Romans 1:27

Romans 1:27

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.

a. NLT: And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.

b. NIV: 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.

c. Young’s Literal Translation: and in like manner also the males having left the natural use of the female, did burn in their longing toward one another; males with males working shame, and the recompense of their error that was fit, in themselves receiving.

d. Amplified Bible: And the men also turned from natural relations with women and were set ablaze (burning out, consumed) with lust for one another—men committing shameful acts with men and suffering in their own bodies and personalities the inevitable consequences and penalty of their wrong-doing and going astray, which was [their] fitting retribution.

e. Worrell Translation: and, in like manner, the men also, leaving the natural use of the women, burned in their desires one for another; men with men working unseemliness, and receiving in themselves the recompense of their error, which was due.

f. Wuest Translation: And likewise also the males, having put aside the natural use of the females, burned themselves out in their lustful appetite toward one another, males with males carrying to its ultimate conclusion that which is shameful, receiving in themselves that retribution which was a necessity in the nature of the case because of their deviation from the norm.

1. “And likewise also the men…”

a. and [Strong: 5037 te the; a primary particle (enclitic) of connection or addition; both or also (properly, as correlation of 2532):--also, and, both, even, then, whether. Often used in composition, usually as the latter participle.]

b. likewise [Strong: 3668 homoios hom-oy'-oce;  adverb from 3664; similarly:--likewise, so.]

c. also [Strong: 2532 kai, ka-hee; apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

d. the men [Strong: 730 arrhen, ar'-hrane; probably from 142; male (as stronger for lifting):--male, man.]

1). The same descriptions apply to the men as well as the women. “Likewise”, the men and the women left the natural order, etc.

2. “…leaving the natural use of the woman…”

a. leaving [Strong: 863 aphiemi; apo-from; hiemi-to send; af-ee'-ay-mee; to send forth, in various applications (as follow):--cry, forgive, forsake, lay aside, leave, let (alone, be, go, have), omit, put (send) away, remit, suffer, yield up.] [Zodhiates: to send forth or away, let go from oneself.]

b. the natural [Strong: 5446 phusikos,  foo-see-kos'; "physical", i.e. (by implication) instinctive:--natural.] [Zodhiates: Natural, as established by God in nature (Rom. 1:26, 27). [The English word physical is derived from it.]

c. use [Strong: 5540 chresis, khray'-sis; employment, i.e. (specially), sexual intercourse (as an occupation of the body):--use.] [Zodhiates: Use, the act (usage) or manner (use) of using (Romans 1:26, 27 of the body in sexual intercourse).]

d. the woman [Strong: 2338 thelus, thay'-loos; from the same as 2337; female:--female, woman.]

2. “…burned in their lust one toward another…”

a. burned [Strong: 1572 ekkaio ek-kah'-yo from 1537 and 2545; to inflame deeply:--burn.]    [Zodhiates: To cause to burn or flame up. Trans., meaning to kindle (Sept. Exodus 22:6; Judges 15:5). In the NT…to burn out, flame up; meaning to be inflamed, burn furiously; metaphorically with lust (Romans 1:27); anger (Sept.: Dueteronomy 29:20; Psalm 2:12; Jeremiah 4:4).]

b. in [Strong: 1722 en, en; a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]

c. their [Strong: 846 autos, ow-tos; from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

d. lust [Strong: 3715 orexis or'-ex-is from 3713; excitement of the mind, i.e. longing after:--lust.] [Zodhiates: Appetite, lust or concupiscence (Romans 1:27). It is always the reaching out after an object with the purpose of drawing it to oneself and appropriating it.]

e. one…another [Strong: 240 allelon,  al-lay'-lone; Genitive plural from 243 reduplicated; one another:--each other, mutual, one another, (the other), (them-, your-)selves, (selves) together (sometimes with 3326 or 4314).]

f. toward [Strong: 1519 eis, ice; a primary preposition; to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases:--(abundant-)ly, against, among, as, at, (back-)ward, before, by, concerning, + continual, + far more exceeding, for (intent, purpose), fore, + forth, in (among, at, unto, -so much that, -to), to the intent that, + of one mind, + never, of, (up-)on, + perish, + set at one again, (so) that, therefore(-unto), throughout, til, to (be, the end, -ward), (here-)until(-to), ...ward, (where-)fore, with. Often used in composition with the same general import, but only with verbs (etc.) expressing motion (literally or figuratively).]

1). Here these men neglected and forsook the natural law or physical order of sexual intercourse with women. These men were inflamed with sexual desire toward each other desiring to draw each other to themselves and appropriating them.

2. “…men with men working that which is unseemly,…”

a. men [Strong: 730 arrhen ar'-hrane or arsen ar'-sane; male (as stronger for lifting):--male, man.]

b. with [Strong: 1722 en, en;with  a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]

c. men [Strong: 730 arrhen ar'-hrane or arsen ar'-sane; male (as stronger for lifting):--male, man.]

d. working [Strong: 2716  katergazomai kat-er-gad'-zom-ahee from 2596 and 2038; to work fully, i.e. accomplish; by implication, to finish, fashion:--cause, to (deed), perform, work (out).] [Zodhiates: to work, work out, to bring about, to carry out a task until its finished, to work, practice: of actions.]

e. that which is unseemly [Strong: 808 aschemosune as-kay-mos-oo'-nay from 809; an indecency; by implication, the pudenda:--shame, that which is unseemly.] [Zodhiates: nakedness, shame, shameful parts.] [It is used in the Septuagint in Exodus 20:26: “Neither shalt thou go up by steeps to mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.” It is also used in the Septuagint in Leviticus 18:6-19 for the word “nakedness”.]

1). Its use in the Septuagint is clear that the word refers to the sexual private parts of males and females. So in Romans 1:27 the Apostle Paul is discreetly referring to the same thing.

2). Don Costello Commentary:  The sexual behaviors of men with men and women with women are not sexual orientations; they are, according to Scripture in Romans 1:26, “vile affections”. The Apostle Paul described their feelings this way in Romans 1:27, these men “burned in their lust one toward another”. The Greek word for “burned” is ekkaio and according to Zodhiates Word Study Dictionary it means “to burn, light, set fire to, to cause to burn or flame up, to kindle”. In the Septuagint, the Greek Old Testament it is used of an actual fire in Exodus 22:6 and Judges 15:5. It is also used metaphorically for the anger of the LORD in Deuteronomy 29:20; Psalm 2:12 and Jeremiah 4:4. The Greek word for “lust” is orexis and according to Zodhiates, it means, “to desire…appetite, lust or concupiscence. It is always the reaching out after an object with the purpose of drawing it to oneself and appropriating it.”  Paul goes on to say in Romans 1:27, “…men with men working that which is unseemly.” The Greek word for “working” according to Zodhiates is katergazomai and it means “to work, to bring about, to carry out a task until it’s finished”. The phrase, “that which is unseemly” is the Greek word aschemosune and it means “indecently, obscenity, nakedness”. In the Septuagint it is used in Exodus 20:26 and Leviticus 18:6, 7 to mean the sexual private parts of male and female. The complete phrase, “men with men working that which is unseemly” is a discreet way of saying, “men engaging in actions with the sexual private parts of another man.” When all the grammar and definitions of Romans 1:27 are put together this is the sum, “the enflamed desire and appetite and lust of a man to appropriate or seize upon and engage in actions with the private sexual parts of other men.” They are not homosexual orientations, they are lusts of the flesh.

3. “…and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.”.

a. and [Strong: 2532 kai, ka-hee; apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

b. receiving [Strong: 618 apolambano ap-ol-am-ban'-o from 575 and 2983; to receive (specially, in full, or as a host); also to take aside:--receive, take.] [Vine: signifies to receive from another, to receive as one’s due.]

c. in [Strong: 1722 * en, en; a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]

d. themselves [Strong: 1438 heautou heh-ow-too'; from a reflexive pronoun otherwise obsolete and the genitive case (dative case or accusative case) of 846; him- (her-, it-, them-, also (in conjunction with the personal pronoun of the other persons) my-, thy-, our-, your-) self (selves), etc.:--alone, her (own, -self), (he) himself, his (own), itself, one (to) another, our (thine) own(-selves), + that she had, their (own, own selves), (of) them(-selves), they, thyself, you, your (own, own conceits, own selves, -selves).]

e. that recompence [Strong: 489  antimisthia an-tee-mis-thee'-ah from a compound of 473 and 3408; requital, correspondence:--recompense.] [Zodhiates: anti-in return; misthia-a reward;  A recompence, either in a good or bad sense, retribution.][Strong:  requital, correspondence:--recompense.]

f. of their [Strong: 846 autos, ow-tos; from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

g. error [Strong: 4106 plane, plan-ay; objectively, fraudulence; subjectively, a straying from orthodoxy or piety:--deceit, to deceive, delusion, error.] [Zodhiates: a wandering out of the right way.]

h. which [Strong: 3739 hos, hos; including feminine he hay, and neuter ho ho probably a primary word (or perhaps a form of the article 3588); the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that:--one, (an-, the) other, some, that, what, which, who(-m, -se), etc.]

i. was meet [Strong: 1163 dei, die 3d person singular active present of 1210; also deon deh-on'; it is (was, etc.) necessary (as binding):--behoved, be meet, must (needs), (be) need(-ful), ought, should.]

1). Romans 6:23 says, “The wages of sin is death;” Hebrews 2:2 says, “For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;” Many sins have their own unique reaping actions. For example, the fornicator does not reap the same thing as the thief, the consequences are different. It is all sin but the “wages” so to speak are different. Here it is saying that very thing.