What does the Bible say about homosexuality?

The Bible does not discuss homosexuality. Sexual orientations, as we understand them now, were not understood by the Bible writers. The New Concise Bible Dictionary says the Bible talks about homosexual conduct, but says nothing specifically about homosexuality. The second edition of Tyndale's New Bible Dictionary, a dictionary opposed to same-gender sexual relationships, notes that even though the Revised Standard Version uses the "misleading" translation homosexual, the Bible mentions nothing "specifically" about homosexuality as a "condition." Because the Bible does not discuss sexual orientations, the Bible cannot be used to condemn homosexuality or bisexuality as sexual orientations. The debate must focus only on if the Bible condemns same-gender sexual relationships.

The Bible is the Word of God and outstanding literature. As with all good literature, one can read passages of the Bible many times and get new insights with each reading. Understanding the many messages God is giving us in His word is more of an art than a science. Unlike science, we cannot perform an experiment with a Bible text and guarantee we will get the right answer, the right interpretation. Because interpreting the Bible is an art, and not an exact, precise art, people are urged to accept those who do not agree with their interpretation of a specific passage from the Bible.

Those to be distrusted and feared the most are those who take a dogmatic position about the meaning of Bible texts where the meaning in the Christian community is in dispute. Beware of those who claim to be speaking for God about these Bible texts.

There are a few references in the Bible to what could be sexual activities among members of the same sex or the same gender. The same-gender sexual activities mentioned in some Bible passages may be references to very specific situations, as opposed to a general pronouncement about homosexuality.

Some of the passages typically used to show gay relationships are wrong are as follows:

• Are Gays Obligated to Keep Old Testament Law?

• Genesis Chapter 19

• Leviticus Chapters 18 and 20

• Judges Chapter 19

• Romans Chapter 1

• 1 Corinthians Chapter 6

• 1 Timothy Chapter 1

• Jude

• Reflections on Bible and Homosexuality