Was the word "homosexual" was added to the Bible in 1946?

The popular claim that the word "homosexual" was wrongly added to the Bible in 1946 (in the Revised Standard Version) and that the Bible, therefore, does not actually condemn homosexuality. Dr. Yuan rejects this claim, offering four main arguments:

1. Interpretation Relies on Original Text, Not Translations

serious Bible study must look at the original Hebrew and Greek, not just English words selected by translators in the 20th century. While it is true that the specific English word "homosexual" did not appear until 1946, the underlying meaning in the original text has remained consistent.

2. Absence of a Word ≠ Absence of a Concept

He points out that the Bible lacks explicit words for many concepts that are clearly present in the text, such as "Trinity" or even "sex.. The Bible uses euphemisms like "to know" or "to lie with" to describe sexual intercourse. Just because the specific ancient Greek word for "homosexual" didn't exist doesn't mean the concept of same-sex relations wasn't being described and prohibited.

3. Moral Objections Predate 1946

The idea that the church suddenly "invented" this sin in 1946 is historically false. He states that Jewish literature (before and after Jesus) and Church history (Early, Medieval, and Modern) have been uniform and unanimous in rejecting same-sex sexual behavior long before the 1946.

4. Opposition is "Canonical," Not Just One Verse

The prohibition is not based on a single mistranslated verse in 1 Corinthians 6:9 but is found throughout the "Canon" (the whole Bible), including Genesis 19, Leviticus 18 & 20, and 1 Timothy 1:10.

The Greek word Paul coined in 1 Corinthians (arsenokoitai) is a direct compound of two words found in the Greek translation of Leviticus 20:13 ("male" and "bed"), explicitly linking the New Testament prohibition to the Old Testament law. For more on arsenokoitai is here and here

Conclusion: The English word "homosexual" was only coined in the late 19th century and became more common in the mid-20th century in psychological and clinical contexts. The translators of the 1946 RSV used this modern term to make the text more understandable to contemporary readers.

Note: 1 Corinthians 6:11 says "And such were some of you", emphasizing that the Gospel message offers washing, sanctification, and justification to everyone, regardless of their past behaviors