Add parallel Print Page Options

Contend Earnestly for the Faith

[a](A)Jude, a (B)slave 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: (E)May mercy and peace and love (F)be multiplied to you.

(G)Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our (H)common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you exhorting that you (I)contend earnestly for (J)the faith which was once for all (K)handed down to (L)the [c]saints. For certain persons 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)sensuality and (Q)deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Now I want to (R)remind you, though (S)you know all things, that [e]Jesus, (T)having once saved a people out of the land of Egypt, [f]subsequently destroyed those who did not believe. And (U)angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has (V)kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day, just as (W)Sodom and Gomorrah and the (X)cities around them, having indulged in the same way as these in gross sexual immorality and having (Y)gone after [g]strange flesh, are exhibited as an [h](Z)example in undergoing the (AA)punishment of eternal fire.

Yet in the same way these men, also by dreaming, (AB)defile the flesh, and reject authority, and blaspheme [i]glorious ones. But (AC)Michael (AD)the archangel, when he, disputing with the devil, was arguing about (AE)the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a blasphemous judgment, but said, “(AF)The Lord rebuke you!” 10 But (AG)these men blaspheme the things which they do not understand; and (AH)the things which they know by instinct, (AI)like unreasoning animals, by these things they are [j]destroyed. 11 Woe to them! For they have gone (AJ)the way of Cain, and for pay they have poured themselves into (AK)the error of Balaam, and (AL)perished in the rebellion of Korah. 12 These are the men who are [k]hidden reefs (AM)in your love feasts when they feast with you (AN)without fear, caring 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, casting up (AS)their own [m]shame like foam; wandering stars, (AT)for whom the [n]black darkness has been reserved forever.

14 But (AU)Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, also prophesied about these men, saying, “(AV)Behold, the Lord came with [o]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; and their mouth speaks (BA)arrogantly, [p]flattering people (BB)for the sake of their own benefit.

Keep Yourselves in the Love of God

17 But you, (BC)beloved, (BD)must 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, [q](BH)worldly-minded, not having 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)waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. 22 And on some, who are doubting, have mercy; 23 and for others, save, (BN)snatching them out of the fire; and on others have mercy with fear, (BO)hating even the tunic polluted by the flesh.

24 (BP)Now to Him who is able to keep 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, might, and authority, (BV)before all time and now and [r]forever. Amen.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Jude 1:1 Gr Judas
  2. Jude 1:1 Or Jacob; James is the Eng form of Jacob
  3. Jude 1:3 Or holy ones
  4. Jude 1:4 Or written about...long ago
  5. Jude 1:5 Some mss Lord
  6. Jude 1:5 Lit the second time
  7. Jude 1:7 Or other; lit different
  8. Jude 1:7 Or example of eternal fire, in undergoing punishment
  9. Jude 1:8 Angels
  10. Jude 1:10 Lit corrupted
  11. Jude 1:12 Or stains
  12. Jude 1:12 Lit twice
  13. Jude 1:13 Or shameless deeds
  14. Jude 1:13 Or netherworld gloom; lit blackness of darkness
  15. Jude 1:14 Lit His holy ten thousands
  16. Jude 1:16 Lit marveling faces
  17. Jude 1:19 Or merely natural
  18. Jude 1:25 Lit to all the ages

Greeting

Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ and brother of James.

To those who are called, loved by God the Father and kept safe by Jesus Christ.

May you have more and more mercy, peace, and love.

Certain judgment of the false teachers

Dear friends, I wanted very much to write to you concerning the salvation we share. Instead, I must write to urge you to fight for the faith delivered once and for all to God’s holy people. Godless people have slipped in among you. They turn the grace of our God into unrestrained immorality and deny our only master and Lord, Jesus Christ. Judgment was passed against them a long time ago.

I want to remind you of something you already know very well. The Lord, who once saved a people out of Egypt, later destroyed those who didn’t maintain their faith. I remind you too of the angels who didn’t keep their position of authority but deserted their own home. The Lord has kept them in eternal chains in the underworld until the judgment of the great day. In the same way, Sodom and Gomorrah and neighboring towns practiced immoral sexual relations and pursued other sexual urges. By undergoing the punishment of eternal fire, they serve as a warning.

Yet, even knowing this, these dreamers in the same way pollute themselves, reject authority, and slander the angels. The archangel Michael, when he argued with the devil about Moses’ body, did not dare charge him with slander. Instead, he said, “The Lord rebuke you!” 10 But these people slander whatever they don’t understand. They are destroyed by what they know instinctively, as though they were irrational animals.

Prophecies about the false teachers

11 They are damned, for they follow in the footsteps of Cain. For profit they give themselves over to Balaam’s error. They are destroyed in the uprising of Korah. 12 These people are like jagged rocks just below the surface of the water waiting to snag you when they join your love feasts. They feast with you without reverence. They care only for themselves. They are waterless clouds carried along by the winds; fruitless autumn trees, twice dead, uprooted; 13 wild waves of the sea foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom the darkness of the underworld is reserved forever.

14 Enoch, who lived seven generations after Adam, prophesied about these people when he said, “See, the Lord comes with his countless holy ones, 15 to execute judgment on everyone and to convict everyone about every ungodly deed they have committed in their ungodliness as well as all the harsh things that sinful ungodly people have said against him.” 16 These are faultfinding grumblers, living according to their own desires. They speak arrogant words and they show partiality to people when they want a favor in return.

17 But you, dear friends, remember the words spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 They said to you, “In the end time scoffers will come living according to their own ungodly desires.” 19 These people create divisions. Since they don’t have the Spirit, they are worldly.

A strategy for the faithful

20 But you, dear friends: build each other up on the foundation of your most holy faith, pray in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep each other in the love of God, wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will give you eternal life. 22 Have mercy on those who doubt. 23 Save some by snatching them from the fire. Fearing God, have mercy on some, hating even the clothing contaminated by their sinful urges.

Blessing

24 To the one who is able to protect you from falling,
        and to present you blameless and rejoicing before his glorious presence,
25 to the only God our savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord,
        belong glory, majesty, power, and authority,
            before all time, now and forever. Amen.

Read full chapter