These two verses use the terms "ABUSERS OF THEMSELVES WITH MANKIND" and "THEM THAT DEFILE THEMSELVES WITH MANKIND", and Paul sums up in 1 Corinthians with "and such were some of you." 

Actually these two terms mean exactly the same thing, and we know this because they are both translated from the same Greek word: "Arsenokoitays"

First, the temptation will be (and the error of the church has been) to define these statements as we perceive them in today's American English. On the surface, the American English words used in these verses can be used to refer to ANY form of abuse between people, including drug use, violence, rape and the like. In this particular case, though, an understanding of the Koine Greek language of the Textus Receptus New Testament and the traditions of the time, is vital to the meaning implied. We cannot just apply what WE WANT TO THINK the text means. Paul tells us that we must "study to show yourselves approved unto God." So let's study.

ARSENOKOITAYS

Although the exact definition of this word has been hotly debated among scholars for centuries, we do have a general understanding of the word. ARSENO means "a man/male", and KOITAYS means literally a bed for sex, and it is from this that we get "coitus/to have sex". It is a generic term referring to men who fornicate. It includes adultery, fornication, rape, incest, sex with a prepubescent child, whoremongering, prostitution, etc. - heterosexually AND/OR homosexually - that is, the sex of the other party isn't the issue; and it is also a particular word used for Greek men who sponsored the education of a young boy and had sex with him. It is definitely a sexual term, but it does not SPECIFICALLY or NECESSARILY refer to love/attraction/married sex between two males; it is not an "anti-gay" term. I should mention here also that many modern Greek dictionaries also biasedly translate this word as a slang for "masturbation", while others translate it as "men watchers" (that is, someone who ogles men). However, Modern Greek and Koine Greek are practically two different languages. A Modern Greek person would have as much a difficult time understanding Koine Greek as a Modern American English-speaking person would have a difficult time understanding 8th century British English.

If you use an NIV, ASB, NKJV, Living Bible or other new age bible version, this verse may say "homosexual offenders", or something similar. This is utterly and shamefully incorrect and an INTENTIONALLY false rendering of the KJV English and not based on any biblical manuscript evidence whatsoever. Until the 19th century, not only was there no such word as "homosexual", but there was no word AT ALL for a homosexual. Heterosexual or homosexual identity was automatically implied by context, and a particular sexuality is in no way contextually implied in these verses. The use of "homosexual" in the new bible versions is purely a personal bias on the part of the authors. The problem is that most Christians are under the naive impression that a book that says "Holy Bible" on the cover must be a Holy Bible. Nothing could be further from the truth. For those of you who are unaware, the NIV alone has over 60,000 omissions, additions and alterations to the biblical text, and is translated from some of the most corrupted and scholarly-denounced manuscripts ever written (such as the Septuagint LXX, the Vaticanus and Sinaiticus). The NIV, in the book of Isaiah, even goes so far as to accuse Jesus of being Lucifer and cast out of heaven for blasphemy - so it is no wonder that these verses are corrupted as well. Why trust a Bible version whose authors not only hate God enough to tamper with His Word, but who personally hate YOU TOO! For more on this subject, and why you should only trust the KJV, select "Why Trust the KJV?" in the main menu. You'll find it more interesting a subject than you might first suppose.

EFFEMINATE / MALAKOS

1st Corinthians also uses the word "effeminate", which is often used against homosexuals. Anyone with an education in English grammar knows that effeminate does NOT mean "homosexual" - and neither does it's biblical Greek word, "malakos". The Strong's Concordance defines this word as "soft, i.e. fine (clothing), effeminate". The Webster's New World Dictionary of 1951 defines it as "having the qualities generally attributed to women, as weakness, gentleness, delicacy, etc. Unmanly, weak, soft, decadent." I, for example, am homosexual but I am not effeminate. On the other hand, Michael Jackson is a heterosexual who is highly effeminate. I know about as many heterosexuals as homosexuals who behave in this manner. In fact, only a small minority of homosexuals are effeminate. The main reason that most homosexuals have been able to hide in the "closet" so well is because they are NOT effeminate. Being effeminate is not a homosexual trait, it is an "unmasculine" trait.

Jesus used this very same word when He compared John the Baptist's clothing to that worn in king's houses:

"But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft [malakos] raiment?

Behold, they that wear soft [malakos] raiment are in kings' houses."

- Matthew 11:8 

Those that live in king's houses dress effeminate (malakoi), while John's clothing was merely a ruff camel's skin. The daintiness and niceties of a royal court, where every luxury is indulged, is a perfect example of the biblical use of "effeminate".

To use these verses solely against homosexuals is totally in error, and is nothing less than an attempt to invent Scriptures to use against homosexuals. The sad thing is that, by attributing these verses to homosexuality, those to whom it is really meant happily continue on in there ways, content that the Lord has nothing to chastise them for. We may not have control over who and what we are on a basic human level, but we do have control over how we behave; and the Lord expects us to behave in a manner which edifies HIM. He must increase and we must decrease, as John the Baptist put it.

We should be proud of who God made us to be, because He created us in His very own image. Whether you are gay or straight, if you were created as a female, thank the Lord for creating you as a female and honor Him in your female body! If you were created as a male, thank the Lord for creating you as a male and honor Him in your male body! If God made you as a woman it was because He WANTED a woman, and if He created you as a man it was because He WANTED a man. Behave in a manner that properly edifies what HE wants. If you are a man or woman and do not know how to "fit" into your male or female body, simply ask the Lord to help you; and to the church I say that such men and women are in need the gentle strength and support of your compassion and understanding and mercy, rather than a wagging and bitter tongue of hate and condemnation and self-righteousness. Don't confuse being gay with being unmanly, nor being lesbian with being unwomanly. There is no law against being gay or lesbian, but God is clear that He expects us to align ourselves with the physical body He has blessed us with. We were bought with the price of God's blood; we are not our own property. And a believer's body is specifically the Temple of God. Let God not find confusion in His temple, for it is not HE that is the author of confusion.

Unfortunately, because these verses have been interpreted in modern times to mean homosexual, the so-called exgay ministries, in their aforementioned ceaseless cause to mentally castrate homosexual men and women and even children have tried to use Paul's phrase, "and such were some of you", as evidence that homosexuals can "change" to heterosexuality, and many homosexuals have been deceived by this lie, and have been severally psychologically harmed by it; and others have inflicted physical mutilations on themselves or have committed suicide.

But Paul was speaking to sexually debauched and effeminate men among a long list of offenders - especially to those wealthy and educated heterosexual men in Greece and Rome who participated in the very common practice of taking young teenagers into their home to educate them and engage in sexual activity with them (the parents of the children and the wives of the teachers knew full well AND APPROVED of what was involved, and it was considered a great honor for a child to be taken in by the Teachers for these practices - the sexual acts were part of the package). If you saw the movie 300, which is a very loose retelling of the army of the ancient Spartans, who were well known for their adult-with-adult-only bisexual fornication, you'll have noted the Spartan king's disgusted reference to "those boy-lovers in Athens". These deeds by the Greeks were well known. And, the near worshipful adoration of the male body in Greek society was so prevelent that women were even forbidden to attend the ancient Olympic Games because the athletes were required to go naked in order to sport and flaunt their bodies. Such wickedness should be enough to cause any godly man or woman -straight or gay- to want to vomit.

So these activities, condemned by Paul, are not historical secrets, but are known the world over - and Paul rightly rebuked them, as we do also. Perhaps our Christian society should stop misplacing biblical references like this by wrongfully accusing homosexuals, and start to place biblical criticisms where they rightly belongs. If the Christian community desires to launch a public tirade against societal immorality, perhaps directing it towards the rampant heterosexual adultery and divorce and the total inundation of sex and violence in the entertainment industry might be a better and more productive place to start - rather than railing against a group of people just because they aren't attracted to certain genitals.

But I myself recommend that Christians do exactly what Jesus Himself commanded, which is that we ought not to raise up our voices in the streets like riotous fools, with protesting and picketing entangling religion with politics; but rather, remember that Christ said MY KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD, and therefore we must STOP trying to create God's Kingdom here on this earth with this absurd attempt to enforce the Gospel on the People by force of Law (instead of willful acceptance by faith), and when any society refuses to hear God's Word, we MUST NOT retaliate by forcing our religion upon them by law but instead simply wipe their dust off our feet and MOVE ON. Let GOD be judge, and leave the Right of Vengeance in GOD'S hands - as He Himself commanded. Those who dare to usurp from God the sole Right of Vengeance will face this punishment: that which you mete out will be meted to you and you will be judged with the judgement that you judge others. We have the right to determine right from wrong and to live righteously - but we do not have the power to judge individuals with condemnation; and we most certainly do not have the authority to use God's holy and precious Scriptures as a weapon against mankind ("for the weapons of our warfare are NOT CARNAL... for we wrestle NOT against flesh and blood!"). LOVE our neighbors, DO GOOD to our enemies, and TEACH the Gospel of Christ TO THOSE WHO WILL HEAR: and that is what we've been authorized to do. Be wary of any "Christian" who does contrary to this. The self righteous will be brought down low.