At issue: Does arsenokoitai (ἀρσενοκοῖτα&iota, a Greek word used only twice in the New Testament, mean all same-sex relations or only illicit ones?

The question of how the Bible treats homosexuality, both in terms of sexual orientation and conduct, has become a hot-button topic. Gay rights activists say so-called clobber verses condemning same-sex relations actually refer to temple prostitution and forced sex, not committed partnerships. Evangelicals and others with more orthodox views reject that position, saying the Bible clearly prohibits homosexual acts of any kind.