Rick Brentlinger's Response
to Colin Smith's NIV Update Website

Dec 6, 2009

Colin Smith wrote the following letter:

Hi Mary

ChristianGays.Com may be aware that the New International Version of the Bible (NIV) is being updated and input from the general public is sought at a special new NIV website.

Your organization may already have some suggestions for updating the NIV. In addition, ChristianGays.com may wish to suggest that "male prostitutes" and "homosexual offenders" (1 Corinthians 6:9) and "perverts" (1 Timothy 1:10) be replaced by the more accurate and less offensive "men who have sex with men".

Details about the problem caused by the current words and what your organization can do to overcome the problem can be seen on my "NIV Update" website at http://gaytales.web.officelive.com/default.aspx. The site includes suggested comments and some Questions and Answers.

Your organization may wish to send copies of this email to others.

The deadline for submitting comments to NIV website is December 31, 2009.

Yours faithfully,

Colin Smith

I must admit that I didn't think the terminology of "men who have sex with men" was much better, but without researching further, I endorsed Colin's website.

While I believe that Colin has a good heart and good intentions, I am grateful that Rick Brentlinger (Gay Christian 101), who is a Bible scholar extraordinaire, keeps tabs on me (thank you Jesus!) and corrected my error. Please read Rick's response to my (mistaken) endorsement of Colin's website.

Hi Mary-

Thank you for your faithfulness in sending out CGNews Update. You mentioned Colin Smith's website, which suggests we ask the NIV folks to translate 1 Cor 6:9 as "men who have sex with men."

To suggest THAT as an accurate rendering of malakoi and arsenokoitai is deeply offensive to gay men for many reasons.

First, malakoi and arsenokoitai are rarely, if ever used with that meaning (according to conservative heterosexual scholar, Dr. Gordon Fee).

I list the first 56 uses of the arsenokoit stem on my website (which covers the times the word is found in Greek literature during the first 600 years of church history). arsenokoitai was NEVER used with the meaning, "men who have sex with men" in its first 56 uses during the first 600 years of church history.

The Greek word, arsenokoitai, where there is enough information in the context to guess at its meaning, indicated:

1. Rape
2. Humans having sex with angels, or
3. A man having sex with his wife

Second, switching from "homosexual" to "men who have sex with men" does nothing to improve the translational difficulties of the NIV. To phrase it, "men who have sex with men" is a flat-out blast at EVERY gay man in committed partnership. It makes the verse say that gay men in committed partnership will NOT have a heavenly inheritance or will NOT go to heaven.

Third, there is absolutely NO linguistic evidence that Greek speaking people in the first century used the word arsenokoitai to mean "men who have sex with men."

Fourth, "men who have sex with men" is an interpretation of 1 Cor 6:9 based on anti-gay bias and guesswork, not historic usage of arsenokoitai. Dr. Gordon Fee, noted heterosexual Greek scholar (in his commentary on 1 Corinthians), admits that translating 1 Cor 6:9 to mean "homosexual" is "a best guess." He then admits that we do not know what the word arsenokoitai means.

In my opinion, it sends the wrong message to ask gays and lesbians to request that the NIV committee translate 1 Cor 6:9 in a way that attacks gay men in committed partnership, "men who have sex with men," when there is NO historical evidence that anyone in the first century used arsenokoitai with that meaning.

I received the same email from Colin Smith, that you referred to and wondered at the time why anyone would be asking gay folks to participate in our own condemnation. If there was historical substantiation that arsenokoitai meant "men who have sex with men," then the anti-gay crowd might have a case.

But given the fact that there is no historical evidence which points to arsenokoitai meaning, "men who have sex with men," it is a horrible attack on gay men in committed partnership to suggest THAT as the meaning.

"Men who have sex with men" is NOT more accurate and is NOT less offensive.

Much love to you,

Your brother in Christ,

Rick Brentlinger
Define Arsenokoites

My comments to the NIV website are as follows:

I am so glad that you are updating the beloved NIV in an attempt to strive for even greater accuracy of what the original Bible authors intended to convey. This will certainly benefit all who endeavour to understand God's word. Thank you!

I am in a minority group, namely that of being a Christian lesbian. As you know, current Bible translations impart a negative attitude toward homosexuals when in reality homosexuality as an orientation was unknown until about a hundred years ago, so the Bible authors could not have written about it. They knew about same-sex acts which, if they thought were indulged in by heterosexuals, would of course be lustful and unnatural. I am certainly in agreement there, however it is a complicated subject which requires dedicated investigation. I believe when all the facts are known, that your translators will be less likely to convey condemnation of gays, in favour of more accurate words.

It is critical to millions of marginalized people that the verses in question be interpreted as precisely as possible. To this end I would ask that your translators read Rick Brentlinger's book, Gay Christian 101, before attempting to translate any of the "clobber verses" used against us.

Many thanks for your consideration!
God bless,
Mary Pearson
ChristianGays.com

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