1 Corinthians 6:9

1 Corinthians 6:9

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

a. NLT: Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. NIV: 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. [THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.]

c. YLT: have ye not known that the unrighteous the reign of God shall not inherit? be not led astray; neither whoremongers, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor sodomites, [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Amplified Bible:  Do you not know that the unrighteous and the wrongdoers will not inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived (misled): neither the impure and immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor those who participate in homosexuality, [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

e. Worrell Translation: Or know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, not adulterers, not effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men, [Copyright 1904 by A.S. Worrell. Copyright assigned to the Assemblies of God, Springfield, MO. This edition was published 1980 by the Gospel Publishing House, Springfield, MO 65802. Printed in the U.S.A.]

f. Wuest Translation: Or do you not know that unrighteous individuals will not inherit God’s kingdom? Stop being deceived; neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor those who are of a voluptuous nature, given to the gratification of sensual, immoral appetites, neither men who are guilty of sexual intercourse with members of their own sex, [The New Testament: An Expanded Translation by Kenneth S. Wuest. Ⓒ Copyright Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. 1961. All rights reserved.]

1. “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?...”

a. [2228 * e] [Strong: a primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than:--and, but (either), (n-)either, except it be, (n-)or (else), rather, save, than, that, what, yea. Often used in connection with other particles.]

b. know ye [1492 * eido] [Strong: a primary verb; used only in certain past tenses, the others being borrowed from the equivalent 3700 and 3708; properly, to see (literally or figuratively); by implication, (in the perfect tense only) to know:--be aware, behold, X can (+ not tell), consider, (have) know(-ledge), look (on), perceive, see, be sure, tell, understand, wish, wot.]

c. not [3756 * ou] [Strong: also (before a vowel) ouk ook, and (before an aspirate) ouch ookh a primary word; the absolute negative (compare 3361) adverb; no or not:--+ long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but.]

d. that [3754 * hoti] [Strong: neuter of 3748 as conjunction; demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because:--as concerning that, as though, because (that), for (that), how (that), (in) that, though, why.]

e. the unrighteous [94 * adikos; a-without; dike-justice] [Strong: from 1 (as a negative particle) and 1349; unjust; by extension wicked; by implication, treacherous; specially, heathen:--unjust, unrighteous.]

f. shall…inherit [2816 * kleronomeo] [Strong: from 2818; to be an heir to (literally or figuratively):--be heir, (obtain by) inherit(-ance).]

g. not [3756 * ou] [Strong: also (before a vowel) ouk ook, and (before an aspirate) ouch ookh a primary word; the absolute negative (compare 3361) adverb; no or not:--+ long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but.]

h. the kingdom [932 * basileia] [Strong:  from 935; properly, royalty, i.e. (abstractly) rule, or (concretely) a realm (literally or figuratively):--kingdom, + reign.]

i. of God [2316 * theos] [Strong: of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with 3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very:--X exceeding, God, god(-ly, -ward).] 

1). The passage begins with a rhetorical question. I can’t help but see that Paul expected them to know the correct answer, perhaps with a small amount of sarcasm. 

2). This is not talking about just going to heaven, although it does mean that. This is talking about receiving our inheritance by faith here on earth; receiving the promises. I believe that some Christians do not receive the promises that are clearly in our inheritance regardless of seemingly praying in faith because they are walking in the flesh, in disobedience.

2. “…Be not deceived…” 

a. Be…deceived [4105 * planao] [Zodhiates: To cause to wander, lead astray, cause to err, mislead, deceive, seduce.] [Strong: from 4106; to (properly, cause to) roam (from safety, truth, or virtue):--go astray, deceive, err, seduce, wander, be out of the way.]

b. not [3361 * me] [Strong: a primary particle of qualified negation (whereas 3756 expresses an absolute denial); (adverb) not, (conjunction) lest; also (as an interrogative implying a negative answer (whereas 3756 expects an affirmative one)) whether:--any but (that), X forbear, + God forbid, + lack, lest, neither, never, no (X wise in), none, nor, (can-)not, nothing, that not, un(-taken), without. Often used in compounds in substantially the same relations.]

1). Paul warns us here to not be deceived. This clearly places the responsibility on us not to be deceived. Not to be deceived by the following behaviors. He repeated this warning in Ephesians.

a). Ephesians 5:5-7 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 

5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

5:7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

b). Notice in the Ephesian passage he adds not to be deceived with “vain words”. Surely the “vain words” he is referring to are arguments used by the culture of the individual or groups to uphold or defend and sustain the behavior. The mythology surrounding sexual orientation defending homosexuality can be applied here. 

c). Paul then gives a list of behaviors that will prevent a believer from not only going to heaven but also preventing them from experiencing the full and total salvation involved in the new birth.

3. “…neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind...”

a. neither [3777 * oute] [Strong: from 3756 and 5037; not too, i.e. neither or nor; by analogy, not even:--neither, none, nor (yet), (no, yet) not, nothing.]

b. fornicators [4205 * pornos] [Zodhiates: A whoremonger or male prostitute, a fornicator]

c. nor [3777 * oute] [Strong: from 3756 and 5037; not too, i.e. neither or nor; by analogy, not even:--neither, none, nor (yet), (no, yet) not, nothing.]

d. idolaters [1496 * eidololatres; eidolon-an idol, likeness, phantom; latris-a hireling, servant] [Strong: from 1497 and the base of 3000; an image- (servant or) worshipper (literally or figuratively):--idolater.] [DC: an idolator is a servant or slave to an idol.]

e. nor [3777 * oute] [Strong: from 3756 and 5037; not too, i.e. neither or nor; by analogy, not even:--neither, none, nor (yet), (no, yet) not, nothing.]

f. adulterers [3432 * moichos] [Strong:  perhaps a primary word; a (male) paramour; figuratively, apostate:--adulterer.]

g. nor [3777 * oute] [Strong: from 3756 and 5037; not too, i.e. neither or nor; by analogy, not even:--neither, none, nor (yet), (no, yet) not, nothing.]

h. effeminate [3120 * malakos] [Zodhiates: Figuratively it means a person who allows himself to be abused sexually contrary to nature. Fornicators (pornos) do it for hire, while effeminate (malakos) just do it.] [Strong: of uncertain affinity; soft, i.e. fine (clothing); figuratively, a catamite:--effeminate, soft.] [Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown Commentary: self-polluters, who submit to unnatural lusts.]

i. nor [3777 * oute] [Strong: from 3756 and 5037; not too, i.e. neither or nor; by analogy, not even:--neither, none, nor (yet), (no, yet) not, nothing.]

j. abusers of themselves with mankind [733 * arsenokoites; arsen-a male; koite-a bed] [Zodhiates: a man who lies in bed with another man, a homosexual.] [Strong: from 730 and 2845; a sodomite:--abuser of (that defile) self with mankind.]

1). The Bible And Homosexual Practice, Robert A. J. Gagnon, p 315. “As David F. Wright has persuasively argued, arsenokoites was probably coined by Hellenistic Jews from a conflation of two Greek words appearing in the Septuagint’s rendering of Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13: meta arsenos ou koimethese koiten gynaikeian (Leviticus 18:22); hos an koimethe meta arsenos koiten gynaikos (Leviticus 20:13). The Greek word for “male” is arsen and the word for “bed” or “lying” is koite (related to the verb keisthai, “to lie”), to which has been attached a masculine personal suffix –(t)es denoting the agent or doer of the action (a man/one who…”)