Genesis 15:16

15:16 In the fourth generation ¹  your descendants ²  will return here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its limit.” ³ 

Genesis 18:20

18:20 So the Lord said, “The outcry against ⁴  Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so blatant ⁵ 

Genesis 19:4-11

19:4 Before they could lie down to sleep, ⁶  all the men – both young and old, from every part of the city of Sodom – surrounded the house. ⁷  19:5 They shouted to Lot, ⁸  “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so we can have sex ⁹  with them!”

19:6 Lot went outside to them, shutting the door behind him. 19:7 He said, “No, my brothers! Don’t act so wickedly! ¹⁰  19:8 Look, I have two daughters who have never had sexual relations with ¹¹  a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do to them whatever you please. ¹²  Only don’t do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection ¹³  of my roof.” ¹⁴ 

19:9 “Out of our way!” ¹⁵  they cried, and “This man came to live here as a foreigner, ¹⁶  and now he dares to judge us! ¹⁷  We’ll do more harm ¹⁸  to you than to them!” They kept ¹⁹  pressing in on Lot until they were close enough ²⁰  to break down the door.

19:10 So the men inside ²¹  reached out ²²  and pulled Lot back into the house ²³  as they shut the door. 19:11 Then they struck the men who were at the door of the house, from the youngest to the oldest, ²⁴  with blindness. The men outside ²⁵  wore themselves out trying to find the door.

Genesis 19:1

The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah

19:1 The two angels came to Sodom in the evening while ²⁶  Lot was sitting in the city’s gateway. ²⁷  When Lot saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face toward the ground.

Genesis 15:18

15:18 That day the Lord made a covenant ²⁸  with Abram: “To your descendants I give ²⁹  this land, from the river of Egypt ³⁰  to the great river, the Euphrates River –

Isaiah 1:9

1:9 If the Lord who commands armies ³¹  had not left us a few survivors,

we would have quickly become like Sodom, ³² 

we would have become like Gomorrah.

Isaiah 3:9

3:9 The look on their faces ³³  testifies to their guilt; ³⁴ 

like the people of Sodom they openly boast of their sin. ³⁵ 

Too bad for them! ³⁶ 

For they bring disaster on themselves.

Ezekiel 16:46-50

16:46 Your older sister was Samaria, who lived north ³⁷  of you with her daughters, and your younger sister, who lived south ³⁸  of you, was Sodom ³⁹  with her daughters. 16:47 Have you not copied their behavior ⁴⁰  and practiced their abominable deeds? In a short time ⁴¹  you became even more depraved in all your conduct than they were! 16:48 As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, your sister Sodom and her daughters never behaved as wickedly as you and your daughters have behaved.

16:49 “‘See here – this was the iniquity ⁴²  of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters had majesty, abundance of food, and enjoyed carefree ease, but they did not help ⁴³  the poor and needy. 16:50 They were haughty and practiced abominable deeds before me. Therefore when I saw it I removed them.

Matthew 9:10

9:10 As ⁴⁴  Jesus ⁴⁵  was having a meal ⁴⁶  in Matthew’s ⁴⁷  house, many tax collectors ⁴⁸  and sinners came and ate with Jesus and his disciples.

Matthew 9:13

9:13 Go and learn what this saying means: ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice.’ ⁴⁹  For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Matthew 11:23-24

11:23 And you, Capernaum, ⁵⁰  will you be exalted to heaven? ⁵¹  No, you will be thrown down to Hades! ⁵²  For if the miracles done among you had been done in Sodom, it would have continued to this day. 11:24 But I tell you, it will be more bearable for the region of Sodom ⁵³  on the day of judgment than for you!”

John 9:24

9:24 Then they summoned ⁵⁴  the man who used to be blind ⁵⁵  a second time and said to him, “Promise before God to tell the truth. ⁵⁶  We know that this man ⁵⁷  is a sinner.”

John 9:31

9:31 We know that God doesn’t listen to ⁵⁸  sinners, but if anyone is devout ⁵⁹  and does his will, God ⁶⁰  listens to ⁶¹  him. ⁶² 

Romans 1:27

1:27 and likewise the men also abandoned natural relations with women ⁶³  and were inflamed in their passions ⁶⁴  for one another. Men ⁶⁵  committed shameless acts with men and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

Romans 1:2

1:2 This gospel ⁶⁶  he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures,

Romans 2:6-8

2:6 He ⁶⁷  will reward ⁶⁸  each one according to his works: ⁶⁹  2:7 eternal life to those who by perseverance in good works seek glory and honor and immortality, 2:8 but ⁷⁰  wrath and anger to those who live in selfish ambition ⁷¹  and do not obey the truth but follow ⁷²  unrighteousness.

Romans 2:10

2:10 but ⁷³  glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, for the Jew first and also the Greek.

Jude 1:7

1:7 So also ⁷⁴  Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighboring towns, ⁷⁵  since they indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire ⁷⁶  in a way similar to ⁷⁷  these angels, ⁷⁸  are now displayed as an example by suffering the punishment of eternal fire.

[15:16]  ¹ sn The term generation is being used here in its widest sense to refer to a full life span. When the chronological factors are considered and the genealogies tabulated, there are four hundred years of bondage. This suggests that in this context a generation is equivalent to one hundred years.

[15:16]  ² tn Heb “they”; the referent (“your descendants”) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[15:16]  ³ tn Heb “is not yet complete.”

[18:20]  ⁴ tn Heb “the outcry of Sodom,” which apparently refers to the outcry for divine justice from those (unidentified persons) who observe its sinful ways.

[18:20]  ⁵ tn Heb “heavy.”

[19:4]  ⁶ tn The verb שָׁכַב (shakhav) means “to lie down, to recline,” that is, “to go to bed.” Here what appears to be an imperfect is a preterite after the adverb טֶרֶם (terem). The nuance of potential (perfect) fits well.

[19:4]  ⁷ tn Heb “and the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, from the young to the old, all the people from the end [of the city].” The repetition of the phrase “men of” stresses all kinds of men.

[19:5]  ⁸ tn The Hebrew text adds “and said to him.” This is redundant in English and has not been translated for stylistic reasons.

[19:5]  ⁹ tn The Hebrew verb יָדַע (yada’, “to know”) is used here in the sense of “to lie with” or “to have sex with” (as in Gen 4:1). That this is indeed the meaning is clear from Lot’s warning that they not do so wickedly, and his willingness to give them his daughters instead.

[19:7]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “may my brothers not act wickedly.”

[19:8]  ¹¹ tn Heb “who have not known.” Here this expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[19:8]  ¹² tn Heb “according to what is good in your eyes.”

[19:8]  ¹³ tn Heb “shadow.”

[19:8]  ¹⁴ sn This chapter portrays Lot as a hypocrite. He is well aware of the way the men live in his city and is apparently comfortable in the midst of it. But when confronted by the angels, he finally draws the line. But he is nevertheless willing to sacrifice his daughters’ virginity to protect his guests. His opposition to the crowds leads to his rejection as a foreigner by those with whom he had chosen to live. The one who attempted to rescue his visitors ends up having to be rescued by them.

[19:9]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “approach out there” which could be rendered “Get out of the way, stand back!”

[19:9]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “to live as a resident alien.”

[19:9]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “and he has judged, judging.” The infinitive absolute follows the finite verbal form for emphasis. This emphasis is reflected in the translation by the phrase “dares to judge.”

[19:9]  ¹⁸ tn The verb “to do wickedly” is repeated here (see v. 7). It appears that whatever “wickedness” the men of Sodom had intended to do to Lot’s visitors – probably nothing short of homosexual rape – they were now ready to inflict on Lot.

[19:9]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “and they pressed against the man, against Lot, exceedingly.”

[19:9]  ²⁰ tn Heb “and they drew near.”

[19:10]  ²¹ tn Heb “the men,” referring to the angels inside Lot’s house. The word “inside” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[19:10]  ²² tn The Hebrew text adds “their hand.” These words have not been translated for stylistic reasons.

[19:10]  ²³ tn Heb “to them into the house.”

[19:11]  ²⁴ tn Heb “from the least to the greatest.”

[19:11]  ²⁵ tn Heb “they”; the referent (the men of Sodom outside the door) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[19:1]  ²⁶ tn The disjunctive clause is temporal here, indicating what Lot was doing at the time of their arrival.

[19:1]  ²⁷ tn Heb “sitting in the gate of Sodom.” The phrase “the gate of Sodom” has been translated “the city’s gateway” for stylistic reasons.

[15:18]  ²⁸ tn Heb “cut a covenant.”

[15:18]  ²⁹ tn The perfect verbal form is understood as instantaneous (“I here and now give”). Another option is to understand it as rhetorical, indicating certitude (“I have given” meaning it is as good as done, i.e., “I will surely give”).

[15:18]  ³⁰ sn The river of Egypt is a wadi (a seasonal stream) on the northeastern border of Egypt, not to the River Nile.

[1:9]  ³¹ tn Traditionally, “the Lord of hosts.” The title pictures God as the sovereign king who has at his disposal a multitude of attendants, messengers, and warriors to do his bidding. In some contexts, like this one, the military dimension of his rulership is highlighted. In this case, the title pictures him as one who leads armies into battle against his enemies.

[1:9]  ³² tc The translation assumes that כִּמְעָט (kim’at, “quickly,” literally, “like a little”) goes with what follows, contrary to the MT accents, which take it with what precedes. In this case, one could translate the preceding line, “If the Lord who commands armies had not left us a few survivors.” If כִּמְעָט goes with the preceding line (following the MT accents), this expression highlights the idea that there would only be a few survivors (H. Wildberger, Isaiah, 1:20; H. Zobel, TDOT 8:456). Israel would not be almost like Sodom but exactly like Sodom.

[3:9]  ³³ sn This refers to their proud, arrogant demeanor.

[3:9]  ³⁴ tn Heb “answers against them”; NRSV “bears witness against them.”

[3:9]  ³⁵ tn Heb “their sin, like Sodom, they declare, they do not conceal [it].”

[3:9]  ³⁶ tn Heb “woe to their soul.”

[16:46]  ³⁷ tn Heb “left.”

[16:46]  ³⁸ tn Heb “right.”

[16:46]  ³⁹ sn Sodom was the epitome of evil (Deut 29:23; 32:32; Isa 1:9-10; 3:9; Jer 23:14; Lam 4:6; Matt 10:15; 11:23-24; Jude 7).

[16:47]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “walked in their ways.”

[16:47]  ⁴¹ tn The Hebrew expression has a temporal meaning as illustrated by the use of the phrase in 2 Chr 12:7.

[16:49]  ⁴² tn Or “guilt.”

[16:49]  ⁴³ tn Heb “strengthen the hand of.”

[9:10]  ⁴⁴ tn Grk “And it happened that while.” The introductory phrase καὶ ἐγένετο (kai egeneto, “it happened that”) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[9:10]  ⁴⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[9:10]  ⁴⁶ tn Grk “was reclining at table.”

[9:10]  ⁴⁷ tn Grk “in the house.” The Greek article is used here in a context that implies possession, and the referent of the implied possessive pronoun (Matthew) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:10]  ⁴⁸ sn See the note on tax collectors in 5:46.

[9:13]  ⁴⁹ sn A quotation from Hos 6:6 (see also Matt 12:7).

[11:23]  ⁵⁰ sn Capernaum was a town on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, 680 ft (204 m) below sea level. It was a major trade and economic center in the North Galilean region.

[11:23]  ⁵¹ tn The interrogative particle introducing this question expects a negative reply.

[11:23]  ⁵² sn In the OT, Hades was known as Sheol. It is the place where the unrighteous will reside (Luke 10:15; 16:23; Rev 20:13-14).

[11:24]  ⁵³ sn The allusion to Sodom, the most wicked of OT cities from Gen 19:1-29, shows that to reject the current message is even more serious, and will result in more severe punishment, than the worst sins of the old era. The phrase region of Sodom is in emphatic position in the Greek text.

[9:24]  ⁵⁴ tn Grk “they called.”

[9:24]  ⁵⁵ tn Grk “who was blind.”

[9:24]  ⁵⁶ tn Grk “Give glory to God” (an idiomatic formula used in placing someone under oath to tell the truth).

[9:24]  ⁵⁷ tn The phrase “this man” is a reference to Jesus.

[9:31]  ⁵⁸ tn Grk “God does not hear.”

[9:31]  ⁵⁹ tn Or “godly.”

[9:31]  ⁶⁰ tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:31]  ⁶¹ tn Or “hears.”

[9:31]  ⁶² tn Grk “this one.”

[1:27]  ⁶³ tn Grk “likewise so also the males abandoning the natural function of the female.”

[1:27]  ⁶⁴ tn Grk “burned with intense desire” (L&N 25.16).

[1:27]  ⁶⁵ tn Grk “another, men committing…and receiving,” continuing the description of their deeds. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[1:2]  ⁶⁶ tn Grk “the gospel of God, which he promised.” Because of the length and complexity of this sentence in Greek, it was divided into shorter English sentences in keeping with contemporary English style. To indicate the referent of the relative pronoun (“which”), the word “gospel” was repeated at the beginning of v. 2.

[2:6]  ⁶⁷ tn Grk “who.” The relative pronoun was converted to a personal pronoun and, because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[2:6]  ⁶⁸ tn Or “will render,” “will recompense.” In this context Paul is setting up a hypothetical situation, not stating that salvation is by works.

[2:6]  ⁶⁹ sn A quotation from Ps 62:12; Prov 24:12; a close approximation to Matt 16:27.

[2:8]  ⁷⁰ tn This contrast is clearer and stronger in Greek than can be easily expressed in English.

[2:8]  ⁷¹ tn Grk “those who [are] from selfish ambition.”

[2:8]  ⁷² tn Grk “are persuaded by, obey.”

[2:10]  ⁷³ tn Grk “but even,” to emphasize the contrast. The second word has been omitted since it is somewhat redundant in English idiom.

[1:7]  ⁷⁴ tn Grk “as.”

[1:7]  ⁷⁵ tn Grk “the towns [or cities] surrounding them.”

[1:7]  ⁷⁶ tn Grk “strange flesh.” This phrase has been variously interpreted. It could refer to flesh of another species (such as angels lusting after human flesh). This would aptly describe the sin of the angels, but not easily explain the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah. It could refer to the homosexual practices of the Sodomites, but a difficulty arises from the use of ἕτερος ({etero"; “strange,” “other”). When this is to be distinguished from ἄλλος (allos, “another”) it suggests “another of a different kind.” If so, would that properly describe homosexual behavior? In response, the language could easily be compact: “pursued flesh other than what was normally pursued.” However, would this find an analogy in the lust of angels (such would imply that angels normally had sexual relations of some sort, but cf. Matt 22:30)? Another alternative is that the focus of the parallel is on the activity of the surrounding cities and the activity of the angels. This is especially plausible since the participles ἐκπορνεύσασαι (ekporneusasai, “having indulged in sexual immorality”) and ἀπελθοῦσαι (apelqousai, “having pursued”) have concord with “cities” (πόλεις, poleis), a feminine plural noun, rather than with Sodom and Gomorrah (both masculine nouns). If so, then their sin would not necessarily have to be homosexuality. However, most likely the feminine participles are used because of constructio ad sensum (construction according to sense). That is, since both Sodom and Gomorrah are cities, the feminine is used to imply that all the cities are involved. The connection with angels thus seems to be somewhat loose: Both angels and Sodom and Gomorrah indulged in heinous sexual immorality. Thus, whether the false teachers indulge in homosexual activity is not the point; mere sexual immorality is enough to condemn them.

[1:7]  ⁷⁷ tn Or “in the same way as.”

[1:7]  ⁷⁸ tn “Angels” is not in the Greek text; but the masculine demonstrative pronoun most likely refers back to the angels of v. 6.