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.

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.

Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:

Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.

Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.

Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.

17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;

18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.

19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.

20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:

23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Judas, siervo de Jesucristo y hermano de Santiago,

a los llamados, que son amados por Dios el Padre y guardados por[a] Jesucristo:

Reciban misericordia, paz y amor en abundancia.

Pecado y condenación de los impíos

Queridos hermanos, he deseado intensamente escribirles acerca de la salvación que tenemos en común. Ahora siento la necesidad de hacerlo para rogarles que sigan luchando vigorosamente por la fe encomendada a los creyentes una vez y para siempre. El problema es que se han infiltrado entre ustedes ciertos individuos que desde hace mucho tiempo han estado señalados[b] para condenación. Son impíos que cambian en libertinaje la gracia de nuestro Dios y niegan a Jesucristo, nuestro único Soberano y Señor.

Aunque ustedes ya saben muy bien todo esto, quiero recordarles que el Señor,[c] después de liberar de la tierra de Egipto a su pueblo, destruyó a los que no creían. Y a los ángeles que no mantuvieron su posición de autoridad, sino que abandonaron su propia morada, los tiene perpetuamente encarcelados en oscuridad para el juicio del gran día. Así también Sodoma y Gomorra y las ciudades vecinas son puestas como ejemplo al sufrir el castigo de un fuego eterno por haber practicado, como aquellos, inmoralidad sexual y vicios contra la naturaleza.

De la misma manera, llevadas por sus delirios, estas personas contaminan su cuerpo, desprecian la autoridad y maldicen a los seres celestiales. Ni siquiera el arcángel Miguel, cuando argumentaba con el diablo disputándole el cuerpo de Moisés, se atrevió a pronunciar contra él un juicio de maldición, sino que dijo: «¡Que el Señor te reprenda!». 10 Estas, en cambio, maldicen todo lo que no entienden; y como animales irracionales, lo que entienden por instinto es precisamente lo que los corrompe.

11 ¡Ay de los que siguieron el camino de Caín! Por ganar dinero se entregaron al error de Balán y perecieron en la rebelión de Coré.

12 Estas personas son un peligro oculto;[d] sin ningún respeto convierten en festejos las comidas de amor fraternal que ustedes celebran. Buscan solo su propio provecho.[e] Son nubes sin agua, llevadas por el viento. Son árboles que no dan fruto cuando debieran darlo; están doblemente muertos, arrancados de raíz. 13 Son violentas olas del mar que arrojan la espuma de sus actos vergonzosos. Son estrellas fugaces para quienes está reservada eternamente la más densa oscuridad.

14 También Enoc, el séptimo patriarca a partir de Adán, profetizó acerca de ellos: «Miren, el Señor viene con millares y millares de sus santos, 15 para someter a juicio a todos y para reprender a cada uno de los pecadores impíos por todas las malas obras que han cometido, así como por las injurias que han proferido contra él». 16 Estos individuos son refunfuñadores y criticones, se dejan llevar por sus propios malos deseos, hablan con arrogancia y adulan a los demás para sacar ventaja.

Exhortación a la perseverancia

17 Pero ustedes, queridos hermanos, recuerden el mensaje anunciado anteriormente por los apóstoles de nuestro Señor Jesucristo. 18 Ellos decían: «En los últimos tiempos habrá burladores que vivirán según sus propias pasiones impías». 19 Estos son los que causan divisiones y se dejan llevar por sus propios instintos, pues no tienen el Espíritu.

20 Pero ustedes, queridos hermanos, edificándose sobre la base de su santísima fe y orando en el Espíritu Santo, 21 manténganse en el amor de Dios, mientras esperan que nuestro Señor Jesucristo, en su misericordia, los lleve a vida eterna.

22 Tengan compasión de los que dudan; 23 a otros, sálvenlos arrebatándolos del fuego. Compadézcanse de los demás, pero tengan cuidado, aborrezcan hasta la ropa que haya sido contaminada por su cuerpo.

Doxología

24 A aquel que es poderoso para guardarlos sin caída y presentarlos sin mancha delante de su gloria con gran alegría, 25 al único Dios, nuestro Salvador por medio de Jesucristo nuestro Señor, sea la gloria y la majestad, el dominio y la autoridad, desde ahora y para siempre. Amén.

Footnotes

  1. 1:1 por. Alt. para.
  2. 1:4 señalados. Lit. inscritos de antemano.
  3. 1:5 el Señor. Var. Jesús.
  4. 1:12 un peligro oculto. Lit. escollos o manchas.
  5. 1:12 Buscan … provecho. Lit. Se pastorean a sí mismos.