Origins of "homosexual"
The word "homosexual" did not exist as a lone word in Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek, the languages in which the
Bible was originally written. However, gays are actually part of a group of people in the bible called eunuchs
(an umbrella term). The English word homosexual comes from “homo” (Greek), meaning “the same," and
“sexualis” (Latin), meaning “sex.“ Because the term homosexual is of modern origin, we must be careful
about reading our modern understanding of homosexuality into ancient Biblical texts. The 1946 Revised
Standard Version (RSV) New Testament was the first translation to use the word homosexual. The Oxford
English Dictionary first included the word in it’s 1892 Edition.
Bible was originally written. However, gays are actually part of a group of people in the bible called eunuchs
(an umbrella term). The English word homosexual comes from “homo” (Greek), meaning “the same," and
“sexualis” (Latin), meaning “sex.“ Because the term homosexual is of modern origin, we must be careful
about reading our modern understanding of homosexuality into ancient Biblical texts. The 1946 Revised
Standard Version (RSV) New Testament was the first translation to use the word homosexual. The Oxford
English Dictionary first included the word in it’s 1892 Edition.