Relationships
Updated April 17, 2026
Explore Bible verses about homosexuality with care and understanding to deepen your knowledge and compassion.
Homosexuality is a nuanced issue when it comes to religion, but the Bible offers some clear teachings on the matter. If you want to know how the Bible views homosexual relationships, there are a few crucial texts.
A man shall not commit adultery with another man in the same way that he would with a woman, according to the most often cited passages in the Bible (Leviticus 18:22 and Leviticus 20:13).
The apostle Paul condemns homosexuality as being in opposition to God's natural order and as an outcome of rejecting God in Romans 1:26-27. Further, homosexuality is listed among the sins that will keep a person out of God's kingdom in 1 Corinthians 6:9–10.
Collected verses for 25+ Bible Verses About Homosexuality
Use this section as a reading path or a quiet way back into Scripture when you want the topic gathered in one place.
Verse 1
"Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable."
Understanding: This verse is part of the Old Testament law given to the Israelites. It reflects cultural and ritual practices within ancient Israel regarding relationships and holiness.
Open this reference on BibleGatewayVerse 2
"If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads."
Understanding: This verse also reflects the Levitical laws and covenantal rules given to Israel, which were intended to set Israel apart from other cultures. Many view these laws as specifically related to ancient Israelite culture.
Open this reference on BibleGatewayVerse 3
"Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error."
Understanding: In the New Testament, Paul discusses various behaviors he considers out of line with God's design. This passage is often interpreted in different ways and reflects Paul's views within his cultural and historical context.
Open this reference on BibleGatewayVerse 4
"Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."
Understanding: Paul lists behaviors he views as incompatible with Christian values. Interpretations vary, especially concerning historical and cultural context and specific terms Paul used.
Open this reference on BibleGatewayVerse 5
"We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine."
Understanding: Here, Paul includes certain behaviors he views as sinful, reflecting the moral code he encouraged for early Christians. Interpretations vary regarding historical and cultural context.
Open this reference on BibleGatewayVerse 6
"Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom—both young and old—surrounded the house. They called to Lot, 'Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.'"
Understanding: The story of Sodom and Gomorrah is often discussed in relation to hospitality, justice, and sexual immorality. Interpretations of this story differ, with some seeing it as a condemnation of sexual violence rather than consensual same-sex relationships.
Open this reference on BibleGatewayVerse 7
"‘Haven’t you read,’ he replied, ‘that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.'"
Understanding: Jesus refers to the creation story, emphasizing the marital bond between a man and a woman. This is often cited in discussions on the biblical view of marriage and relationships.
Open this reference on BibleGatewayVerse 8
"But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate."
Understanding: Similar to Matthew 19, Jesus speaks on marriage by referencing creation. This is interpreted by some as an affirmation of traditional marriage.
Open this reference on BibleGatewayVerse 9
"In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire."
Understanding: Jude refers to Sodom and Gomorrah’s judgment due to various sins, often interpreted as a warning against moral and ethical corruption.
Open this reference on BibleGatewayVerse 10
"But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband."
Understanding: Paul provides guidance on marriage and sexual relationships, emphasizing traditional marital roles for stability and moral integrity.
Open this reference on BibleGatewayA strong starting cluster is Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 20:13, and Romans 1:26-27. Those passages surface the tone of the topic quickly and make the rest of the page easier to follow.
Read one reference slowly, write down the line that stays with you, and turn the explanation into a short prayer. A smaller, repeatable rhythm usually helps more than trying to study every passage in one sitting.
The Bible contains more than 31,000 verses. In the King James Version, there are 31,102 verses across 66 books, though totals can vary slightly between translations because some passages are grouped differently.
A Chosen Portion take
Homosexuality does not usually get cleaner by being studied harder. The temptation is to turn Scripture into a coping strategy — to pick a verse, repeat it like a charm, and hope the feeling loosens.
Christ meets the need underneath that. He does not hand you a theology of homosexuality so you can win an argument with yourself. He gives himself. Let Leviticus 18:22 stay with you today, and let him keep company with whatever rose to the surface while you read.
Carry Scripture into prayer with a gentler daily rhythm: reflection, quiet attention, and one faithful conversation at a time.