There are two Greeks words that appear in the New Testament letters of Paul to the Corinthians and to Timothy. The words are malakoi and arsenokoitai. English translations of the Bible have taken these two words and interpreted them into English in many different ways. Since the 1950’s, there is a tendency to use the “homosexual” as an interpretation of one or both of the words. I decided to do a survey of English translations of I Cor. 6:9…
New International Version: (1973, 1978, 1984)
“Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders ”
New International Readers Version: (1996, 1998)
“Don’t you know that evil people will not receive God’s kingdom? Don’t be fooled. Those who commit sexual sins will not receive the kingdom. Neither will those who worship statues of gods or commit adultery. Neither will men who are prostitutes or who commit homosexual acts.”
New International Version – UK: (1973, 1978, 1984)
“Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders”
New American Standard Version: (1960-1995)
“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor (1) effeminate, nor homosexuals,” (1. i.e. effeminate by perversion)
The Message: (1993- 2002)
“Don’t you realize that this is not the way to live? Unjust people who don’t care about God will not be joining in his kingdom. Those who use and abuse each other, use and abuse sex,” [This is an interesting take!]
Amplified Version:
“Do you not know that the unrighteous and the wrongdoers will not inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived (misled): neither the impure and immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor those who participate in homosexuality,”
New Living Translation: (1954- 1965, 1987)
“Don’t you know that those who do wrong will have no share in the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, who are idol worshipers, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals, ”
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,”

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