Function (5540) (chresis from chráomai = to use) describes use or the act (usage) or manner (use) of using. It can refer to the habitual or customary usage of something. Chresis was commonly used of sexual intercourse, and in this context the term could refer to nothing other than intimate sexual relations and more specifically the perverted use of one's body and not the use specified in God's plan and order for men and women who were created in His image. Unnatural - This is actually a phrase in Greek para phusin. Thus this is the same word translated natural (phusikos) with the addition of the preceding preposition para (3844) which means alongside, beside or contrary. Thus their acts are "contrary to or alongside natural acts". Even most pagan societies have recognized the clearly obvious fact that homosexuality is abnormal and unnatural. It is also an abnormality that is unique to man. See related resources: Homosexual • Homosexuality William Newell (in the 1920's) comments: This passage has deep significance in this day of the "sex-craze": when, as some one says, "Human beings seem to be just beginning to realize that they are male and female." The first of Romans warns of what such a craze will end in! (Ed note: And he did not live to see the AIDS epidemic). (Commentary) Paul mentions women first probably to emphasize the extent of debauchery under the wrath of abandonment, because in most societies/cultures women are the last to fall into homosexuality and other moral aberrations! Woe! J Vernon McGee notes that... These are passions of dishonor and disgrace and depravity—regardless of what public opinion is today. Perversion entered into Greek life, and it brought Greece down to the dust. Go over there and look at Greece today. The glory has passed away. Why? These were their sins." (Thru the Bible Mp3's online) God abandoned them not only to idolatry, the ultimate expression of man’s spiritual degeneracy, but also to degrading passions, which he identifies in these two verses as homosexuality, the ultimate expression of man’s moral degeneracy. When man forsakes the AUTHOR of nature, he inevitably forsakes the ORDER of nature. Charles Hodge wrote, “Paul first refers to the degradation of females among the heathen, because they are always the last to be affected in the decay of morals, and their corruption is therefore proof that all virtue is lost” (Commentary online) Even most pagan societies have recognized the clearly obvious fact that homosexuality is abnormal and unnatural. It is also an abnormality that is unique to man. Hughes asks... Why does Paul single out homosexuality then? Because it is so obviously unnatural, and therefore automatically underlines the extent to which sin takes mankind. Other sins are just as evil, but they are naturally evil. God has emphasized the sin of inversion to show us that inside the unbelieving man is a running sore which indicates a far deeper dimension of the wounds of sinful society. We should note that chapter 1 ends with the sins of the mind and spirit, of which all sinners are guilty….Paul also emphasized this sin because it was all around him. He was writing from Corinth, the sin capital of Asia. Greek culture taught that homosexual love was the purest and highest of loves. Many highborn Greeks maintained male lovers along with their wives. It was no different in Rome. Fourteen of the first fifteen emperors were homosexuals.... According to Biblical revelation, what we see around us means that our particular culture is on the skids. If we are believers, this encourages us to draw close to Christ so that we are really living what we say we believe. If we are unbelievers, it is meant to drive us (as it did the brilliant physician we mentioned) to faith. (Hughes, R. K. Romans: Righteousness from heaven. Preaching the Word. Crossway Books) Romans 1:27 and in the same way also the men abandoned (AAPMPN) the natural function of the woman and burned (3PAPI) in their desire toward one another, men with men committing (PMPMPN) indecent acts and receiving (PAPMPN) in their own persons the due penalty of their error (NASB: Lockman) Greek: homoios te kai oi arsenes aphentes (AAPMPN) ten phusiken chresin tes theleias exekauthesan en te orexei auton eis allelous, arsenes en arsesin ten aschemosunen katergazomenoi (PMPMPN) kai ten antimisthian en edei (3SIAI) tes planes auton en heautois apolambanontes. (PAPMPN) Amplified: And the men also turned from natural relations with women and were set ablaze (burning out, consumed) with lust for one another—men committing shameful acts with men and suffering in their own bodies and personalities the inevitable consequences and penalty of their wrong-doing and going astray, which was [their] fitting retribution. (Amplified Bible - Lockman) Barclay: and so did the men, for they gave up the natural relationship with women, and were inflamed with their desire for each other, and men were guilty of shameful conduct with men. So within themselves they received their due and necessary rewards for their error. (Daily Study Bible) KJV: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. NLT: And the men, instead of having normal sexual relationships with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men and, as a result, suffered within themselves the penalty they so richly deserved. (NLT - Tyndale House) Phillips: Similarly the men, turning from natural intercourse with women, were swept into lustful passions for one another. Men with men performed these shameful horrors, receiving, of course, in their own personalities the consequences of sexual perversity. (Phillips: Touchstone) Wuest: And likewise also the males, having put aside the natural use of the females, burned themselves out in their lustful appetite toward one another, males with males carrying to its ultimate conclusion that which is shameful, receiving in themselves that retribution which was a necessity in the nature of the case because of their deviation from the norm. another; males with males working shame, and the recompense of their error that was fit, in themselves receiving. (Eerdmans) Young's Literal: and in like manner also the males having left the natural use of the female, did burn in their longing toward one AND IN THE SAME WAY ALSO THE MEN ABANDONED: homoios te kai oi arsenes aphentes (AAPMPN): In the same way (3668) (homoios) means to being similar in some respect, similarly, of equal degree or manner and denoting perfect agreement. In the same way - That is, in the same way that the females had forsaken their natural function fulfilling their shameful, disgraceful passions with other women, so too the males followed suit.