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Darkness to Light - Vol. XXIV, No. 3

Darkness to Light Christian Newsletter
Volume XXIV, Number 3
2026

Presented by Darkness to Light Website
Director: Gary F. Zeolla

In This Issue

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Newsletter News

Sexual Sin Words in the ALT: Part One

New on My Fitness Website

New on My Politics Website

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Trusting Genesis and the Gospels

A Defense of Divine Creation, of the Resurrection of Christ, and of Salvation in Christ

This book addresses three vital subjects in regards to the Christian faith.

Available from Amazon in print, ebook, and audiobook formats.

Newsletter News

Once again, I am behind schedule with this issue of the Darkness to Light newsletter. I have been fully occupied with the projects detailed in the introduction of the main article, but as always, health hurdles have played a significant role in the delay.

First, I discovered the hard way that I have developed lactose intolerance. Three days of significant digestive distress left me unable to work or train, putting me well behind schedule. Second, I suffered a significant allergic reaction following a dental appointment, resulting in full-body rashes and intense itching. It is possible this was a reaction to a new supplement (lutein) recommended by my eye doctor rather than the dental visit itself, but either way, I was left physically depleted for three days, leading to further lost work time and missed workouts.

Finally, I have been dealing with ongoing construction outside my home for weeks. This has caused constant issues with noise and diesel fumes infiltrating my living space, and the project is expected to continue for several more weeks.

Despite these setbacks, through the grace of the LORD, I am continuing to push forward with my work on the ALT project and my training for an upcoming powerlifting contest. Your prayers during this time are deeply appreciated.

Sexual Sin Words in the ALT

Part One

By Gary F. Zeolla

This issue of Darkness to Light newsletter will begin a multi-part series on “Sexual Sin Words in the ALT.” This series of articles will then be combined into a chapter in the forthcoming book, Companion Volume: Number Two to the Analytical-Literal Translation of the Bible (CV2). That volume will be published simultaneously with Volume One: The Torah for the forthcoming updated edition of the Analytical-Literal Translation of the Bible (ALT), though those two volumes are not expected until 2027.

The remaining ALT volumes are planned for subsequent years, meaning it will be some time until the entire series is available. Therefore, do not let a forthcoming edition deter you from purchasing the current edition. However, the subject of sexual sin is so acutely relevant to today’s culture that it was deemed best to publish this chapter as a series of newsletter articles now rather than waiting until next year.

This series will overview the various words in the Greek Bible (Old Testament Septuagint, Apocrypha, and New Testament Majority Text) used to describe sexual sins. Following an initial overview, the words will be examined in cognate sets. Note that cognate word sets share the same root but differ in grammatical form and part of speech (e.g., joy [noun], rejoice [verb], joyful [adjective], joyfully [adverb]).

While the bulk of CV2 will consist of a detailed “Translation of Synonymous Words” lexical chart—addressing Greek words in descending order of frequency—this article will arrange them in a more logical, thematic order.

Finally, included within this article are study notes intended for the forthcoming ALT: Study Version. Some of these notes have been summarized with the assistance of AI, based on the longer commentaries found in the two-volume set, God’s Sex Plan, with greater technical precision added from the lexical information to be contained in CV2.

Overview

Biblically, any sexual activity outside the covenant of a male-female marriage is sin. This encompasses all forms of premarital sex—from anonymous encounters to unmarried couples cohabitating. It also includes extramarital sex, prostitution, homosexual activity, incest, rape, pedophilia, and the consumption of pornography.

The most accurate English term to categorize these sinful behaviors is “fornication” and its cognate forms. This aligns with the semantic range of the Greek noun πορνεία (porneía). While adultery is included within the broader concept of πορνεία, the Greek Bible also employs specific terminology to condemn it directly.

In contemporary English, fornication is defined as “consensual sexual intercourse between two persons not married to each other,” whereas adultery is “voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and someone other than that person’s current spouse” (Merriam-Webster). Or, to state it more precisely, adultery applies when at least one party is married, whereas fornication describes two unmarried persons engaging in consensual intercourse.

Homosexual acts and prostitution likewise fall under the umbrella of πορνεία, though specific secondary Greek terms also label them as sin. Incest is equally condemned by the πορνεία categorization, even in the absence of a unique Greek term; the Bible explicitly forbids such acts in passages like Leviticus 18:6-18 and 1Corinthians 5:1-3.

While rape and pedophilia may not be captured by the narrow English definition of “fornication,” they are fully contained within the biblical scope of πορνεία. Though the Greek Bible lacks specific terms for nonconsensual sex, such acts are consistently portrayed as grievous sins (e.g., Deuteronomy 22:25-29; 2Samuel 13:1ff).

Regarding modern pornography, it is significant that our English word derives directly from πορνεία. Pornography portrays the very sins discussed above—from illicit sexual encounters to incest and rape—rendering the “actors” participants in sexual transgression. Furthermore, the Bible condemns the approval and encouragement of such sin (Romans 1:32), but a viewer of pornography actively encourages the industry’s production of further sexual immorality. Additionally, the Bible forbids lusting after someone who is not one’s spouse (Job 31:1; Matthew 5:28), which is the precise purpose of such content. Finally, the Bible often equates the viewing of another’s nakedness with the act of sexual intimacy itself, as the literal rendering of Leviticus 18:6-18 in the ALT demonstrates.

It must also be noted that Scripture frequently compares idol worship to these sexual sins. All such behaviors represent a form of covenantal unfaithfulness: idol worship is unfaithfulness to the one true God, while various forms of sexual sin signify unfaithfulness to one’s covenantal spouse or future marital obligations. A nuanced distinction appears in the prophetic books, where πορνεία (fornication) is often used to describe a lifestyle of habitual covenant-breaking, whereas μοιχεία (adultery) typically refers to the direct, specific betrayal of the marriage bond between the LORD and His people.

Fornication (πορνεία) and Its Cognates

πορνεία:

The primary word for sexual sin in the Greek Bible is πορνεία (porneía), rendered fornication in the ALT. It occurs 75 times in the aggregated Greek Bible—including 26 times in the New Testament. It is a noun that denotes engaging in illicit sexual activity and violating the marital covenantal boundaries of sexual purity. Friberg defines it as “generally, of every kind of extramarital, unlawful, or unnatural sexual intercourse; fornication, sexual immorality, prostitution.”

Figuratively, the Greek Bible uses πορνεία to describe idolatry (Numbers 14:33; Micah 1:7; Revelation 14:8). The connection is thematic: fornication is unfaithfulness toward one’s future spouse, while idolatry is unfaithfulness toward God. While a similar figurative usage appears for most of the other terms addressed in this study, this will be the only instance where it is noted, as the sin of idolatry falls outside the scope of this article.

Translation Note:

In the first two editions of the ALT: NT, πορνεία was translated as “sexual sin.” However, beginning with ALT3, that rendering was changed to “fornication.” The reason is, “sexual sin” was deemed too vague; most modern readers do not immediately associate it with premarital sex. “Fornication,” however, captures that meaning directly, as does πορνεία. This same pattern of translation refinement has been applied to the cognates of πορνεία addressed below.

Finally, it is worth noting that while some claim πορνεία refers exclusively to prostitution, the preceding definition shows it is far broader. The following passages serve as examples of this wider semantic range.

1Corinthians 7:1-3:

¹Now concerning [the things] of which you* wrote to me: [it is] good for a man not to be touching a woman [sexually].

[Note: Paul quotes a Corinthian slogan regarding betrothed couples who were “fooling around” short of intercourse. Marriages were usually prearranged, but engaged couples sometimes spent time together. The Greek term ἅπτεσθαι (háptesthai), “to touch,” is a sexual euphemism (cp. Gen 20:6; Prov 6:29). The present tense implies ongoing, deliberate contact, not a casual brush. Given Proverbs 5:19—which indicates that a woman’s breasts are a sexual body part intended for her husband’s satisfaction—this likely refers to the ongoing caressing of a woman’s breasts. Paul declares such premarital sexual contact “not good”; it belongs exclusively within the marriage covenant.]

²But because of such fornications, let each [man] have [sexually] his own wife, and let each [woman] have [sexually] her own husband. ³Let the husband be rendering the affection being owed to the wife, and likewise also the wife to the husband.

[Note: Paul classifies this “touching” as πορνεία (porneía), “fornications” (plural)—not intercourse per se, but illicit sexual activity outside covenant bounds (cp. 1Cor 6:9-18). His advice is not merely to cease, but to “get married.” If sex outside of marriage were permissible, Paul would have simply instructed them to proceed to sexual intercourse. Instead, he commands marriage followed by mutual sexual duty (vv. 3-5). The sex drive is not to be suppressed but fulfilled in God’s design: exclusively within marriage. True love does not wait indefinitely; true love marries, then satisfies the spouse. This makes the satisfaction of sexual desire an obligation for both husband and wife, but strictly within the marriage covenant.]

1 Thessalonians 4:3-8:

³For this is the will of God, your* sanctification: [for] you* yourselves to be keeping distant from fornication,

[Note: Paul states God’s will bluntly: sanctification is manifested in sexual purity. “Keeping distant from fornication,” utilizing πορνεία (porneía), covers all sexual activity outside the marriage covenant (cp. 1Cor 6:18). Christians do not need to pray about whether premarital sex is allowed; Scripture provides the definitive answer: “No.”]

⁴[for] each of you* to know how to be acquiring his own vessel [fig., wife; cp. 1Pet 3:7] in sanctification and honor,

[Note: The disputed phrase “acquire his own vessel” uses σκεῦος (skeuos), “vessel,” and κτᾶσθαι (ktasthai), “to acquire.” While many versions read “control his own body,” the literal sense and Septuagint usage point to “acquire a wife” (cp. 1Pet 3:7; Ruth 4:10; Sir 36:29). Ktasthai consistently means “acquire, gain, possess”—never “control.” Paul’s remedy for fornication is identical to 1Cor 7:2: obtain a wife in a holy and honorable way, rather than through lust-driven fornication.]

⁵not in lustful passion of desire, just as also the Gentiles, the ones not knowing God, ⁶[so as] not to do wrong and take advantage of his brother [fig., fellow believer] in this matter, because the Lord [is the] avenger concerning all these [things], just as also we forewarned and solemnly testified to [or, urgently warned] you*.

[Note: Paul qualifies how a man should acquire a wife: “in sanctification and honor, not in lustful passion.” This balances 1Cor 7:9 (“better to marry than to burn”). Sexual attraction is legitimate and necessary, and strong desire may mandate marriage to avoid sin, but lust must not be the sole driver in choosing a spouse. Marrying primarily for sex risks choosing the wrong partner and harms spiritual growth. To “take advantage of his brother” refers to sexual sin that defrauds another believer—either by seducing his betrothed/wife or by awakening desires one cannot righteously fulfill. God avenges such wrongs (v. 6).]

⁷For God did not call us to impurity [or, immorality], but in sanctification. ⁸Therefore, the one rejecting [this] [or, regarding [this] as nothing] does not reject a person, but God, the One having also given His Holy Spirit to you*.

[Note: Sexual sin is not a minor issue or a matter of personal preference. God’s call is to holiness, and He provided His Holy Spirit to empower it. To reject this teaching on fornication and marriage is to reject God Himself. The Spirit who indwells believers is grieved by immorality (Eph 4:30). Both fornication and lust-driven marriage choices damage one’s relationship with God. The path of sanctification is clear: abstain from sex outside marriage, and if marriage is needed, pursue a spouse in honor rather than merely passion, so that sexual desire is fulfilled righteously within the marriage covenant.]

Final Observation:

It should be evident that the restrictive definition of “prostitution” fails to fit these two contexts. Paul is clearly referring to any sexual contact outside of the covenant of marriage, not merely that which is purchased.

πορνεύω:

The wider usage of πορνεία—referring to the full spectrum of sexual activity outside of marriage—is also evident in the definitions and sample verses for its cognates. The first is πορνεύω (porneúō). It is a verb that occurs 25 times in the Greek Bible and 8 times in the New Testament. It means to engage in illicit sexual activity, to commit fornication, and to violate the marital covenantal boundaries of sexual purity. Friberg defines it as “generally practice sexual immorality, commit fornication, live without sexual restraint.”

Translation Note:

In ALT3 and ALT3c, πορνεύω was rendered as “to fornicate.” However, in contemporary English, the verb “to fornicate” can sound overly clinical or dehumanizing—akin to identifying a simple biological process rather than a moral act. Alternatively, “to commit fornication” retains the necessary sense of moral agency and culpability. It emphasizes that this is a transgression of the will, chosen and committed by the actor before God. Consequently, “to commit fornication” is now the standard rendering for πορνεύω throughout the ALT.

1Corinthians 6:18-20:

¹⁸Be fleeing fornication! Every fault, whichever a person commits, is outside of the body, but the one committing fornication sins against his own body.

[Note: “Be fleeing” (Φεύγετε; Pheúgete) is a present imperative, denoting continuous action. Compare Genesis 39:12, where Joseph literally fled Potiphar’s wife. Sexual sin is not to be managed or flirted with; it is to be escaped. Modern dating habits often create the very situations Paul forbids: extended time alone with the opposite sex where temptation is constant. To commit fornication (πορνεύω; porneúō) is unique among sins because it is “against his own body.” Other sins use the body as an instrument; sexual sin corrupts the body itself, which is united to Christ (v. 15).]

¹⁹You* know, do you* not, that your* body is a temple of the Holy Spirit in you*, which you* have from God, and [that] you* are not your* own? ²⁰For you* were bought [or, redeemed] with a price. Therefore, glorify God in your* body and in your* spirit, which are God’s.

[Note: As believers, the Holy Spirit indwells us individually, making each body a temple, just as the LORD indwelt the Jerusalem temple. We have no right to use God’s property for sin. Christ’s death “bought” us at infinite cost (Acts 20:28; 1Pet 1:18f). To use one’s status as a forgiven person as a license for fornication insults the Cross. Glorifying God means using body and spirit for His purposes rather than for illicit sexual pleasure.]

[Textual Note: The phrase “and in your* spirit, which are God’s” is present in the Majority Text and Textus Receptus—thus in the ALT, KJV, and NKJV—but is absent in the CT and therefore omitted in the NIV, ESV, and NASB. While the core meaning remains the same—that the body belongs to God and must be used for His glory—including the phrase presents a stronger argument: as both body and spirit are His, neither should be used for fornication.]

1Corinthians 10:6-11:

⁶So these [things] became examples for us, for us not to be passionately desiring evil [things], just as those also desired. ⁷Neither continue becoming idolaters, just as some of them, just as it has been written, “The people sat down to eat and to drink, and they stood up to be playing.” [Exod 32:6]

[Note: Paul uses Israel’s wilderness failures as warnings for the Church. The verb “to be playing” (παίζειν; paízein) in Exodus 32:6 LXX is a euphemism for sexual revelry tied to idolatry. The golden calf feast rapidly devolved into immoral celebration. Passionate desire (ἐπεθύμησαν; epethýmēsan) leads to idolatry, and idolatry to sexual sin. The progression is deliberate: craving evil → idolatry → sexual sin → judgment.]

⁸Neither shall we be committing fornication, just as some of them committed fornication, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. [see Numb 25:1-9]

[Note: Paul points to Numbers 25:1-9, where Israel “indulged in flagrant fornication” (ἐκπορνεύω; ekporneúō) with Moabite women and joined in the worship of Baal-peor. While the Old Testament text highlights the resulting idolatry and plague, Paul identifies the catalyst as πορνεύω (porneúō), “to commit fornication.” This was mass immorality—effectively an orgy—that invited immediate divine judgment. The point remains: fornication invites God’s wrath, whether through direct intervention or the natural consequences of emotional trauma and a seared conscience. Exclusive intimacy in marriage often becomes unattainable in the lives of those who have normalized such promiscuity, as the memory of multiple partners leaves the soul unable to appreciate the union.]

⁹Neither shall we be tempting [or, testing] Christ, just as also some of them tempted, and perished by the serpents. [see Numb 21:5,6] ¹⁰Nor be grumbling, just as also some of them grumbled, and they perished by the destroyer. [see Numb 14:27-30] ¹¹Now all these [things] happened to those [people as] examples, and they were written for our instruction, to whom the end of the ages came.

[Note: These wilderness examples—testing God, grumbling, idolatry, and fornication—were recorded so the Church would not repeat them. Note that πορνεύω (porneúō) here categorically describes the orgy at Baal-peor. The verb form of porneía confirms its usage for any sexual act outside of marriage, refuting the claim that these terms refer strictly to prostitution. Alleging that New Testament condemnations apply only to prostitution ignores this usage and the clear lexical range established in 1Cor 6:9-18, 7:2, and 1Thes 4:3. These Old Testament judgments prove that sexual sin is not trivial. Surrounded by pagan feasts, the Corinthians were to learn that because God judged Israel for its fornication, He will surely judge those who presume upon His grace.]

Rape, Incest, and My Case

It would be helpful to pause here and make an observation. John Stonestreet, host of the Christian political podcast Breakpoint, often shares an astute observation about abortion that is equally applicable to the subject of fornication. He notes that many Christians who acknowledge that abortion is wrong believe there should be three exceptions to its prohibition: “rape, incest, and my case.”

The same logic prevails regarding fornication. Many Christians will readily acknowledge that the Bible prohibits sex outside of marriage, yet they convince themselves that their specific situation is so “unique” that the moral law no longer applies to them.

“I have to have sex with my girlfriend.” “I have to live with my boyfriend.” “I have to view pornography.” “I have to engage in one-night stands.” Their silent coda is always the same: “God will understand.”

Being as blunt as possible: No, you do not have to commit these sins, and no, God will not excuse them. If you are engaging in sexual activity outside of the marriage covenant, you are guilty of the sin of fornication. That includes being involved in pornography and digital substitutes (such as AI generated porn or AI girlfriends/ boyfriends). The intention and desire remain the same, regardless of whether the object is a flesh-and-blood human or sophisticated lines of code (Matt 5:28). You stand condemned before God, in urgent need of repentance and deliverance.

However, God can and will forgive you if you acknowledge your sin and turn from it, taking whatever drastic steps are necessary to escape those habits. If you repent, He is faithful to forgive, and He will provide the strength to refrain from sexual sin.

²⁹But if your right eye causes you to stumble [fig., to sin], pluck it out and cast [it] from you, for it is better for you that one of your body parts perish and not your whole body be cast into hell [Gr., gehenna]. ³⁰And if your right hand causes you to stumble [fig., to sin], cut it off and cast [it] from you, for it is better for you that one of your body parts perish and not your whole body be cast into hell [Gr., gehenna] (Matthew 5:29-30).

⁸If we should say [or, claim], “We do not have sin,” we lead ourselves astray [fig., deceive ourselves], and the truth is not in us. ⁹If we shall be confessing our sins, He is faithful [or, trustworthy] and righteous that He shall forgive us our sins and cleanse [or, purge] us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰If we should say [or, claim], “We have not sinned,” we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

¹My little children [or, My dear children], I am writing these things to you* so that you* do not sin. And if anyone should sin, we have a Counselor [or, an Advocate] with the Father, Jesus Christ, [the] righteous. ²And He is [the] propitiation [or, appeasing sacrifice] concerning our sins, but not concerning ours only, but also concerning [those] of the whole world!

³And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we shall be keeping His commandments. ⁴The one saying [or, claiming], “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. ⁵But whoever is keeping His word, in this one the love of God has truly been perfected; by this we know that we are in Him. ⁶The one saying [or, claiming] to be abiding in Him just as that [One] walked ought also in the same manner himself to be walking (1John 1:6-2:6).

The next issue of Darkness to light newsletter will continue this study with a look at three additional Greek words for fornication. In the meantime, see the two-volume set God’s Sex Plan for more detailed discussions on all of these passages.

Notes:

All Bible passages quoted from:

Note: The quoted passages include updates for the new edition the ALT: NT, though it is a long way off, as my work on it and the other ALT volumes has been very slow due to personal struggles and updating the text more than I had originally planned.

References:

These word sets were developed using the BibleWorks 10 software program and its many included Greek and Hebrew texts and lexicons, English Bible versions, and other Bible study aids. Also utilized was Gab AI, Meta AI, and BibleGPT. The definitions are consolidated from all of these sources. Quotation marks indicate BibleWorks’ lexicons are directly quoted.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary and Thesaurus.

Sex and the Bible

These three books look in-depth at what the Bible has to say on sexual types of relationships and related issues. By this is meant: dating, premarital sex, marriage, divorce, remarriage, marital sex, extramarital sex, homosexuality, transsexualism, abortion, and birth control. The first book is an introduction to the various subjects, quoting the most relevant Scriptures, with only short commentary. The next two books are much more detailed, with many more Scripture passages quoted and much more detailed commentary.

The Bible and Sexual Relationships Issues

God’s Sex Plan: Volume One: What the Old Testament Teaches About Human Sexuality

God’s Sex Plan: Volume Two: What the New Testament Teaches About Human Sexuality