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Contend Earnestly for the Faith

[a](A)Jude, a (B)slave of Jesus Christ, and brother of [b]James,

To (C)those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and (D)kept for Jesus Christ: (E)May mercy and peace and love (F)be multiplied to you.

(G)Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our (H)common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you exhorting that you (I)contend earnestly for (J)the faith which was once for all (K)handed down to (L)the [c]saints. For certain persons have (M)crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand [d](N)marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn (O)the grace of our God into (P)sensuality and (Q)deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Now I want to (R)remind you, though (S)you know all things, that [e]Jesus, (T)having once saved a people out of the land of Egypt, [f]subsequently destroyed those who did not believe. And (U)angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has (V)kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day, just as (W)Sodom and Gomorrah and the (X)cities around them, having indulged in the same way as these in gross sexual immorality and having (Y)gone after [g]strange flesh, are exhibited as an [h](Z)example in undergoing the (AA)punishment of eternal fire.

Yet in the same way these men, also by dreaming, (AB)defile the flesh, and reject authority, and blaspheme [i]glorious ones. But (AC)Michael (AD)the archangel, when he, disputing with the devil, was arguing about (AE)the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a blasphemous judgment, but said, “(AF)The Lord rebuke you!” 10 But (AG)these men blaspheme the things which they do not understand; and (AH)the things which they know by instinct, (AI)like unreasoning animals, by these things they are [j]destroyed. 11 Woe to them! For they have gone (AJ)the way of Cain, and for pay they have poured themselves into (AK)the error of Balaam, and (AL)perished in the rebellion of Korah. 12 These are the men who are [k]hidden reefs (AM)in your love feasts when they feast with you (AN)without fear, caring for themselves; (AO)clouds without water, (AP)carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, [l]doubly dead, (AQ)uprooted; 13 (AR)wild waves of the sea, casting up (AS)their own [m]shame like foam; wandering stars, (AT)for whom the [n]black darkness has been reserved forever.

14 But (AU)Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, also prophesied about these men, saying, “(AV)Behold, the Lord came with [o]many thousands of His holy ones, 15 (AW)to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which (AX)ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” 16 These are (AY)grumblers, finding fault, (AZ)following after their own lusts; and their mouth speaks (BA)arrogantly, [p]flattering people (BB)for the sake of their own benefit.

Keep Yourselves in the Love of God

17 But you, (BC)beloved, (BD)must remember the words that were spoken beforehand by (BE)the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, 18 that they were saying to you, “(BF)In the last time there will be mockers, (BG)following after their own ungodly lusts.” 19 These are the ones who cause divisions, [q](BH)worldly-minded, not having the Spirit. 20 But you, (BI)beloved, (BJ)building yourselves up on your most holy (BK)faith, (BL)praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, (BM)waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. 22 And on some, who are doubting, have mercy; 23 and for others, save, (BN)snatching them out of the fire; and on others have mercy with fear, (BO)hating even the tunic polluted by the flesh.

24 (BP)Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to (BQ)make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with (BR)great joy, 25 to the (BS)only (BT)God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, (BU)be glory, majesty, might, and authority, (BV)before all time and now and [r]forever. Amen.

Footnotes

  1. Jude 1:1 Gr Judas
  2. Jude 1:1 Or Jacob; James is the Eng form of Jacob
  3. Jude 1:3 Or holy ones
  4. Jude 1:4 Or written about...long ago
  5. Jude 1:5 Some mss Lord
  6. Jude 1:5 Lit the second time
  7. Jude 1:7 Or other; lit different
  8. Jude 1:7 Or example of eternal fire, in undergoing punishment
  9. Jude 1:8 Angels
  10. Jude 1:10 Lit corrupted
  11. Jude 1:12 Or stains
  12. Jude 1:12 Lit twice
  13. Jude 1:13 Or shameless deeds
  14. Jude 1:13 Or netherworld gloom; lit blackness of darkness
  15. Jude 1:14 Lit His holy ten thousands
  16. Jude 1:16 Lit marveling faces
  17. Jude 1:19 Or merely natural
  18. Jude 1:25 Lit to all the ages

Jude,[a] a servant of Jesus Christ,[b] and brother of James, to those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ: May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

Beloved, while I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I was constrained to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For there are certain men who crept in secretly, even those who were long ago written about for this condemnation: ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into indecency, and denying our only Master, God, and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Now I desire to remind you, though you already know this, that the Lord, having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who didn’t believe. Angels who didn’t keep their first domain, but deserted their own dwelling place, he has kept in everlasting bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, having in the same way as these given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are shown as an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire. Yet in the same way, these also in their dreaming defile the flesh, despise authority, and slander celestial beings. But Michael, the archangel, when contending with the devil and arguing about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him an abusive condemnation, but said, “May the Lord rebuke you!” 10 But these speak evil of whatever things they don’t know. They are destroyed in these things that they understand naturally, like the creatures without reason. 11 Woe to them! For they went in the way of Cain, and ran riotously in the error of Balaam for hire, and perished in Korah’s rebellion. 12 These are hidden rocky reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you, shepherds who without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; 13 wild waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved forever. 14 About these also Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold,[c] the Lord came with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15 to execute judgment on all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their works of ungodliness which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” 16 These are murmurers and complainers, walking after their lusts—and their mouth speaks proud things—showing respect of persons to gain advantage.

17 But you, beloved, remember the words which have been spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 They said to you, “In the last time there will be mockers, walking after their own ungodly lusts.” 19 These are those who cause divisions and are sensual, not having the Spirit.

20 But you, beloved, keep building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit. 21 Keep yourselves in God’s love, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. 22 On some have compassion, making a distinction, 23 and some save, snatching them out of the fire with fear, hating even the clothing stained by the flesh.

24 Now to him who is able to keep them[d] from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory in great joy, 25 to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.

Footnotes

  1. 1:1 or, Judah
  2. 1:1 “Christ” means “Anointed One”.
  3. 1:14 “Behold”, from “ἰδοὺ”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
  4. 1:24 TR and NU read “you”