Meaning of the word "fornication" in New Testatement

[Robert001]

I am having a discussion with someone about the use of that word in the New Testatement. This individual looked up the greek for this word and does not believe that it relates to unmarried people having sex. Is there an authoritative source I can use that will provide the “link” between the CCC definition and what was meant in the NT?

 

[Balian]

One web source that references respected Bible expositors W. E. Vine and Henry Thayer states briefly that the Greek word porneia which is translated fornication in the N.T. describes any illicit sexual intercourse which includes sexual intercourse between two unmarried people. You can read the text verbatim at biblequestions.org/Archives/BQAR315.htm

Porneia is translated fornication 26 times in the N.T. in older translations but is frequently translated as immorality in newer translations. Perhaps this is the point your acquaintance lays claim to. However, if one accepts that fornication is the English equivalent for porneia then one must accept the English definition has not changed as it is defined in Merriam-Webster: “consensual sexual intercourse between two persons not married to each other.”

It’s likely your acquaintance chooses not to accept that fornication is what the Bible presents it to be since it may be inconvenient for his or her lifestyle choices so equally likely no amount of authoritative references will change his or her mind.

 

[BrunoMaria]

The Word fornication appears in both Testaments quite often - which underlines the importance to resist these sins.
It’s in quite a few verses explained what’s meant. I think, it’s clearest in Paul’s letter 1Cor 6,16-12:
16 Do you not know that he who joins himself to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two shall become one.” 17 But he who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. 18 Shun immorality. Every other sin which a man commits is outside the body; but the immoral man sins against his own body. 19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

As far as homosexuality is named, Paul accused sinners of fornication, namely in 1Cor 6,9: Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals - and in my bible; pedophiliac is named too!
And here we this month in another forum had a monk posting; that even opening of suchlike pages in the net fulfills that sin, for every click on such pages supports the execution of that sin; - “others then do it for us, but it’s us who becomes guilty”.

But even before that - in 1Cor 5,1 Paul names explicitly fornication by his word: It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and of a kind that is not found even among pagans; for a man is living with his father’s wife. 2 And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you. 3 For though absent in body I am present in spirit, and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment 4 in the name of the Lord Jesus on the man who has done such a thing. When you are assembled, and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Paul in all points referred here on: Lev 18,7 et seq. - 20,11 - Dtn 27,20. All trespassers where stiffly prosecuted not only in Moses age 1,250 before Christ, but in Roman Law of Jesus’ time as well. It’s not only Sodom and Gomorrah who here destroyed for it’s vie, but several high cultures too where - one of it was the Roman Empire.

But howsoever:
Every created human received with his conception God’s manual - named “Conscience”. So everybody does know what’s right and what’s wrong. He who doesn’t put that manual away. Lost is deliberately.

Yours
Bruno

 

[tqualey]

Hi, Bruno,

I like that … lost their manual deliberately…!

Guess what … on the Last Day… all of these folks who claim to have lost theirs - will be reunited - as they are judged unworthy to be in Heaven.

God bless

The Word fornication appears in both Testaments quite often - which underlines the importance to resist these sins.
It’s in quite a few verses explained what’s meant. I think, it’s clearest in Paul’s letter 1Cor 6,16-12:
16 Do you not know that he who joins himself to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two shall become one.” 17 But he who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. 18 Shun immorality. Every other sin which a man commits is outside the body; but the immoral man sins against his own body. 19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

As far as homosexuality is named, Paul accused sinners of fornication, namely in 1Cor 6,9: Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals - and in my bible; pedophiliac is named too!
And here we this month in another forum had a monk posting; that even opening of suchlike pages in the net fulfills that sin, for every click on such pages supports the execution of that sin; - “others then do it for us, but it’s us who becomes guilty”.

But even before that - in 1Cor 5,1 Paul names explicitly fornication by his word: It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and of a kind that is not found even among pagans; for a man is living with his father’s wife. 2 And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you. 3 For though absent in body I am present in spirit, and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment 4 in the name of the Lord Jesus on the man who has done such a thing. When you are assembled, and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Paul in all points referred here on: Lev 18,7 et seq. - 20,11 - Dtn 27,20. All trespassers where stiffly prosecuted not only in Moses age 1,250 before Christ, but in Roman Law of Jesus’ time as well. It’s not only Sodom and Gomorrah who here destroyed for it’s vie, but several high cultures too where - one of it was the Roman Empire.

But howsoever:
Every created human received with his conception God’s manual - named “Conscience”. So everybody does know what’s right and what’s wrong. He who doesn’t put that manual away. Lost is deliberately.

Yours
Bruno

 

[Joe_Kelley]

The attempts to modernize the meaning of words in the Bible remind me of a comment by Mark Twain., He said it was not the parts of the Bible he didn’t understand that troubled him; it was the parts that he did understand.

 

[stevekehl]

A jew using the word porneia would have understood sexual sins as outlined in the OT, which would include pre-marital sex, adultery, homosexuality, beastiality, incest, and pedophilia. Everyone hearing or reading that in the first century would have understood what it meant. Any honest person knows what it means today.:yup:

 

[BrunoMaria]

I like that … lost their manual deliberately…!

Well - I always when I did things God’s manual told us not to do, but I still did; I for some time didn’t dare to look into a mirror, for I didn’t want to see the face of this sinner.

I am ever so sure, that indeed all feel suchlike. It doesn’t have to be a mirror, but ALL jolly well know when doing wrong or refrain the right; this was bad! God’s manual everyone owns in his very personal language. Some though threw it away.

… on the Last Day… all of these folks who claim to have lost theirs - will be reunited - as they are judged unworthy to be in Heaven.

How very true! But none of us knows, if this LAST DAY might not even be today. All of us are but an arm-length away from God - and so is even the greatest disbeliever! What then little soul - as you excluded yourself from life - the life which is Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth and the life, without whom there remains eternal experienced death.

That’s not off topic <Meaning of the word “fornication” in New Testament> but fornication is the sure way off Jesus’ way - lading into death across God’s wrath.

Yours
Bruno

 

[tqualey]

Hi, Stevekehl,

I agree… In fact, I just do not see how it could honestly be any other way.

God bless

A jew using the word porneia would have understood sexual sins as outlined in the OT, which would include pre-marital sex, adultery, homosexuality, beastiality, incest, and pedophilia. Everyone hearing or reading that in the first century would have understood what it meant. Any honest person knows what it means today.:yup: