The Question We Asked
We began our journey with a question: What does the Bible say about gay and transgender people?
The Verses We Looked At
We found only six verses that mention same sex sexual activity:
- Genesis 19: The story of Sodom & Gomorrah is not about homosexuality. Throughout the Bible, the sins of Sodom are consistently identified as pride, inhospitality, and oppression of the vulnerable—not same-sex relationships.
- Leviticuss 18 & 21: Neither of these two verses say man – man, but more importantly, these are part of the Old Covenant law, which Christians are no longer under. We cannot pick and choose from these laws. Some we abide by and some we don’t? There are many verses regarding sex that we do not abide by, so the answer would not be able to be “cause it’s about sex”.
- Romans 1: Most Bible scholars will agree that the sexual sins that Paul refers to are not loving, mutual, committed relationships. The men and “their women” were going and having orgies with each other. When Pontus would preach on this passage years ago (when we were not affirming), he understood them to speak of sexual immorality; sexual immorality that would be a sin whether the people are homosexual or heterosexual.
- 1 Corinthians & 1 Timothy: The Greek terms used here (arsenokoitai and malakoi) are ambiguous and likely refer to exploitative or abusive behaviors, not mutual, same-gender love. Paul avoids the clear terms for consensual same-sex relationships that were available to him in his time. Instead, he uses Malakoi (does not mean homosexual, see page), and Arsenokoitai (no ancient dictionary defines clearly, and Paul doesn’t explain what he means—so modern scholars must interpret it based on context, usage, and historical background, but it was always used in context of abuse).
We found only two verses that mention gender:
- Genesis 1:27: “Male and female he created them” is the only verse that explicitly speaks of two genders. But ancient writers were unaware of the complexity of human biology—including intersex variations. Jesus quotes this verse in the context of divorce, not to define gender roles or sexual ethics.
- Deuteronomy 22:5: Often cited as a prohibition of cross-dressing, this verse addresses deceptive intent in a cultural context. Like other laws in Deuteronomy, it is part of a covenant no longer binding on Christians.
We looked at the verses that teach about marriage:
- Creation Design: A closer reading of Genesis reveals that the core purpose of marriage is not procreation, gender roles, or complementarity, but companionship. God declares, “It is not good for the human to be alone” (Genesis 2:18), and creates a partner to meet that need. The emphasis is on relationship, not reproduction. Throughout Scripture, marriage is portrayed as a covenant of love, support, and mutual faithfulness—qualities that are not limited by gender.
- One Flesh (Genesis 2:24; 1 Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 5:31; Mark 10:7–9): This phrase refers to covenantal union. It speaks to deep relational commitment.
- Headship (Ephesians 5:22–33): We came to realize this passage has been misused to justify hierarchy. In context, Paul calls for mutual submission and sacrificial love, not dominance or gender roles.
- The Church is like an Un- Married Bride (2 Corinthians 11:2; Revelation 19:7–9; Revelation 21:2, 9–10; Matthew 25:1–13; John 3:29): The metaphor of the Church as a bride is symbolic, not sexual. It points to relational faithfulness, not to gender or physical marriage.
- Marriage Prohibition (1 Timothy 4:3): Paul warns that in the last days, some will wrongly forbid marriage. Scripture tells us that “it is not good for man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18), and that not everyone has the gift of celibacy (1 Corinthians 7:7–9).
We Studied Jesus’ Teaching
We found that Jesus does not condemn gay or transgender people, does not forbid same-gender marriage, nor does he declare that marriage requires two specific genders. He never addresses gender as a condition for love or union.
We did find Jesus to go out of his way, though, to affirm those who were sexually and socially marginalized. In Matthew 19, he acknowledges eunuchs (often understood as intersex or gender-nonconforming people) and says they too have a place in God’s Kingdom.
We also found Jesus teaches us how all laws must be filtered through two central commands: Love God and Love your neighbor (Matthew 22:37–39). He reminds us that “the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27), making clear that laws are meant to serve humanity—not harm it.
We Studied the option of Celibacy
We found that calling someone to permanent celibacy simply because of who they are, can inflict deep psychological and spiritual harm. Both the science world and the Bible warn against this.
Jesus warns us in Mark 9:42 not to cause others to stumble, especially those who are vulnerable. Temporary celibacy before marriage is one thing; forced lifelong celibacy with no hope of intimacy is something entirely different. God designed us for connection, companionship, and covenant.
Jesus modeled a vision of marriage rooted in love, faithfulness, and mutual dignity. He consistently defended the inclusion of those deemed “other” and condemned legalism that weighed people down. His message was clear: God’s laws were given to bring life, not to break the human spirit.
Our Conclusion
After careful study of Scripture, original language, and historical context, we did not find any condemnation towards gay or transgender people. Neither did we find same sex marriage prohibited, nor a two gendered marriage commanded.
Therefore, we concluded that the Bible does not condemn same-sex relationships, gay or transgender people. Being faithful to Scripture for us, meant accepting what we found in the Bible, even if it challenges our long-held assumptions. And being faithful to God means refusing to call something a sin when He does not.
The Conversation
We don’t claim to be perfect and are open to conversation and to correction. We welcome thoughtful, Bible-based engagement.
If you believe we’ve gotten something wrong, please show us where, how and why our interpretation falls short. We do greatly welcome engagement and would love to hear your thoughts.