⁴ treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,^(A)

⁴ For certain intruders have stolen in among you, people who long ago were designated for this condemnation as ungodly, who pervert the grace of our God into debauchery and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.^[a](A)

¹⁹ It is these worldly people, devoid of the Spirit, who are causing divisions.

⁸ Yet in the same way these dreamers also defile the flesh, reject authority, and slander the glorious ones.^{[a](A) 9} But when the archangel Michael disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, he did not dare to bring a condemnation of slander^[b] against him but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”^(B)

⁶ He must not be a recent convert,^[a] or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.

¹⁸ For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears.^{(A) 19} Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things.^(B)

¹⁰ —especially those who indulge their flesh in depraved lust and who despise authority.

Bold and willful, they are not afraid to slander the glorious ones,^{[a](A) 11} whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not bring against them a slanderous judgment.^{[b] 12} These people, however, are like irrational animals, mere creatures of instinct, born to be caught and killed. They slander what they do not understand, and as those creatures are destroyed,^[c] they also will be destroyed, ¹³ suffering^[d] the wages of doing wrong. They count it a pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures^[e] while they feast with you.^{(B) 14} They have eyes full of adultery,^[f] insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children! ¹⁵ They have left the straight road and have gone astray, following the road of Balaam son of Bosor,^[g] who loved the wages of doing wrong^{(C) 16} but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.

¹⁷ These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm; for them the deepest darkness has been reserved.^{(D) 18} For they speak bombastic nonsense, and with debased^[h] desires of the flesh they entice people who have just^[i] escaped from those who live in error. ¹⁹ They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption, for people are slaves to whatever masters them.^{(E) 20} For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of the^[j] Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overpowered, the last state has become worse for them than the first.^{(F) 21} For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment that was handed on to them.^{(G) 22} It has happened to them according to the true proverb,

and,

¹⁷ As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches but rather on God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.^(A)

⁶ but the widow^[a] who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives.^(A)