικοι Θεοῦ βασιλείαν οὐ κληρονομήσουσιν; μὴ πλανᾶσθε· οὔτε πόρνοι οὔτε εἰδωλολάτραι οὔτε μοιχοὶ οὔτε μαλακοὶ οὔτε ἀρσενοκοῖται...
Literal English translation: "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor the soft/effeminate nor the male-bedders..."
What "Arsenokoitai" Really Means
Arsenokoitai (ἀρσενοκοῖται) is a rare Greek word used by Paul in 1 Corinthians 6:9 and 1 Timothy 1:10.
arsenokoitai = male-bedders
arsēn = male
koitē = bed (with sexual connotation)
Coined by Paul - appears nowhere in Greek literature prior to Paul
Drawn from the Greek version of Leviticus 20:13: "If a man lies with a male as with a woman..." (meta arsenos koitēn gynaikos)
Paul took arsēn and koitē from that verse and merged them into arsenokoitai
Translates directly to "male-bedder" — referring to a sexual act, not a person's identity
No evidence this term referred to mutual, consensual same-sex relationships
Scholars interpret it as referring to exploitative sexual activity such as:
Pederasty (men with boys)
Temple prostitution
Economic or coerced sex
Not a word for modern LGBTQ+ identity
Translation of key terms:
πόρνοι = sexually immoral
εἰδωλολάτραι = idolaters
μοιχοὶ = adulterers
μαλακοὶ = "soft" or "effeminate" (debated)
ἀρσενοκοῖται = male-bedders (see previous notes)
King James Version (1611)
Full verse: "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, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God."
Key change: "nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind"
Avoids modern categories
Reflects early translators grappling with obscure Greek terms
Revised Standard Version (1946)
Full verse: "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God."
Key change: "nor homosexuals"
First English Bible to use "homosexual" - inserted 77 years after the word was invented
This introduced modern identity language that didn't exist in Paul's time
Decision made by a translation committee, not based on ancient textual evidence, but reflecting modern cultural assumptions
Marked the first time in history that "homosexual" was presented as a biblical term
RSV (1971 update)
Full verse: "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor sexual perverts, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God."
Key change: "nor sexual perverts"
Changed from "homosexuals" after backlash from scholars and church leaders
Tried to walk back the term "homosexuals" due to historical inaccuracy
Still vague and problematic
New International Version (1984)
Full verse: "Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."
Key change: "nor men who have sex with men"
Modernized and simplified
Criticized for flattening the original meaning and assuming mutual same-sex relationships
New Revised Standard Version (1989)
Full verse: "Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! Fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, sodomites, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, revilers, robbers—none of these will inherit the kingdom of God."
Key change: "male prostitutes, sodomites"
Attempts to separate malakoi and arsenokoitai
Still debated and based on cultural assumptions
NRSV Updated Edition (2021)
Full verse: "Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! Fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes and men who engage in illicit sex, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, revilers, robbers—none of these will inherit the kingdom of God."
Key change: "male prostitutes and men who engage in illicit sex"
Tries to reflect exploitative or transactional nature of the Greek word
Avoids modern identity language like "homosexual"
How It Was Translated Over Time:
King James Version (1611): "abusers of themselves with mankind"
Other translations before 1946: "sodomites," "sexual perverts," or left it vague
RSV (1946): Introduced "homosexuals" — first use ever in a Bible
RSV (1971 update): Changed to "sexual perverts" after backlash from scholars and church leaders
Modern translations (NIV, ESV, NRSV) continue to debate the wording — many now avoid using "homosexual" due to historical inaccuracy
Important Notes:
Paul's list is not a precise legal code — it's a warning framed in the context of his moral vision for Christian community.
The Greek words malakoi and arsenokoitai are poorly understood, context-dependent, and their translation has dramatically shifted over the centuries.
Ancient languages had no concept of sexual orientation or identity — only specific behaviors.
No ancient term here means "gay" in the modern sense of loving, committed same-sex relationships.
The Bible never directly addresses mutual, consensual same-sex relationships as we understand them today.
Before 1946, English Bibles used terms like "abusers of themselves with mankind" (KJV), "sodomites," or "sexual perverts" — never "homosexual."
Modern translations continue to debate the wording — many now avoid using "homosexual" due to historical inaccuracy.
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