On Friday, the United States Supreme Court issued its controversial ruling in favor of same-sex marriage, declaring the practice constitutional and extending that right to all 50 states.

In response, many Americans began actively searching what the Bible had to say about the issue, according to data from Google Trends, which showcased the analytics around the search term "same-sex marriage."

Thus, The Gospel Herald has compiled a list of Scripture verses which directly address the practice of homosexuality, the Biblical definition of marriage, and why God's word--not the Supreme Court--is the ultimate authority. 

Just as Jesus was persecuted, the world will persecute those who follow Biblical commandments:

John 15:18-21 "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. if they kept my word, they will also keep yours.  But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me."

Marriage is intended to be between one man and one woman:

Genesis 1:27-28 "So God created man in his own image; in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds.'"

Matthew 19:4-6 "'Haven't you read,' he replied, 'that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female' and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh?' So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.'"

Malachi 2:15 "Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth."

The practice of homosexuality is a sin and violates God's commandments:

Romans 1:26-27: "Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion."

Leviticus 18:22: "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable."

Romans 1:18-18 "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.  For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them."

Jude 7 "Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.

Through the blood of Jesus Christ, those who confess their sin can be washed clean and inherit eternal life

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."

1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

Ephesians 2:1-6 "And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience- among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ-by grace you have been saved- and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus"

As the Creator of the world, God has ultimate authority of mankind:

2 Corinthians 10:5 "Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ"

Exodus 20:2-3 "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.You shall have no other gods before me."