Relationships
Updated April 17, 2026
Explore Bible verses about homosexuality with care and understanding to deepen your knowledge and compassion.
Verses for 25+ Bible Verses About Homosexuality
Start with one passage. If it catches your attention, stay there before moving through the rest of the list.
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.
Passage 1
"Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable."
Read aloud: Read the verse aloud once without rushing. Then read it again and pause where your attention catches.
In plain words: 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.
Passage 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."
Read aloud: Give this verse room to breathe. Let one word or image stand out before you move to the explanation.
In plain words: 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.
Passage 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."
Read aloud: Try saying the last line slowly, then turn it into a one-sentence prayer in your own words.
In plain words: 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.
Passage 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."
Read aloud: Read the verse aloud once without rushing. Then read it again and pause where your attention catches.
In plain words: Paul lists behaviors he views as incompatible with Christian values. Interpretations vary, especially concerning historical and cultural context and specific terms Paul used.
Passage 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."
Read aloud: Give this verse room to breathe. Let one word or image stand out before you move to the explanation.
In plain words: 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.
Passage 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.'"
Read aloud: Try saying the last line slowly, then turn it into a one-sentence prayer in your own words.
In plain words: 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.
Passage 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.'"
Read aloud: Read the verse aloud once without rushing. Then read it again and pause where your attention catches.
In plain words: 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.
Passage 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."
Read aloud: Give this verse room to breathe. Let one word or image stand out before you move to the explanation.
In plain words: Similar to Matthew 19, Jesus speaks on marriage by referencing creation. This is interpreted by some as an affirmation of traditional marriage.
Passage 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."
Read aloud: Try saying the last line slowly, then turn it into a one-sentence prayer in your own words.
In plain words: Jude refers to Sodom and Gomorrah’s judgment due to various sins, often interpreted as a warning against moral and ethical corruption.
Passage 10
"But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband."
Read aloud: Read the verse aloud once without rushing. Then read it again and pause where your attention catches.
In plain words: Paul provides guidance on marriage and sexual relationships, emphasizing traditional marital roles for stability and moral integrity.
Start with Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 20:13, and Romans 1:26-27. Read one of them aloud before you read the rest, so the page feels less like a list and more like a conversation with Scripture.
Choose one reference, read it slowly, and write the line that stays with you in your own words. Turn that sentence into a short prayer before you move to another passage.
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
Before you turn homosexuality into a list to finish, give yourself a little quiet. Let the verses search your posture toward real people, not an imaginary version of them.
Start with Leviticus 18:22 and read it out loud if you can. Then carry one honest sentence into the rest of the day: a confession, a request, a thank-you, or a small act of obedience.
Take Scripture into prayer with a gentler daily rhythm: reflection, quiet attention, and one faithful conversation at a time.