"arsenokoitai"

[NightFire201]

Is that word correctly translated to mean "homosexuality" in the modern English translation of the Bible?

 

[Kreikkalainen]

yes

 

[Catherineanne]

Is that word correctly translated to mean "homosexuality" in the modern English translation of the Bible?

No. The term 'homosexual' was coined in the 19th century, with a particular and very specific meaning, and therefore cannot be said to be synonymous in all semantic conditions with a much more ancient word.

The ancients had no concept whatever of dividing humankind into 'gay' and 'straight'. This is a modern construct. If we suggest that arsenokoitai means homosexual, then where is the word for heterosexual? You can't have one without the other.

The ancient construct was rather one of femaleassive (female or inferior male; boy or slave, subservient, inferior) and male:active (adult male, dominant, superior).

Where there is condemnation in the Bible it is of specific behaviours, and in particular those where adult men were seen to behave like women, and assume a passive, and therefore demeaning, role. This passivity is seen to reflect on their masculinity, and is therefore roundly condemned, in both Roman and Jewish cultures. Hellenic culture was a bit more ambivalent, and it is this Hellenic influence which is being fought against.

 

[Kreikkalainen]

Well, literally the greek word means somebody (male) who goes to bed with a male. I don't know if there's a way to say that in modern english in one word.

 

[TheTucker]

yes

No

 

[lismore]

Well, literally the greek word means somebody (male) who goes to bed with a male. I don't know if there's a way to say that in modern english in one word.

You mean 'homosexual'?

 

[Ariadne_GR]

The Greek word for homosexual is [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]ομοφυλοφυλία (omofilofilia), which means you're interested in the same sex basically.
[/FONT]

 

[Kreikkalainen]

You mean 'homosexual'?

I don't know what I mean, I am not native in english. I just described the meaning of the greek word, since I happen to be native in greek. You can ask the question to the others who kindly corrected me.

 

[buzuxi02]

Is that word correctly translated to mean "homosexuality" in the modern English translation of the Bible?

Aside from the semantic dance of some of the posts in here. Yes, the modern english word homosexuality corresponds to the greek arsenokoite. Specifically arsenokoite is male homosexuality. 1 Cor 6.9 specifically refers to the effeminate (meaning the catcher) and the stronger male as the arsenokoite who would play the 'dominant' role.

Kreik is 100% correct in post#4. To further break down the word'; Arseno literally means male while koite literally means to lie in bed with (Lying with another male). Koite is also a word used to refer to the bedchamber where we get the english word cot from.

 

[Theodore1]

It means a man who "looks" upon other men, sexually. So, yes, it does mean homosexual, but for men. However, in a broader sense, the bible looks upon homosexuality as a sin, be it men who sleep with men, or women who sleep with women. It is a deviation from what God created us to be, that is, remaining single and practicing virginity with the help of God's grace (and hence becoming priests or monks), or getting married, a man to a woman, and raising children