In the same way these people—relying on their dreams—defile their flesh, reject authority, and slander glorious ones.(A) Yet when Michael(B) the archangel(C) was disputing with the devil(D) in an argument about Moses’s(E) body, he did not dare utter a slanderous condemnation against him but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” 10 But these people blaspheme anything they do not understand. And what they do understand by instinct—like irrational animals—by these things they are destroyed. 11 Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain,(F) have plunged into Balaam’s error(G) for profit, and have perished in Korah’s rebellion.(H)

The Apostates’ Doom

12 These people are dangerous reefs[a] at your love feasts(I) as they eat with you without reverence. They are shepherds who only look after themselves. They are waterless clouds carried along by winds;(J) trees in late autumn—fruitless, twice dead and uprooted. 13 They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shameful deeds; wandering stars(K) for whom the blackness of darkness(L) is reserved forever.(M)

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Footnotes

  1. 12 Or are like blemishes

Yet in the same way these dreamers also defile the flesh, reject authority, and slander the glorious ones.[a](A) 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[b] against him but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”(B) 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.(C) 12 These are blots[c] on your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, feeding themselves.[d] They are waterless clouds carried along by the winds; autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, uprooted;(D) 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.(E)

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Footnotes

  1. 8 Or angels; Gk glories
  2. 9 Or condemnation for blasphemy
  3. 12 Or reefs
  4. 12 Or without fear. They are shepherds who care only for themselves