11 Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain;(A) they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error;(B) they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.(C)

12 These people are blemishes at your love feasts,(D) eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves.(E) They are clouds without rain,(F) blown along by the wind;(G) autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted(H)—twice dead. 13 They are wild waves of the sea,(I) foaming up their shame;(J) wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.(K)

14 Enoch,(L) the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is coming(M) with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones(N) 15 to judge(O) everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”[a](P) 16 These people are grumblers(Q) and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires;(R) they boast(S) about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.

A Call to Persevere

17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles(T) of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold.(U) 18 They said to you, “In the last times(V) there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.”(W) 19 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.(X)

20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up(Y) in your most holy faith(Z) and praying in the Holy Spirit,(AA) 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait(AB) for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.(AC)

22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire;(AD) to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.[b](AE)

Doxology

24 To him who is able(AF) to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence(AG) without fault(AH) and with great joy— 25 to the only God(AI) our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore!(AJ) Amen.(AK)

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Footnotes

  1. Jude 1:15 From the Jewish First Book of Enoch (approximately the first century b.c.)
  2. Jude 1:23 The Greek manuscripts of these verses vary at several points.

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