Jude
Good News Translation
1 (A)From Jude, servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James—
To those who have been called by God, who live in the love of God the Father and the protection of Jesus Christ:
2 May mercy, peace, and love be yours in full measure.
False Teachers
3 My dear friends, I was doing my best to write to you about the salvation we share in common, when I felt the need of writing at once to encourage you to fight on for the faith which once and for all God has given to his people. 4 For some godless people have slipped in unnoticed among us, persons who distort the message about the grace of our God in order to excuse their immoral ways, and who reject Jesus Christ, our only Master and Lord. Long ago the Scriptures predicted the condemnation they have received.
5 (B)For even though you know all this, I want to remind you of how the Lord[a] once rescued the people of Israel from Egypt, but afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 Remember the angels who did not stay within the limits of their proper authority, but abandoned their own dwelling place: they are bound with eternal chains in the darkness below, where God is keeping them for that great Day on which they will be condemned. 7 (C)Remember Sodom and Gomorrah, and the nearby towns, whose people acted as those angels did and indulged in sexual immorality and perversion: they suffer the punishment of eternal fire as a plain warning to all.
8 In the same way also, these people have visions which make them sin against their own bodies; they despise God's authority and insult the glorious beings above. 9 (D)Not even the chief angel Michael did this. In his quarrel with the Devil, when they argued about who would have the body of Moses, Michael did not dare condemn the Devil with insulting words, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” 10 But these people attack with insults anything they do not understand; and those things that they know by instinct, like wild animals, are the very things that destroy them. 11 (E)How terrible for them! They have followed the way that Cain took. For the sake of money they have given themselves over to the error that Balaam committed. They have rebelled as Korah rebelled, and like him they are destroyed. 12 With their shameless carousing they are like dirty spots in your fellowship meals. They take care only of themselves. They are like clouds carried along by the wind, but bringing no rain. They are like trees that bear no fruit, even in autumn, trees that have been pulled up by the roots and are completely dead. 13 They are like wild waves of the sea, with their shameful deeds showing up like foam. They are like wandering stars, for whom God has reserved a place forever in the deepest darkness.
14 (F)It was Enoch, the seventh[b] direct descendant from Adam, who long ago prophesied this about them: “The Lord will come with many thousands of his holy angels 15 to bring judgment on all, to condemn them all for the godless deeds they have performed and for all the terrible words that godless sinners have spoken against him!”
16 These people are always grumbling and blaming others; they follow their own evil desires; they brag about themselves and flatter others in order to get their own way.
Warnings and Instructions
17 But remember, my friends, what you were told in the past by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 (G)They said to you, “When the last days come, people will appear who will make fun of you, people who follow their own godless desires.” 19 These are the people who cause divisions, who are controlled by their natural desires, who do not have the Spirit. 20 But you, my friends, keep on building yourselves up on your most sacred faith. Pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, 21 and keep yourselves in the love of God, as you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ in his mercy to give you eternal life.
22 Show mercy toward those who have doubts; 23 save others by snatching them out of the fire; and to others show mercy mixed with fear, but hate their very clothes, stained by their sinful lusts.
Prayer of Praise
24 To him who is able to keep you from falling and to bring you faultless and joyful before his glorious presence— 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, might, and authority, from all ages past, and now, and forever and ever! Amen.
Jude
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Salutation
1 Jude,[a] a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James,
To those who are called, who are beloved[b] in[c] God the Father and kept safe for[d] Jesus Christ:(A)
2 May mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance.
Occasion of the Letter
3 Beloved, while eagerly preparing to write to you about the salvation we share, I find it necessary to write and appeal to you to contend for the faith that was once and for all handed on to the saints.(B) 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.[e](C)
Judgment on False Teachers
5 Now I desire to remind you, though you are fully informed, once and for all, that Jesus, who saved[f] a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.(D) 6 And the angels who did not keep their own position but deserted their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains in deepest darkness for the judgment of the great day.(E) 7 Likewise, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which, in the same manner as they, indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural lust,[g] serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.(F)
8 Yet in the same way these dreamers also defile the flesh, reject authority, and slander the glorious ones.[h](G) 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[i] against him but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”(H) 10 But these people slander whatever they do not understand, and they are destroyed by those things that, like irrational animals, they know by instinct. 11 Woe to them! For they go the way of Cain and abandon themselves to Balaam’s error for the sake of gain and perish in Korah’s rebellion.(I) 12 These are blots[j] on your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, feeding themselves.[k] They are waterless clouds carried along by the winds; autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, uprooted;(J) 13 wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the deepest darkness has been reserved forever.(K)
14 It was also about these that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, “See, the Lord is coming[l] with ten thousands of his holy ones,(L) 15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly[m] of all the deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” 16 These are grumblers and malcontents; they indulge their lusts;[n] their mouths utter bombastic nonsense, flattering people to their own advantage.(M)
Warnings and Exhortations
17 But you, beloved, must remember the words previously spoken by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, 18 for they said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, indulging their own ungodly lusts.”(N) 19 It is these worldly people, devoid of the Spirit, who are causing divisions. 20 But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit;(O) 21 keep yourselves in the love of God; look forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to[o] eternal life.(P) 22 And have mercy on some who are wavering; 23 save others by snatching them out of the fire; and have mercy on still others with fear, hating even the tunic defiled by their bodies.[p](Q)
Benediction
24 Now to him who is able to keep you from falling and to make you stand without blemish in the presence of his glory with rejoicing,(R) 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.(S)
Footnotes
- 1 Gk Judas
- 1 Other ancient authorities read sanctified
- 1 Or by
- 1 Or by
- 4 Or the only Master and our Lord Jesus Christ
- 5 Other ancient authorities read informed, that the Lord who once and for all saved
- 7 Gk went after other flesh
- 8 Or angels; Gk glories
- 9 Or condemnation for blasphemy
- 12 Or reefs
- 12 Or without fear. They are shepherds who care only for themselves
- 14 Gk came
- 15 Other ancient authorities read everyone
- 16 Other ancient authorities read their own lusts
- 21 Gk Christ to
- 23 Gk by the flesh
Jude
New American Standard Bible
The Warnings of History to the Ungodly
1 [a](A)Jude, a (B)bond-servant 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, 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 appealing that you (I)contend earnestly for (J)the faith that was once for all time (K)handed down to (L)the [c]saints. 4 For certain people 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)indecent behavior and (Q)deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
5 Now I want to (R)remind you, though (S)you know everything once and for all, that [e]the Lord, (T)after saving 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 dwelling place, these He has (V)kept in eternal restraints under darkness for the judgment of the great day, 7 just as (W)Sodom and Gomorrah and the (X)cities around them, since they in the same way as these angels indulged in sexual perversion and (Y)went 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 people also, dreaming, (AB)defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak abusively of angelic [i]majesties. 9 But (AC)Michael (AD)the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about (AE)the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him an abusive judgment, but said, “(AF)The Lord rebuke you!” 10 But (AG)these people disparage all the things that they do not understand; and (AH)all the things that they know by instinct, (AI)like unreasoning animals, by these things they are destroyed. 11 Woe to them! For they have gone (AJ)the way of Cain, and for pay [j]they have given themselves up to (AK)the error of Balaam, and (AL)perished in the rebellion of Korah. 12 These are the ones who are [k]hidden reefs (AM)in your love feasts when they feast with you (AN)without fear, like shepherds caring only 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, churning up (AS)their own shameful deeds like dirty foam; wandering stars, (AT)for whom the [m]gloom of darkness has been reserved forever.
14 It was also about these people that (AU)Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, “(AV)Behold, the Lord has come with [n]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; [o]they speak (BA)arrogantly, flattering people (BB)for the sake of gaining an advantage.
Keep Yourselves in the Love of God
17 But you, (BC)beloved, (BD)ought to 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, [p](BH)worldly-minded, [q]devoid of 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)looking forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on some, who are doubting; 23 save others, (BN)snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, (BO)hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.
24 (BP)Now to Him who is able to protect 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, dominion, and authority (BV)before all time and now and [r]forever. Amen.
Footnotes
- Jude 1:1 Gr Judas
- Jude 1:1 Or Jacob
- Jude 1:3 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
- Jude 1:4 Or written about regarding this
- Jude 1:5 One early ms Jesus
- Jude 1:5 Lit the second time
- Jude 1:7 Lit different; or other flesh
- Jude 1:7 Or example of eternal fire, in undergoing punishment
- Jude 1:8 Lit glories
- Jude 1:11 Lit they have poured themselves out
- Jude 1:12 Or stains
- Jude 1:12 Lit twice
- Jude 1:13 Or netherworld gloom
- Jude 1:14 Lit His holy ten thousands
- Jude 1:16 Lit their mouth speaks
- Jude 1:19 Or merely natural
- Jude 1:19 Lit not having
- Jude 1:25 Lit to all the ages
Jude
The Message
1-2 I, Jude, am a slave to Jesus Christ and brother to James, writing to those loved by God the Father, called and kept safe by Jesus Christ. Relax, everything’s going to be all right; rest, everything’s coming together; open your hearts, love is on the way!
Fight with All You Have in You
3-4 Dear friends, I’ve dropped everything to write you about this life of salvation that we have in common. I have to write insisting—begging!—that you fight with everything you have in you for this faith entrusted to us as a gift to guard and cherish. What has happened is that some people have infiltrated our ranks (our Scriptures warned us this would happen), who beneath their pious skin are shameless scoundrels. Their design is to replace the sheer grace of our God with sheer license—which means doing away with Jesus Christ, our one and only Master.
Lost Stars in Outer Space
5-7 I’m laying this out as clearly as I can, even though you once knew all this well enough and shouldn’t need reminding. Here it is in brief: The Master saved a people out of the land of Egypt. Later he destroyed those who defected. And you know the story of the angels who didn’t stick to their post, abandoning it for other, darker missions. But they are now chained and jailed in a black hole until the great Judgment Day. Sodom and Gomorrah, which went to sexual rack and ruin along with the surrounding cities that acted just like them, are another example. Burning and burning and never burning up, they serve still as a stock warning.
8 This is exactly the same program of these latest infiltrators: dirty sex, rule and rulers thrown out, glory dragged in the mud.
9-11 The Archangel Michael, who went to the mat with the Devil as they fought over the body of Moses, wouldn’t have dared level him with a blasphemous curse, but said simply, “No you don’t. God will take care of you!” But these people sneer at anything they can’t understand, and by doing whatever they feel like doing—living by animal instinct only—they participate in their own destruction. I’m fed up with them! They’ve gone down Cain’s road; they’ve been sucked into Balaam’s error by greed; they’re canceled out in Korah’s rebellion.
12-13 These people are eyesores at your love feasts as you worship and eat together. They’re giving you a black eye—carousing shamelessly, grabbing anything that isn’t nailed down. They’re—
Puffs of smoke pushed by gusts of wind;
late autumn trees stripped clean of leaf and fruit,
Doubly dead, pulled up by the roots;
wild ocean waves leaving nothing on the beach
but the foam of their shame;
Lost stars in outer space
on their way to the black hole.
14-16 Enoch, the seventh after Adam, prophesied of them: “Look! The Master comes with thousands of holy angels to bring judgment against them all, convicting each person of every defiling act of shameless sacrilege, of every dirty word they have spewed of their pious filth.” These are the complainers, the bellyachers, grabbing for the biggest piece of the pie, talking big, saying anything they think will get them ahead.
17-19 But remember, dear friends, that the apostles of our Master, Jesus Christ, told us this would happen: “In the last days there will be people who don’t take these things seriously anymore. They’ll treat them like a joke, and make a religion of their own whims and lusts.” These are the ones who split churches, thinking only of themselves. There’s nothing to them, no sign of the Spirit!
* * *
20-21 But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God’s love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life!
22-23 Go easy on those who hesitate in the faith. Go after those who take the wrong way. Be tender with sinners, but not soft on sin. The sin itself stinks to high heaven.
24-25 And now to him who can keep you on your feet, standing tall in his bright presence, fresh and celebrating—to our one God, our only Savior, through Jesus Christ, our Master, be glory, majesty, strength, and rule before all time, and now, and to the end of all time. Yes.
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson