Old Testament both Jews and Christians have always interpreted the Bible (both the "Old" and "New" Testaments) as an affirmation of the oneness of Almighty God. The Old Testament stresses the special relationship between God and his chosen people, Israel, but includes instructions for proselytes as well. This relationship is expressed in the biblical covenant (contract) between the two, received by Moses. The law codes in books such as Exodus and especially Deuteronomy are the terms of the contract: Israel swears faithfulness to God, and God swears to be Israel's special protector and supporter. Further themes in the Old Testament include salvation,
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