The etymology and standard English definitions are from The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary. For the synonyms the Roget's International Thesaurus, Seventh Edition
"homosexual...a. & n. L19[1870-1899]...A adj. Sexually attracted to people of one's own sex; of, pertaining to, or characterized by sexual attraction between people of the same sex. L19[1870-1899]. B n. A person who is sexually attracted (often exclusively) to people of his or her own sex. E20[1900-1929]"
"sodomite... n. ME[1150-1349] ... Late L. f. Gk Sodomite f. Sodoma Sodom 1 Sodomy. Only in ME[1150-1349]. 2 A person who practises or commits sodomy. LME[1350-1469]."
"sodomy n. ME[1150-1349]. [med.L sodomia, f. eccl.L peccatum Sodommiticum sin of Sodom... Any form of sexual intercourse with a person of the same or opposite sex, except copulation; spec. anal intercourse. Also, inappropriate behavior with animals."
The word "homosexual" is not found in the KJV, ASV, RSV(1971) or the NRSV. The word "sodomite(s)" is found 5 times in the KJV: Dt. 23:17; 1 Kgs 14:24; 15:12; 22:46; 2Kgs 23:7 but the KJV does not use the word anywhere in the New Testament.
The word "sodomites" is found 2 times in the NRSV, 1Co 6:9; 1Ti 1:10 but is not found anywhere in the Old Testament of the NRSV.
The synonyms in their context from the Roget's:
Page 60 Sect. 75.14 "homosexual" gay person, homosexualist, homophile, invert;"
Page 60 Sect. 75.16 "sexual pervert; pervert, perve <nf>, deviant, deviate, sex pervert, sex fiend, sex criminal, sexual psychopath; sodomist, sodomite, sob <Brit nf> , bugger, pederast"
The word "sodomite(s)" in the KJV is defined by the BDB thus:
Strong's H6945 qâdêsh
1) male temple prostitute
Part of Speech: noun masculine
A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: from H6942
Strong's H6942 qâdash
BDB Definition:
1) to consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate
The confusion and uncertainty about the word "homosexual" in the NASB & NKJV demonstrates the problem of being dogmatic here for malakos & arsenokoites and I'll demonstrate by the pertinent phrase from the two translations:
NASB - "nor effeminate, nor homosexuals" here arsenokoites is translated as "homosexuals".
NKJV - "nor homosexuals, nor sodomites" here malakos is translated as "homosexuals".
The English words "sodomites" and "homosexuals" did not exist in the times of the Bible as can be seen above in the etymology. The two words are NOT synonymous. Spending a lot of time researching this verse, it seems that the NIV Greek-English Interlinear literal translation of "nor voluptuous persons, nor sodomites" is close, keeping in mind today's meaning of "sodomite" as seen in the Roget's quoted above. In similar translation, the New Jerusalem Bible translates these as "the self-indulgent, sodomites".
The Greek word malakos occurs 3 other times apart from 1 Co. 6:9 and it is not in anyway used in a sexual context:
But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft(malakos) raiment? behold, they that wear soft(malakos) clothing are in kings' houses. (Matt 11:8, KJV)
But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft(malakos) raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings' courts. (Luke 7:25, KJV)
From Heinrich Meyer's commentary on this verse:
"μαλακοί] effeminates, commonly understood as qui muliebria patiuntur, but with no sufficient evidence from the usage of the language (the passages in Wetstein and Kypke, even Dion. Hal. vii. 2, do not prove the point); moreover, such catamites (molles) were called πόρνοι or κίναιδοι. One does not see, moreover, why precisely this sin should be mentioned twice over in different aspects. Rather therefore: effeminate luxurious livers. Comp Aristotle, Eth. vii. 7 : μαλακὸς καὶ τρυφῶν, Xen. Mem. ii. 1, 20, also μαλακῶς, iii. 11. 10 : τρυφὴ δὲ καὶ μαλθακία, Plato, Rep. p. 590 B."
