The word “arsenokoitai” appears in two verses in the New Testament, 1 Corinthians 6:9 and 1 Timothy 1:10. In 1 Corinthians 6:9, it is part of a list of sins that Paul says will keep people from inheriting the kingdom of God: “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 men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” (ESV)
In this verse, “men who practice homosexuality” is a translation of the Greek word “arsenokoitai.” This word is a compound word made up of “arsen” meaning “man” and “koite” meaning “bed.” So a literal translation would be something like “men who bed with men.”
The question is, does this refer specifically to homosexual behavior between men, or does it have a broader meaning? Those who argue it refers strictly to homosexuality point to the fact that “arsen” means “man” and “koite” has a sexual connotation. They say this clearly refers to men who have sex with men.
However, others argue that while the word may include homosexual behavior, the meaning is not restricted only to that. They offer several reasons why “arsenokoitai” should not be equated solely with homosexual activity:
- The word was rare or nonexistent in ancient Greek prior to the apostle Paul. He seems to have coined or derived it from the Greek version of Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13, which use the same components in a different form.
- In those Leviticus passages, the wider context is all illicit sexual relations, not just homosexuality. So Paul’s meaning may be broader too.
- Many scholars note that ancient Greek had other words specifically meaning “homosexual,” like “paiderasste.” If Paul only wanted to refer to gay sex, he could have used those instead.
- The other sins listed alongside “arsenokoitai” in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 do not all relate to just one type of sin, but sexual sin generally.
- The doubtless ambiguity of the rare word allows for multiple interpretations. Most uses in subsequent centuries lean toward a broader meaning of “men who have illicit sex.”
So in summary, while “arsenokoitai” may relate to male homosexual acts, the evidence leans against restricting it only to that. The apostle Paul probably used it more broadly to refer to various forms of male sexual immorality and abusive sexual behavior.
The Meaning and Origin of Arsenokoitai
To understand this word better, we need to look at its origins and how it was used both in the New Testament era and in subsequent centuries. As mentioned, it appears to have been coined by Paul, derived from the Greek translation of the Hebrew texts of Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13:
“You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.” (Leviticus 18:22)
“If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination…” (Leviticus 20:13)
In these Old Testament passages, the Hebrew term for “lies with” is mishkav zakur. The Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures (the Septuagint) translates this with the Greek arsenos koiten, literally “lying with a man.” The conclusion is that Paul joined these two words together into a new term, “arsenokoitai.”
So while this specific Greek word appears nowhere prior to Paul, it was clearly based on the Greek rendering of the Leviticus passages condemning homosexual sex. But the Levitical context is not just about homosexuality – it is a prohibition of various unlawful sexual relations and perversions. So Paul’s meaning may be broader than just male homosexual acts.
The word appears again a couple decades after Paul’s letters, around 120 AD in a list of sins in the Sibylline Oracles 2.70-77, as well as around the same time in Theophilus’ apologetic letter where he condemns “the unjust…and adulterers, and those who pollute themselves with mankind (arsenokoitais).” Again, this grouping with other sexually immoral acts suggests a broader meaning than just homosexuality. Examples of solely homosexual denotation don’t seem to appear until later.
So the earliest usages do not limit it narrowly to gay sex. However, its connection to the Leviticus passages means homosexual sex was no doubt included in the prohibition.
The Meaning in 1 Corinthians 6:9
Looking more closely at Paul’s use in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, we find further evidence that he did not intend to restrict the meaning only to homosexuality:
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 men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
Paul lists 10 different types of sins that will keep people from God’s kingdom. Most are clearly broader vices like theft and greed. The book of 1 Corinthians itself deals with numerous sins and issues like incest, lawsuits, eating meat sacrificed to idols, celibacy, and more. So Paul is not focusing only on sexuality here.
In addition, his term for “sexually immoral” is porneia, which covers all extramarital sexual relations. So many scholars conclude Paul was referring first to general sexual misconduct, and then listing some specific examples like adultery, homosexuality, and incest (what else would “men who practice homosexuality” mean in a patriarchal ancient society?).
There’s no reason to pluck out homosexuality from the list as the sole intended meaning. Rather, Paul more likely used “arsenokoitai” as a broad term for men committing illicit sex, to parallel his blanket term “porneia” for all sexual immorality.
Translation Difficulties
Part of the debate arises from the challenge of translating the rare word. All languages struggle to translate ideas that originated in one language and culture into concepts that make sense in the contexts of others.
Early English Bible versions simply transliterated it using the original Greek word. The King James Version in 1611 used the imprecise term “abusers of themselves with mankind.” The New International Version and English Standard Version chose “men who have sex with men.” The Holman Christian Standard opted for “homosexuals.” The NET Bible offers a more interpretative translation of “passive homosexual partners.”
But few versions capture the possible nuances of the original word. Those that do usually add qualifying footnotes. The English Standard Version includes this note: “The two Greek terms translated by this phrase refer to the passive and active partners in consensual homosexual acts.” This reflects the ambiguity of the meaning.
In summary, Paul probably had a broad spectrum of immoral sexual conduct in view when he included “arsenokoitai” in the vice list of 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. Translations struggle to fully convey this, often inserting more restrictive meanings like “homosexual” that stray from the likely intent.
Consistency With Other New Testament Texts
Interpreting Paul’s use of “arsenokoitai” more broadly as referring to general sexual vice rather than solely homosexuality is also more consistent with other New Testament texts. The Bible nowhere else clearly refers to lesbian relations, for instance. And other passages like Romans 1 associate homosexual behavior with excessive lust and passion, not committed love.
Romans 1:26-27 is probably the most explicit condemnation of gay sex in the New Testament:
“For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions. 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…”
But here again, the context is not homosexuality alone, but excessive lust, desire, and God giving people over to “dishonorable passions.” Assuming this refers to committed gay couples today is inconsistent with the text. The passion, excess, and lust themes occur elsewhere too like 1 Thessalonians 4:5.
So in context, Romans 1, 1 Corinthians 6, and other passages appear to condemn the kind of abusive, lustful homosexual acts common at the time rather than committed same-sex partnerships. “Arsenokoitai” along with these other texts refers more broadly to sexual sin and immorality.
Broader Meaning Helps Explain Early Church Acceptance
Viewing the disputed word in 1 Corinthians 6:9 as having a broader meaning beyond just homosexuality also helps explain why early Christians did not excommunicate or exclude those in same-sex relationships. If Paul and other New Testament writers intended to strictly prohibit all homosexual conduct, we would expect the early church to have clearly done so.
But the Ante-Nicene church Fathers generally seemed more concerned with excessive sexuality, lust, and abuse rather than consensual homosexual behavior. Community standards emphasized pursuit of virtue and moderation in passions more than prohibitions. The few church writings we have do not clarify that gay relations were universally condemned in all cases.
So even early church history seems to reflect some ambiguity around the words Paul used like “arsenokoitai” rather than a definitive blanket restriction. This fits better with a broader original meaning.
Potential Objections and Rebuttal
Those insisting Paul meant specifically and only “homosexuals” in 1 Corinthians 6:9 often raise these objections to a broader meaning:
- Paul could have used the Greek word “paiderasste” if he wanted to refer to homosexual behavior specifically.
- Defining it as just “men who have sex” ignores the “arsen” (man) component.
- It can’t include incest since that’s listed separately in 1 Corinthians 5.
- Paul got it from the Levitical law which prohibits homosexuality.
Response: Yes, Paul could have chosen a more specific term. But he also could have qualified “arsenokoitai” more narrowly if that’s what he intended. The ambiguity leaves both translations open.
Response: It’s true the male component remains relevant. But Paul didn’t use a gender-neutral term available to him either. His focus on men reflects that most same-sex relations known involved male power abuse.
Response: But neither can it exclude sexual misconduct already addressed elsewhere. And many of the 1 Corinthians 6 sins appear in other contexts too.
Response: But again, those Leviticus passages prohibit both homosexual and heterosexual immorality. So Paul’s word appears broader than homosexuality alone.
So common counterarguments insisting Paul had to mean only “homosexuals” in 1 Corinthians 6:9 falter under scrutiny. They fail to demonstrate Paul intended to restrict the meaning that narrowly when he used the coinage “arsenokoitai.”
Conclusion – Likely a General Reference to Sexual Vice
While the peculiar word Paul uses in 1 Corinthians 6:9 may reference homosexuality in particular, the evidence favors a flexible meaning relating to various sexually immoral behaviors. The apostle appears to have coined the term from the Greek Leviticus passages condemning both gay and straight unlawful relations.
In context, the sins he lists represent broad categories of unrighteousness and vice, not just homosexuality. The early usages reinforce this flexible meaning. And a broad understanding fits better with other New Testament texts condemning lustful passion, not committed relations based on love.
So in conclusion, “arsenokoitai” in 1 Corinthians likely refers generally to sexually immoral men engaged in all sorts of illicit behavior. Paul’s meaning is not restricted only and definitively to homosexuals, but covers sexually abusive conduct of various kinds.