2:170 – Arsenokoitai: What’s A Translation Matter

#faithbites #faithjourney Arsenokoitai

Prelude

Before we get started today, I wanted to give a couple of warnings. This #faithbite may offend as it will get deep into different translations of the Bible, homosexuality, and how we use the Bible. This is also my viewpoint and doesn’t represent the viewpoints of my denomination of my church. I also not a theologian.
This is me as a faithful servant of God trying to understand his word and our application of his word. I look forward to the peaceful and insightful discussion I know we will have. This also won’t have the normal Scripture section as we will have scripture throughout as illustrations. Now onto #faithbites.

Introduction

Growing up Jewish, we had the Torah and that was it. There was the Hebrew and English translation. There weren’t hundreds of different translations including different books or versions like in Christianity. At that time, I only new of the King James Bible. As I grew up, I found many different versions. They all have the same spirit but different words. And as we know words matter. Before we get to the elephant in the room, Arsenokoitai, I wanted to point out a few translations as examples.

Mark 9:4

• Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” – NIV
• And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. – KJV
• With tears flowing, the child’s father at once cried out, “I do believe! Help my unbelief! – ISV

Is this the same message? The core is the same, but one is saying the father exclaimed, another says he cried out, and two say tears were flowing. Most of us wouldn’t equate tears with exclamation. So which is the true word of God?

Here’s another one.

1 John 3:9

• No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God – NIV
• Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. – NLT

Now this one is a little tricky. Is being born of someone mean you are in their family? Technically yes, but for many of us, being born to someone doesn’t mean, you are accepted in the family. It also talks about the practice of sinning. Are you a sinner by birth only if you practice it.

These are but two examples of many. Not to mention additional verses like in the book of Mark chapter 16. Some say it ends after verse 8, others add verses 9-20. What is correct here?

To further muddy the waters, in Revelation 22:18, it says that no one will add or take away from the Bible. It’s also from Deuteronomy 12:32. If that is the case, how is there a new testament or different versions. All of this gets us to the word Arsenokoitai.

Arsenokoitai

This word is a word used only twice in the Bible by Paul. Since the 1930’s it has been defined as homosexuality. Prior to that it was defined as pedophila between a man and a boy. Paul uses it in 1 Corinthians 6 and 1 Timothy 1. Let’s look at our translations again.

1 Timothy 1:9-19

• Realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, – NIV
• Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; – KJV
• that is, if he understands that the Law is not intended for righteous people but for lawbreakers and rebels, for ungodly people and sinners, for those who are unholy and irreverent, for those who kill their fathers, their mothers, or other people, for those involved in sexual immorality, for homosexuals, for kidnappers,for liars, for false witnesses, and for whatever else goes against the healthy teaching – ISV

If we look at this, the King James, which was standard for years doesn’t have this word. More recent translations do. So what does this mean? Is Paul talking about homosexuality or is he talking about immoral sex such as pedophila, bestiality, lustful sex, and adulterous sex?

Reflection

Friends, I don’t know the answer. I know there is enough doubt in me to truly know what is meant by these passages. I do know that my God is an awesome God, he doesn’t make junk, and he loves us all. A big point of my religion that I love, is we say it is the inspired word of God. While words matter, how we live matters more.

My God wants me to love all of his children, welcome all of his children, and judge not. (Matthew 7:1).

We all fall far from the perfect of God.

So, how do we wrap this up? The only way I know how. Love God, Love People.

Charge

What translation do you read? What do you believe? Let’s look at the whole Bible and the overall message of love, rather than picking a verse and dividing God’s family based on one verse.

Prayer

Gracious God, my heart is heavy right now. We love you and your word. Our world has given us different translations and meanings of your word. Help us to see the message under the words. Help us to love all of your children and preach your word. Don’t let us get hung up on issues like this. Let us show love to all in all our relationships. In your Holy Name, Amen.