Bible verses about homosexuality

This collection of scripture was compiled by several members of our congregation whose LGBTQ family members have experienced hurt and rejection from people who told them that God condemned them because of who they were.

The Word of God is evident in its view of homosexuality. The most commonly quoted Bible verses are Leviticus and Leviticus , which state that it is an abomination for a man to lie with another man as he would with a woman. In Romans , Apostle Paul says that homosexuality is contrary to God's natural order and results from rejecting God. Additionally, 1 Corinthians lists homosexuality as one of the sins that will prevent someone from entering the Kingdom of God. While the Bible is clear in its view of homosexuality, it is essential to remember that God loves all of his creation and offers forgiveness to those who repent and turn away from their sins. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

Bible verses about homosexuality

There are six direct references to homosexuality in the Bible -- three in the Old Testament and three in the New Testament. Some Biblical scholars say the passages needs to be taken at face value. Other theologians say it's much more complicated. Here are the references and what scholars say, based on Kalamazoo Gazette interviews with theologians from Notre Dame, Western Michigan and Central Michigan universities, Kalamazoo and Calvin colleges. Genesis The story of Sodom and Gomorrah. This has been held up as a cautionary tale about the sinfulness of homosexuality. However, many scholars point to Ekezial as indicating that the cities were destroyed by God for not helping the poor and needy. Some also say the sinful sex occurring in Sodom and Gomorrah was rape, which means it doesn't apply to teachings on consensual same-sex relationships. Leviticus and Leviticus The Book of Leviticus in the Old Testament has two references condemning homosexuality: "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable" Leviticus and "If a man lies with a man as one lies with woman, both of them have done what is detestable.

Love Between Women.

At the heart of the claim that the Bible is clear "that homosexuality is forbidden by God" is poor biblical scholarship and a cultural bias read into the Bible. For the last two decades, Pew Research Center has reported that one of the most enduring ethical issues across Christian traditions is sexual diversity. Although its unlikely that the biblical authors had any notion of sexual orientation for example, the term homosexual wasn't even coined until the late 19th century for many people of faith, the Bible is looked to for timeless guidance on what it means to honor God with our lives; and this most certainly includes our sexuality. Before we can jump into how it is that Christians can maintain the authority of the Bible and also affirm sexual diversity, it might be helpful if we started with a brief but clear overview of some of the assumptions informing many Christian approaches to understanding the Bible. In this light, the Bible is often seen as the primary source that helps us figure out how the people of God should live. Rather, most Christians make these difficult determinations by studying what the whole of Scripture says regarding a specific topic, exploring the linguistic, historical and cultural context within which the words were written, and then putting these discoveries in conversation with what we know to be true of the character of God more broadly.

There are a number of passages in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament that have been interpreted as involving same-sex sexual activity and relationships. The book of Leviticus chapter 20 is more comprehensive on matters of detestable sexual acts. Chapters 18 and 20 of Leviticus form part of the Holiness code and list prohibited forms of intercourse , including the following verses:. More recent interpretations focus on the passage's context as part of the Holiness code , a code of purity meant to distinguish the behavior of the Israelites from the polytheistic Canaanites. Renato Lings, and others focus on ambiguities embedded in the original Hebrew, arguing these ambiguities may not prohibit all erotic expression between men but rather proscribe incest between male family members. Leviticus reads:. And with a male you shall not lie the lying downs of a woman.

Bible verses about homosexuality

He has engaged them in private conversations, in public talks and through the organization he founded, the Reformation Project. He was recently invited by the Rev. Caleb Kaltenbach, lead pastor of Discovery Church in Simi Valley, Calif,, to talk privately with a small group of evangelical leaders to discuss what the Bible says about gay relationships. After the session , they were each asked to interpret some of the most cited verses relating to homosexuality in the Bible. Text from the New International Version, edition. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion. In this passage, Paul, who was quite familiar with biblical and secular views of sexual orientation, says that having sex with someone of the same gender is a sin.

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The Bart Ehrman Blog. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature". Clearly, the matter is urgent for our adjudication of the texts I have cited. Retrieved 22 November They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads. Harold The Acts of the Apostles. It is immensely useful to recognize this filtering process. Hidden categories: Articles containing Ancient Greek to -language text Webarchive template wayback links Articles with short description Short description is different from Wikidata All articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from April Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from May All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from January Articles with unsourced statements from August Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from September For further reading: Cheryl B.

The Bible says homosexual behavior is a sin. This resource sets a foundation for biblical sexuality and answers gay revisionist arguments. Someone is likely to argue that homosexuality is a sin and point to Leviticus, Romans or the Genesis story of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Calvin Porter, for example, concludes that "in , as well as through Romans as a whole, Paul, as part of his gentile mission, challenges, argues against, and refutes both the content of the discourse [of 1. It is not difficult to see this process at work concerning gender issues in the Bible. No ethnic distinctions, no class distinctions and no gender distinctions. King James Version : "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Thomas E. Born in northeastern Nebraska, he earned a Ph. The Church and the homosexual 4 ed. There are a number of passages in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament that have been interpreted as involving same-sex sexual activity and relationships. Examples of love between people of the same gender in the Bible:. De Young" PDF. Paul Letter to the Romans. After all, the two most cited biblical texts on the subject are the following, from the old purity codes of ancient Israel:. At the heart of the claim that the Bible is clear "that homosexuality is forbidden by God" is poor biblical scholarship and a cultural bias read into the Bible. Among feminist authors perceptions of the book's message and value have varied widely, with some seeing the story as a model for lesbian relationships Alpert , and others as a celebration of the relationship between two strong and resourceful women Brenner Journal of Religion and Society.