There is a new documentary soon to be released titled, “1946, The Mistranslation That Shifted Culture,” and supposedly questions the introduction of the word “homosexual” in biblical translations. The documentary says the use of the word “homosexual” in modern translations is a mistranslation.
There are two criticisms levied against the use of “homosexual” in the Scriptures. The first questions the integrity of the Scriptures because of several millennia of transcription and translation; how do we know what was written then is what we read now?
It is a perennial attack on the Scriptures and has been addressed repeatedly for its lack of any genuine substance, and I wrote about in an article titled “Providential Preservation” dated August 6 of this year and archived on my blog. I will not waste the reader’s time by repeating that point again.
The other issue regards the use of the word “homosexual” as a mistranslation of the Greek text. And that according to this documentary has created a “Biblical assertion that homosexuality is a sin—the catalyst for an entire shift in culture, with political repercussions, religious implications, consequences for LGBT rights and acceptance, and, frankly, deadly results.”
I disagree with the idea the Bible has been mistranslated. I believe the LGBTQ community misinterprets the Scriptures to justify their sinful lifestyle, and that misinterpretation has indeed created a catalyst for an entire shift in culture, with political repercussions, religious implications, and consequences with deadly results.
I use the New American Standard Bible (1995), which if you ‘Google’ it is considered by scholars to be the most accurate English translation of the Hebrew and Greek texts. It translates the Greek plural word that appears in First Corinthians 6:9 and First Timothy 1:10, ἀρσενοκοίτης, transliterated into English as arsenokoítēs, with the plural English word homosexuals.
The majority of modern translation teams translate these two verses with similar terminology, such as, them that defile themselves with mankind (a man who defiles himself sexually with another man), sodomites, the practice of homosexuality, those practicing homosexuality, men who practice homosexuality, and sexually immoral and homosexuals. Clearly a host of translation teams interpret the Greek text as a denunciation of homosexuality.
There are more than 100 English translations of the Bible. Every modern English version or translation that is credible is accomplished by a team of translators familiar with ancient languages and linguistics. Their claim is based on one translation team’s assertion that the Greek text is mistranslated when the word homosexual appears in any version of the English Bible, that is ridiculous. Every other translation team is wrong and theirs is right.
I went to an online modern Greek to English translator and cut and pasted the Greek word, ἀρσενοκοίτης, into the translator. The translator said the English equivalent of this Greek word is “queer.” In English the word queer means “strange; odd,” and “denoting or relating to a sexual or gender identity that does not correspond to established ideas of sexuality and gender, especially heterosexual norms.” This means the etymology of the modern Greek word for queer had not changed from its ancient origin.
Those who embrace and agree with the homosexual lifestyle are ever seeking to justify their homosexuality. They misinterpret the clear meaning of Scripture and subsequently misapply the Scriptures’ teaching. They seek to change what the Scriptures say to accommodate their sin, rather than repenting and trusting Christ to comply with the Scriptures.
Moses warned, “You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you,” Deuteronomy 4:2, and is repeated by John, “and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book,” Revelation 22:19.
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