⁶ And the angels who did not keep their ^[a]proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; ⁷ as ^(A)Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the ^[b]vengeance of eternal fire.

^8 (B)Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and ^(C)speak evil of ^[c]dignitaries. ⁹ Yet Michael the archangel, in ^[d]contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, ^(D)“The Lord rebuke you!” ^10 (E)But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves. ¹¹ Woe to them! For they have gone in the way ^(F)of Cain, ^(G)have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished ^(H)in the rebellion of Korah.

Apostates Depraved and Doomed

¹² These are ^[e]spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried ^[f]about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; ^13 (I)raging waves of the sea, ^(J)foaming up their own shame; wandering stars ^(K)for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.

¹⁴ Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, ¹⁵ to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the ^(L)harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”

Apostates Predicted

¹⁶ These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they ^(M)mouth great swelling words, ^(N)flattering people to gain advantage. ^17 (O)But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: ¹⁸ how they told you that ^(P)there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. ¹⁹ These are ^[g]sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.

Maintain Your Life with God

²⁰ But you, beloved, ^(Q)building yourselves up on your most holy faith, ^(R)praying in the Holy Spirit, ²¹ keep yourselves in the love of God, ^(S)looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

²² And on some have compassion, ^[h]making a distinction;

⁹ then ^(A)the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment,