Today we will talk about bible verses against homosexuality. Many Christians do not know what this means. Be on the mode of meditation as we read through God’s word. We approach this topic with humility and care, knowing it is sensitive for many people. Our aim is to faithfully present what the Bible says while also holding to Christ’s command to love, show compassion, and call people to holiness. As we read these passages, let us keep our hearts open to learning and our minds to prayer, asking God for wisdom and grace. We will look at passages from both the Old and New Testaments, seeing how Scripture speaks about sexual ethics, sin, repentance, and restoration. While the verses we share are serious in tone, we remember that Scripture leads us not simply to judgment, but to repentance, forgiveness, and renewed life in Christ. Let us receive these words thoughtfully, applying them in ways that honor God and care for our neighbors.
bible verses against homosexuality
Leviticus 18:22
“Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. – Leviticus 18:22 (KJV)
Old Testament Law and bible verses against homosexuality
When we study the Old Testament laws, we find direct statements that the ancient Israelites were given about sexual behavior. In our study of bible verses against homosexuality, we see that the Torah includes explicit prohibitions. We read these laws remembering that they were part of a covenant community called to be distinct and holy. As we study, we try to place these commands in their original context—religious, cultural, and judicial—while also asking how they inform our moral understanding today. We do not want to read these verses in isolation; instead, we consider the whole counsel of Scripture that includes law, prophecy, wisdom literature, and later New Testament teaching. In our reflection on the Old Testament passages that are commonly cited among bible verses against homosexuality, we are careful to combine truth and grace. We recognize that God’s standards in the law point to a call to holiness, and that the law also points to the need for mercy and forgiveness. As we reflect together, we aim to be faithful to what the text says while compassionate toward people who wrestle with these issues. We ask God to help us apply the lessons of the law in ways that lead to repentance, restoration, and loving care for every person.
Leviticus 18:22
“Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. – Leviticus 18:22 (KJV)
Leviticus 20:13
“If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. – Leviticus 20:13 (KJV)
Deuteronomy 23:17
“There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel. – Deuteronomy 23:17 (KJV)
Leviticus 18:30
“Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominations, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the Lord your God. – Leviticus 18:30 (KJV)
Leviticus 20:11
“And the man that lieth with his father’s wife hath uncovered his father’s nakedness: both of them shall be surely put to death; their blood shall be upon them. – Leviticus 20:11 (KJV)
New Testament teachings and bible verses against homosexuality
In the New Testament, we encounter passages that interpret moral life in the light of Christ and the Spirit. When we look for bible verses against homosexuality in the New Testament, we find both direct references and broader ethical teaching about sexual conduct. As we read these passages together, we aim to understand their theological point: human sexuality is ordered toward certain purposes in God’s design, and sexual behavior outside that order is called sin in Scripture. While we hold to these biblical teachings, we also remember the New Testament’s emphasis on the mission of grace. The New Testament calls us to speak truth with love, to call people to repentance, and to offer the transforming power of the gospel. In studying these verses, we ask the Holy Spirit to help us balance conviction with compassion, and to guide our pastoral response so that it brings people closer to Christ rather than driving them away. Our goal is to be biblically faithful, pastorally wise, and lovingly present to anyone who is hurting or searching for truth.
Romans 1:26-27
“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: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. – Romans 1:26-27 (KJV)
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
“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, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. – 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (KJV)
1 Timothy 1:9-10
“Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; – 1 Timothy 1:9-10 (KJV)
Jude 1:7
“Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. – Jude 1:7 (KJV)
Revelation 21:8
“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. – Revelation 21:8 (KJV)
Paul’s letters and bible verses against homosexuality
Paul’s epistles often address moral questions in churches and communities. When we gather Paul’s words on sexual behavior, they appear alongside exhortations to live by the Spirit and to bear the fruit of holiness. In our study of bible verses against homosexuality from Paul’s letters, we find both specific lists of sin and repeated calls to flee sexual immorality. We read Romans and Corinthians closely because Paul engages with cultural practices and the inner life shaped by sin. As we reflect, we remember that Paul also emphasizes grace—the power of Christ to change lives. Even when his language is strong, it aims to awaken conscience, call people away from destructive patterns, and point them to new life. We, as the church, are called to embody that combination: clear teaching about God’s design, and patient, loving support for those who are seeking to follow Jesus. Thus, Paul’s teaching informs both our moral convictions and our pastoral responses.
Romans 1:24
“Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: – Romans 1:24 (KJV)
Romans 1:28
“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; – Romans 1:28 (KJV)
1 Corinthians 6:18
“Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. – 1 Corinthians 6:18 (KJV)
Galatians 5:19-21
“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. – Galatians 5:19-21 (KJV)
1 Corinthians 6:9
“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, – 1 Corinthians 6:9 (KJV)
Sodom and Gomorrah narratives and bible verses against homosexuality
Stories like Sodom and Gomorrah appear often when people look for bible verses against homosexuality. As we read those narratives together, we try to take a careful approach: we note what the text says about sexual violence and inhospitality, and we see how later biblical writers interpret the events. The Genesis narrative describes men of the city pressing to ‘know’ visitors, and later biblical authors use Sodom as a symbol of behavior judged by God. In our discussion, we consider both the immediate story (which includes attempted sexual violence) and the broader biblical use of Sodom as an example of moral collapse, pride, and injustice. We want to avoid simplifications: the Bible links Sodom’s sin to multiple failures—lack of hospitality, pride, and violence—not only one sexual practice. When we cite these passages among bible verses against homosexuality, we do so recognizing the complexity and remembering that Scripture calls us to justice, mercy, and humility. We also hold to the pastoral concern that these narratives should move us to compassion for sinners and serious repentance for sin.
Genesis 19:5
“And they called unto the house, and to the man, and said, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them. – Genesis 19:5 (KJV)
Genesis 19:24
“Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven; – Genesis 19:24 (KJV)
Judges 19:22
“Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, and beat at the door, and spake to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may know him. – Judges 19:22 (KJV)
2 Peter 2:6-7
“And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; 7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: – 2 Peter 2:6-7 (KJV)
Ezekiel 16:49
“Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. – Ezekiel 16:49 (KJV)
Sexual ethics, marriage, and bible verses against homosexuality
The Bible’s teaching about marriage and sexual ethics is central when we read bible verses against homosexuality. Scripture consistently points marriage to be between a man and a woman in most of its moral teaching, and passages about marital unity are often invoked to explain God’s intentions for sexual relations. When we reflect on these verses together, we affirm that God designed marriage to be a covenantal, lifelong union with specific purposes—companionship, procreation, and a picture of Christ and the church. We also keep in view the pastoral dimension: sexual brokenness touches many lives, and the church must offer truth, support, and restoration. As we apply these biblical standards, we do so knowing we are all in need of God’s grace. The call to sexual purity is not meant to shame, but to guide us toward the flourishing God intends, and to point all people to the mercy that changes hearts and lives.
Matthew 19:4-6
“And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? 6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. – Matthew 19:4-6 (KJV)
Mark 10:6-9
“But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. 7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, 8 And cleave to his wife; 9 And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. – Mark 10:6-9 (KJV)
Hebrews 13:4
“Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. – Hebrews 13:4 (KJV)
1 Thessalonians 4:3-5
“For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: 4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; 5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: – 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 (KJV)
Ephesians 5:31-33
“For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband. – Ephesians 5:31-33 (KJV)
Sin, repentance, and bible verses against homosexuality
Biblical passages that speak about sexual sin also point us toward repentance and renewal. In our study of bible verses against homosexuality, we must not miss the Bible’s invitation to turn from sin and to receive God’s forgiveness. The New Testament repeatedly encourages those who have fallen into sin to confess, repent, and be transformed by God’s grace. As a community, we are to offer pathways of repentance that are full of accountability, support, and hope. We remember that Scripture tells stories of people who were caught in sin but were restored when they turned to God. In our pastoral practice, we join the Bible’s call to both call sin by its name and to extend the gospel’s power to forgive and renew. We long to see lives changed, people healed, and relationships restored through Christ.
1 Corinthians 6:11
“And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. – 1 Corinthians 6:11 (KJV)
Acts 3:19
“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; – Acts 3:19 (KJV)
1 John 1:9
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. – 1 John 1:9 (KJV)
2 Corinthians 7:10
“For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. – 2 Corinthians 7:10 (KJV)
James 5:16
“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. – James 5:16 (KJV)
Love, compassion, and bible verses against homosexuality
Even as we discuss bible verses against homosexuality, the Bible insists that love is central to our witness. We must hold truth and love together: speaking the Bible’s teaching while also showing compassion. The commands to love our neighbor and to be merciful shape how we speak and act. We should never use Scripture as a weapon to wound, and we should avoid boasting or gloating over other people’s struggles. Instead, we are called to show patience, to restore gently, and to walk alongside those who are struggling. In our conversations about sexual ethics and the bible verses against homosexuality, we want to make room for relationship and pastoral care. We bring the same grace to others that God has shown to us, remembering that every one of us needs compassion and mercy on our own journey toward holiness.
John 13:34-35
“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. – John 13:34-35 (KJV)
Matthew 5:7
“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. – Matthew 5:7 (KJV)
Galatians 6:1
“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. – Galatians 6:1 (KJV)
Romans 13:8-10
“Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. – Romans 13:8-10 (KJV)
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
“Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. – 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (KJV)
Church discipline and community standards and bible verses against homosexuality
The Bible speaks about how the church should respond when members persist in serious sin. In our discussion of bible verses against homosexuality, we also consider passages on church discipline and communal holiness. The church is not only a place of forgiveness, but also a community called to hold each other accountable. When sin is unconfessed and unrepented, the New Testament lays out steps for private correction, then bring witnesses, and, if necessary, public action. Our motive in discipline is restorative: we want to bring people to repentance and to protect the health of the body. As we practice discipline, we must do so with gentleness, fairness, and openness to reconciliation. The aim is pastoral care and the spiritual well-being of both the individual and the community. We are committed to biblical standards while also committed to restoration and compassion.
Matthew 18:15-17
“Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. – Matthew 18:15-17 (KJV)
1 Corinthians 5:1-5
“It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. 2 And ye are puffed up… 5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. – 1 Corinthians 5:1-5 (KJV)
2 Thessalonians 3:14
“And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. – 2 Thessalonians 3:14 (KJV)
Titus 3:10
“A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; – Titus 3:10 (KJV)
Galatians 6:1 (again for restoration emphasis)
“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. – Galatians 6:1 (KJV)
Holiness, creation order, and bible verses against homosexuality
Creation texts help shape Christian convictions about human beings and relationships. When we think about bible verses against homosexuality, we often return to the creation account that describes humanity as male and female and depicts marriage as a union between them. For us, creation provides a foundation for sexual ethics: bodies are created with purpose, male and female complementarity is affirmed, and marriage is given as a good gift. Yet creation is not the whole story—sin has marred the world and has led to moral confusion. As we consider creation passages alongside other bible verses against homosexuality, we try to draw a careful line from God’s original design to the moral guidance the Bible gives. We also remember that God’s created order calls us to respect every person as made in God’s image, even as we uphold biblical standards and lovingly call people toward the life God intends.
Genesis 1:27
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. – Genesis 1:27 (KJV)
Genesis 2:24
“Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. – Genesis 2:24 (KJV)
Colossians 3:5
“Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: – Colossians 3:5 (KJV)
1 Thessalonians 4:3 (again on sanctification)
“For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication. – 1 Thessalonians 4:3 (KJV)
Romans 1:26-27 (creation/law overlap)
“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: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. – Romans 1:26-27 (KJV)
Hope, restoration, and bible verses against homosexuality
Although we have gathered bible verses against homosexuality, the whole Bible points beyond condemnation to restoration. Scripture promises that no sin is beyond God’s reach when a person turns in repentance. We must not leave people in despair; rather, we want to hold out the gospel’s hope. Verses about new creation, forgiveness, and life in Christ remind us that transformation is possible. In presenting bible verses against homosexuality, we also highlight the passages that promise mercy and new identity in Christ. Our church’s response should be to invite people into repentance and discipleship, to offer counseling and community, and to celebrate how God heals and restores. We do this not out of judgmentalism, but out of love—because we have experienced God’s saving grace ourselves and want that good news for everyone.
1 Corinthians 6:11 (again for hope)
“And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. – 1 Corinthians 6:11 (KJV)
2 Corinthians 5:17
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. – 2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)
Romans 8:1
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. – Romans 8:1 (KJV)
Philippians 3:13-14
“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 3:13-14 (KJV)
Romans 6:4
“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. – Romans 6:4 (KJV)
Final Thoughts
I have shared a range of passages commonly cited as bible verses against homosexuality and also included related teaching about holiness, repentance, and love. We have tried to hold Scripture’s moral teaching together with the gospel’s offer of forgiveness and transformation. As we read hard passages, we must keep our hearts humble and tender.
We are called to speak truth in love, to provide care when people struggle, and to invite everyone into the life-changing grace of Jesus. Our goal is not to hurt but to help people know God and walk in the fullness of life that He offers.
As we continue these conversations in our communities, let us pray for wisdom, compassion, and the courage to live faithfully—both upholding biblical conviction and extending Christlike mercy to every person we meet.
Further Reading
30 Bible Verses About Getting Closer To God (With Commentary)
30 Bible Verses About Removing People From Your Life (With Commentary)
30 Bible Verses About Israel (With Explanation)
30 Bible Verses About Being Lukewarm (With Explanation)
4 Ways to Encounter Grace and Truth: A Study on John, Chapter 4
