Does the Bible condemn lesbianism or homosexuality as a sin in Romans 1:26-27 when Paul states,
"For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature?"
Paul states in Rom. 1:26 ESV, "For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature. . . ." In this passage, the Greek word that is translated as "natural" is φυσικός or fusikos and it means "natural, native" or "in the order of nature, natural, physical," according to An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon.1 Similarly, Strong's Concordance translates φυσικός as "'physical', that is, (by implication) instinctive: - natural."2Thus, it appears that the woman engaged in sexual activities that were not conducive to their "natural" purpose, which one can assume is procreation.
These activities could have included anything sexual ranging from fellatio to sodomy that could not cause pregnancy. The activities also might have included lesbianism since Paul states in Rom 1:27". . . and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error" Rom 1:27 ESV. that the men (like the women) gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with lust for each other. Since the passage indicates that the men participated in same-sex relations with each other and the passage equates the men with the women, then the women may have been consumed with lust for each other as well. In fact, Paul's description sounds historically accurate if the individuals resorted to paganism and engaged in sexualized celebrations in accordance with their beliefs.
However, one may wonder if Rom. 1:26-27"For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error" Rom. 1:26-27 ESV. is referring to heterosexual men and women who indulged in same-sex activity, which was obviously not "natural" for heterosexual men and women, or if Rom. 1:26-27"For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error" Rom. 1:26-27 ESV. is actually describing homosexuals who, by their very existence, do not "naturally" have sexual relationships with members of the opposite sex. For a homosexual man, having sex with a woman is as "natural" as a heterosexual man having sex with a man because homosexual men are not sexually attracted to women. The same observation goes for a homosexual woman, who is obviously not physically attracted to men.
Paul states in Rom. 1:26 ESV, "For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature. . . ." The phrase "natural relations" in the KJV or "natural use" in the ESV has puzzled Christians for years. Φυσικός or fusikos is the ancient Greek word that is translated as "natural" in the passage, and it is defined in An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon as "natural, native" or "in the order of nature, natural, physical."1 Moreover, Strong's Concordance translates φυσικός as "'physical', that is, (by implication) instinctive: - natural."2
Χρῆσις or chrēsis is the ancient Greek word that is translated as "relations," "use," or a similar word, depending on the Bible version you read, and χρῆσις means "employment, that is, (specifically) sexual intercourse (as an occupation of the body): - use" according to Strong's Concordance and "a using, employment, use made of a thing" according to An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon.3 Obviously, men's and women's "natural use" or "natural relations" is for procreation, or else the human race would cease to exist. The story of Adam and Eve makes this concept obvious.
Based on the above definitions and the surrounding text, we know that the women were not participating in sexual activities necessary for reproduction, and we know that this goes against God's purpose for our sexuality. It is true that God gave sex as a gift for us to enjoy, but we are commanded to treat our bodies as a temple, as stated by Paul in 1 Cor. 6:18-20"Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body" 1 Cor. 6:18-20 ESV.. When we go against God's wishes and go against His ultimate plan for us, we are dishonoring Him and ourselves.
According to Rom. 1:26-27, men and women "changed" (ESV) or "exchanged" (KJV) their "natural relations" (ESV) or "use" (KJV). The Greek word translated as "changed" or "exchanged" is μεταλλάσσω or metallassō, and it means "exchange; alter; undergo a change," according to the Pocket Oxford Classical Greek Dictionary, "to exchange: - change," according to Strong's Concordance, and "I. to change, alter: II. exchange, 1. to take in exchange, adopt, assume; 2. to exchange by leaving, to quit; III. to undergo a change," according to An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon.3
Surprisingly, μεταλλάσσω is only used in two verses in the entire Bible: Rom. 1:25"Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen" Rom. 1:25 KJV. and Rom. 1:26"For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature . . . " Rom. 1:26 KJV.. In Rom. 1:25 ESV, it is used in the phrase: "because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie." We know that the men and women who were committing these sins "knew" God, as stated in Rom. 1:21"Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened" Rom. 1:21 ESV., but they did not honor Him. Paul doesn't make it clear if they had been Christians and abandoned God or if they had only been introduced to God and then rejected Him. At any rate, they knew of God, but decided to worship false gods instead; they "exchanged" their worship of God for false gods.
Similarly, Paul states in Rom. 1:26"For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature . . . " Rom. 1:26 KJV. that the women "exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature." Μεταλλάσσω indicates that they "changed" or "exchanged" their sexual behavior, just like they "changed" or "exchanged" their worship. The verb "change" means: "to make the form, nature, content, future course, etc., of (something) different from what it is or from what it would be if left alone."4 The verb μεταλλάσσω basically means to change from one state to another (i.e., to change, alter, exchange).
If the women "changed" or "exchanged" their sexual behavior, then they had to have been heterosexuals who used to practice "natural relations" with men, but who were now experimenting with homosexual behavior and deviant sexual intercourse, which is a different kind of behavior compared to their past sexual behavior. Thus, Paul must have been describing heterosexual individuals indulging in deviant sexual intercourse, which commonly happened in Roman orgies.
In Rom. 1:26-27, Paul states that the men and women "changed" (ESV) or "exchanged" (KJV) their "natural use." The Greek word translated as "changed" or "exchanged" is μεταλλάσσω or metallassō, and it means "exchange; alter; undergo a change," according to the Pocket Oxford Classical Greek Dictionary and "to exchange: - change," according to Strong's Concordance, and "I. to change, alter: II. exchange, 1. to take in exchange, adopt, assume; 2. to exchange by leaving, to quit; III. to undergo a change," according to An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon.4
We know that the men and women in Rom. 1:26-27 had "changed" their natural sexual use for that which is unnatural. The verb "change" means: "to make the form, nature, content, future course, etc., of (something) different from what it is or from what it would be if left alone."5 The verb μεταλλάσσω basically means to change from one state to another (i.e., to change, alter, exchange).
Human beings' natural sexual use is for procreation, which has been understood since the beginning of time in the book of Genesis. In fact, the theologian Mauser has found several parallels between the book of Genesis and the book of Romans. Mauser points out that in Rom. 1:23"And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things" Rom. 1:23 KJV., the human being's worship of man (anthrōpos), birds (peteina), animals (tetrapoda), and creeping things (reptiles - herpeta) "echos Gen. 1:26"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth" Gen. 1:26 KJV., which says that the human being (anthrōpos) is to have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds (peteina) of the air, over the cattle (ktēnē, but cf. Gen. 1:24"And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so" Gen. 1:24 KJV., tetrapoda), and over the reptiles (herpeta)."6 Mauser also points out that in Rom. 1:26-27"For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error" Rom. 1:26-27 ESV., Paul uses the ancient Greek words arsenes (men) and thēleiai (women) to refer to the men and women who turned against God.7 These specific ancient Greek works also refer to the description of the human species as a union of man and woman (arsen kai thēly) in Gen. 1:27"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them" Gen. 1:27 KJV..8 Paul only uses the terms arsenes and thēleiai in one other letter, Gal. 3:28"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus" Gal. 3:28 KVJ..9
Of course, Mauser is examining an ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament, and not the original ancient Hebrew language, when he draws these parallels. Nevertheless, Mauser recognizes an association between Romans 1 and Genesis 1 through Paul's terminology choices. Likewise, most Christians understand that the men and women in Rom. 1:26-27"For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error" Rom. 1:26-27 ESV. exchanged their natural procreative sexual use for sexual activities that were "unnatural" and would not lead to procreation, which is against God's directive in Gen. 1:28"And God blessed them. And God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth'" Gen. 1:28 ESV. for humans to be fruitful and multiply. Homosexuals continually exchange their natural calling to procreate for unnatural sexual activities that do not lead to procreation. Unfortunately, these sexual activities are against God's plan for them and humankind. Thus, according to Rom. 1:26-27"For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error" Rom. 1:26-27 ESV., homosexuality is a sin.
1"φυσικός." An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon, 1889 Return
2"φυσικός." Strong's Concordance, 1995/1996, Greek section p. 97, entry 5446 Return
3Moorewood & Taylor (Eds.), 2002, p. 210; Strong, 1995/1996, Greek section p. 57, entry 3337; "μεταλλάσσω." An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon, 1889 Return
4Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, 2012 Return
1"Φυσικός." An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon, 1889 Return
2"φυσικός." Strong, 1995/1996, Greek section p. 97, entry 5446 Return
3"χρῆσις." Strong, 1995/1996, Greek section p. 99, entry 5540 & "χρῆσις." An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon, 1889 Return
4Moorewood & Taylor (Eds.), 2002, p. 210; Strong, 1995/1996, Greek section p. 57, entry 3337; "μεταλλάσσω." An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon, 1889 Return
5Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, 2012 Return
6Mauser, 1996, p. 11 Return
7Mauser, 1996, p. 12 Return
8Mauser, 1996, p. 12 Return
9Mauser, 1996, p. 12 Return
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