Contend Earnestly for the Faith

^1 [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: ^2 (E)May mercy and peace and love ^(F)be multiplied to you.

^3 (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. ⁴ 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.

⁵ 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. ⁶ 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, ⁷ 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.

⁸ Yet in the same way these men, also by dreaming, ^(AB)defile the flesh, and reject authority, and blaspheme ^[i]glorious ones. ⁹ 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.