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

Salutation

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)

May mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance.

Occasion of the Letter

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) 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

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) 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) 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)

Yet in the same way these dreamers also defile the flesh, reject authority, and slander the glorious ones.[h](G) 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)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1 Gk Judas
  2. 1 Other ancient authorities read sanctified
  3. 1 Or by
  4. 1 Or by
  5. 4 Or the only Master and our Lord Jesus Christ
  6. 5 Other ancient authorities read informed, that the Lord who once and for all saved
  7. 7 Gk went after other flesh
  8. 8 Or angels; Gk glories
  9. 9 Or condemnation for blasphemy
  10. 12 Or reefs
  11. 12 Or without fear. They are shepherds who care only for themselves
  12. 14 Gk came
  13. 15 Other ancient authorities read everyone
  14. 16 Other ancient authorities read their own lusts
  15. 21 Gk Christ to
  16. 23 Gk by the flesh