Geneva translation of 1Cor. 6:9

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Blueridge Believer

Puritan Board Professor
The Geneva Bible has an interesting translation of 1 Cor.6:9. In place of the word "effeminate" it has the word "wantons" and instead of "abusers of themselves with mankind" it uses the word buggerers. I had heard that term used before but thought it was only of recent invention. Doesn't look like the reformers were too kind in thier language when addressing "homosexuals". :eek::lol:

9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not
inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived:
neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers,
nor wantons, nor buggerers,

BTW, a question for those of you who live in the U.K. Would the term buggerers be classified has hate speech?
 
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The words origin us really interesting, being a name for medievel Gnostics (similiar to Cathars) and it gradually became linked to their suspected practices. This entry is pasted from allwords.com:

Etymology: (wikipedia, axxx sxx): The term buggery originated in medieval Europe as an insult used to describe the rumoured same-sex sexual practices of the heretics from the Buggre sect. This sect originated in medieval Bulgaria, where its followers were called bogomils, but when they spread out of the country they were called buggres (from ethnonym Bulgars).

In the UK it is a strange word as it is now fairly neutral (to say that something is broken) a mild swear word or even a term of affection (i.e. you daft bxxxxx), or as has been suggested it is still, sometimes used as an archaic term for sodomy.
 
Like any language, English is a dynamic language and words do change over time. With the word in question it is in the UK is legitimate word when used in relation to its actual meaning and would still mean what it meant in the days of the Geneva bible. However in 99% of the time it is used as a swear word. Words do change and that can be seen with usage of the word 'gay' which has changed beyond recognition in the last 20 years. Likewise wicked is now more commonly used as something good or favourable.
 
Webster's 1828 :

BUG'GER, n. One guilty of the crime against nature. A vile wretch; a term of reproach.

BUG'GERY, n. The unnatural and detestable crime of carnal intercourse of man or woman with a beast; or of human beings unnaturally with each other.
 
Webster's 1828 :

BUG'GER, n. One guilty of the crime against nature. A vile wretch; a term of reproach.

BUG'GERY, n. The unnatural and detestable crime of carnal intercourse of man or woman with a beast; or of human beings unnaturally with each other.


The more I read the Geneva the more I like it.
 
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