1 Corinthians 6:9–10 is often cited against LGBTQ+ people, but the Greek terms malakoi and arsenokoitai are far more complex than many English translations suggest. This article explores what those words likely meant in Paul’s world, why they do not map neatly onto modern homosexual identity, and how context changes the way the passage should be understood.

Romans 1 is often treated as a definitive condemnation of homosexuality, but Paul’s argument reflects an ancient Jewish belief that idolatry produced disordered same-sex desire. That explanation does not fit what we now know about sexual orientation, nor does Romans 1 address faithful, covenantal same-sex relationships. Read in context, Paul’s larger argument moves toward grace, not religious self-righteousness.