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Jude,[a] a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ: May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

Beloved, while I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I was constrained to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For there are certain men who crept in secretly, even those who were long ago written about for this condemnation: ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into indecency, and denying our only Master, God, and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Now I desire to remind you, though you already know this, that the Lord, having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who didn’t believe. Angels who didn’t keep their first domain, but deserted their own dwelling place, he has kept in everlasting bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, having in the same way as these given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are shown as an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire. Yet in the same way, these also in their dreaming defile the flesh, despise authority, and slander celestial beings. But Michael, the archangel, when contending with the devil and arguing about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him an abusive condemnation, but said, “May the Lord rebuke you!” 10 But these speak evil of whatever things they don’t know. They are destroyed in these things that they understand naturally, like the creatures without reason. 11 Woe to them! For they went in the way of Cain, and ran riotously in the error of Balaam for hire, and perished in Korah’s rebellion. 12 These are hidden rocky reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you, shepherds who without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; 13 wild waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved forever. 14 About these also Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold,[b] the Lord came with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15 to execute judgment on all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their works of ungodliness which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” 16 These are murmurers and complainers, walking after their lusts—and their mouth speaks proud things—showing respect of persons to gain advantage.

17 But you, beloved, remember the words which have been spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 They said to you, “In the last time there will be mockers, walking after their own ungodly lusts.” 19 These are those who cause divisions and are sensual, not having the Spirit.

20 But you, beloved, keep building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit. 21 Keep yourselves in God’s love, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. 22 On some have compassion, making a distinction, 23 and some save, snatching them out of the fire with fear, hating even the clothing stained by the flesh.

24 Now to him who is able to keep them[c] from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory in great joy, 25 to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.

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Footnotes

  1. 1:1 or, Judah
  2. 1:14 “Behold”, from “ἰδοὺ”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
  3. 1:24 TR and NU read “you”

Greeting

Jude,[a] a slave of Jesus Christ and brother of James, to those who are called, loved in God the Father and kept for[b] Jesus Christ. May mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you.

Contend for the Faith

Dear friends, although I[c] was making every effort to write to you concerning our common salvation, I considered it a necessity to write to you to encourage you to contend for the faith delivered once and for all to the saints. For certain men[d] have slipped in stealthily, who were designated long ago for this condemnation, ungodly ones, who change the grace of our God into licentiousness and who deny our only Master and Lord Jesus Christ.

Condemnation of the Ungodly False Teachers

Now I want to remind you, although you know everything once and for all,[e] that Jesus,[f] having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, the second time destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not keep to their own domain but deserted their proper dwelling place, he has kept in eternal bonds under deep gloom for the judgment of the great day, as Sodom and Gomorrah and the towns around them indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire[g] in the same way as these, are exhibited as an example by[h] undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.

Despite that, in the same way also these men, because of their[i] dreams, defile the flesh and reject authority and blaspheme majestic beings. But Michael the archangel, when he argued with the devil, disputing concerning the body of Moses, did not dare to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” 10 But these persons blaspheme all that they do not understand, and all that they understand by instinct like the irrational animals, by these things they are being destroyed. 11 Woe to them! For they have traveled in the way of Cain, and have given themselves up to the error of Balaam for gain, and have perished[j] in the rebellion of Korah. 12 These are the ones feasting together without reverence, hidden reefs at your love feasts, caring for themselves, waterless clouds carried away by winds, late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, uprooted, 13 wild waves of the sea foaming up their own shameful deeds, wandering stars, for whom the deep gloom of darkness has been reserved for eternity.

14 And Enoch, the seventh from Adam, also prophesied about[k] these people, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with tens of thousands of his holy ones 15 to execute judgment against all, and to convict all the ungodly[l] concerning all their ungodly deeds that they have committed in an ungodly way, and concerning all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him. 16 These people are grumblers, discontented, proceeding according to their[m] desires, and their mouths speaking pompous words, showing partiality to gain an advantage[n].

Persevere in the Love of God

17 But you, dear friends, remember the words proclaimed beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, 18 for they said to you,[o] “In the end time there will be scoffers following according to their own ungodly desires.” 19 These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly, not having the Spirit. 20 But you, dear friends, by[p] building yourselves up in your most holy faith, by[q] praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on those who doubt, 23 and save others by[r] snatching them from the fire, and have mercy on others with fear, hating even the tunic stained by the flesh.

Benediction

24 Now to the one who is able to protect you from stumbling and make you to stand before his glory blameless[s] with exultation, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time and now and for all eternity. Amen.

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Footnotes

  1. Jude 1:1 “Jude” is the traditional form of the name introducing the letter, but the Greek form is the same as “Judas”
  2. Jude 1:1 Or perhaps “by”
  3. Jude 1:3 Here “although” is supplied as a component of the participle (“was making”) which is understood as concessive
  4. Jude 1:4 Or “people,” since the Greek term can be used in a generic sense, but if this statement is related to 2 Peter 2:12, it is more likely men are in view
  5. Jude 1:5 Some manuscripts place this word in the following clause
  6. Jude 1:5 Some manuscripts have “the Lord”
  7. Jude 1:7 Literally “went after other flesh”
  8. Jude 1:7 Here “by” is supplied as a component of the participle (“undergoing”) which is understood as means
  9. Jude 1:8 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“dreams”) which is understood as causal
  10. Jude 1:11 Or possibly “will perish”
  11. Jude 1:14 Or “against”
  12. Jude 1:15 Some manuscripts have “to convict every soul”
  13. Jude 1:16 Some manuscripts have “their own”
  14. Jude 1:16 Literally “respecting faces for the sake of advantage”
  15. Jude 1:18 Some manuscripts have “to you that”
  16. Jude 1:20 Here “by” is supplied as a component of the participle (“building up”) which is understood as means
  17. Jude 1:20 Here “by” is supplied as a component of the participle (“praying”) which is understood as means
  18. Jude 1:23 Here “by” is supplied as a component of the participle (“snatching”) which is understood as means
  19. Jude 1:24 Or “without blemish”