The complete reference is:
1 Corinthians 6:9-10
The problem is that the New Testament
is not written in English or Latin or Hebrew or even Aramaic (Jesus'
native tongue), but Koine Greek. Therefore, translations vary.
Here is a brief sampling.
New English Bible
Surely you know
that the unjust will never come into possession of the kingdom of
God. Make no mistake: no fornicator or idolater, none who are guilty
either of adultery or of homosexual perversion, not thieves or
grabbers or drunkards or slanderers or swindlers, will possess the
kingdom of God
King James Version
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, nor thieves, nor
covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit
the kingdom of God.
New American Standard
Or do you not know
that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be
deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor
effeminate [by perversion], nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor
covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit
the kingdom of God.
Williams—New Testament in the
Language of the People
Do you not know
that wrongdoers will not have a share in the kingdom of God? Stop
being misled; people who are sexually immoral or idolaters or
adulterers or sensual or guilty of unnatural sexual vice or thieves
or greedy graspers for more or drunkards or slanderers or swindlers
will not have a share in the kingdom of God.
Beck—New Testament in the Language
of Today
Or don't you know
wicked people will have no share God's kingdom? Don't be mistaken
about this: Nobody who lives in sexual sin or worships idols, no
adulterers or men who sin sexually with other men, who steal, are
greedy, get drunk, slander, rob will have a share in God's kingdom.
Revised Standard Version
Do you not know
that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be
deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor
sexual perverts, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor
revilers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God.
What It Does Not Say
Note
carefully: not a single one of these translations states that
homosexuality is a sin, or that the soul of gays will burn forever in
pain and torment in Hades. They simply say that they will not gain
the kingdom of God, which is not the same thing.
It is
also important to keep in mind that this an excerpt of a pastoral
letter written by Saul/Paul to the church of Corinth. These are not
the words of Jesus or one of his disciples. Paul is interpreting, and
not all of his contemporaries agreed with him.
If
you have a Bible in your home, now would be a good to take it out and
read what it really says, not what you wish it to say or what others
claim it says.
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