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To: Jorge; Undivided Heart; ponyespresso
This word comes from two Greek words, arrhen (which means male) and koite: 1) a place for laying down, resting, sleeping in 1a) a bed, couch 2) the marriage bed 2a) of adultery 3) cohabitation, whether lawful or unlawful 3a) sexual intercourse

Let me flesh this out a little (I just love this word choice here)

As Jorge pointed out Arsenokoites (Strongs number 733) is always translated homosexual (abusers of themselves with mankind etc). It comes from Arrhen (strongs 730) which always means male and Koite (Strongs number 2845) as defined above. Lets step through the possible definitions and see why 'homosexual' is the only valid translation here. 1. Male + place for laying down. So we have a male bed. Beds are neither male nor female. And if they were, why would we care that male furniture can't enter the kingdom? Fails the makes sense test. This one doesn't work.

2. Male + marriage bed. Since beds aren't male or female (see above) what about male marriage? We know that male to male marriage did not exist in Paul's time in Judaism (as it is outlawed in Leviticus). Therefore this definition is not internally consistent. Doesn't work.

3. Male + cohabitation. Makes sense on the outside, males can live together. In fact in Jewish tradition of those days a man often lived in his father's house until he got married. I would assume sharing the same room and possibly even the same bed with his brothers (looking at the size of families back then and the archeological size of the houses back then this is almost a certainty). This was both normal and allowed in the culture at that time. So, why would someone doing what was allowed and normal be disqualified from entering the kingdom? I can't come up with a reason. Seems this one fails internal consistency also. Doesn't work.

Which leads us to
3a Male + sexual intercourse. Since male sexual intercourse is already outlawed in Leviticus it makes perfect sense that they would be banned from the kingdom. Since all other possible definitions violate internal consistency of the Word this is the only possible translation.

Arsenkoites means homosexuals.

Note however that in this same scripture God tells us that the condition is curable. 1 Cor 6:9 ¶ 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,
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

"And such were some of you" Some of the target audience were homosexuals BUT ARE NOT ANYMORE! Homosexuality is curable!!!

GSA(P)

199 posted on 07/17/2002 8:08:54 AM PDT by John O
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To: John O
Excellent word study. I shall keep that one!
204 posted on 07/17/2002 10:04:00 AM PDT by Undivided Heart
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