Matthew 5:38 known as the principle of "lex talionis", is an ancient statement of the principle of retributive punishment dating back to the Code of Hammurabi. This phrasing appears several times in the Old Testament at Exodus 21:24, Leviticus 24:20, and Deuteronomy 19:21. This was a moderate rule compared with the blood feuds described in Genesis 4:23-24. The New Testament scholar R. T. France notes that by Jesus' era such punishments were no longer in practice, rather they had been replaced with fines judged to be of equal value to the damage caused. Thus, according to France, Jesus is not here condemning
Homosexuality in the New Testament Homosexuality in the New Testament In the New Testament (NT) there are at least three passages that refer to homosexual activity: Romans 1:26–27, 1 Corinthians 6:9–10, and 1 Timothy 1:9–10. A fourth passage, Jude 1:7, is often interpreted as referring to homosexuality. Jesus only discusses marriage in a heterosexual context when he cites the Book of Genesis during a discussion of marriage (Matthew 19:4-6 and Mark 10:6-9). The references to 'homosexuality' itself in the New Testament hinge on the interpretation of three specific Greek words: "arsenokoitēs" (ἀρσενοκοίτης), "malakos" (μαλακός), and "porneia" (πορνεία) and its cognates. While it is not disputed