Greeting

Jude,(A) a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James:

To those who are the called,(B) loved[a](C) by God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ.(D)

May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.(E)

Jude’s Purpose in Writing

Dear friends, although I was eager to write you about the salvation we share,(F) I found it necessary to write, appealing to you to contend for the faith(G) that was delivered(H) to the saints once for all. For some people, who were designated for this judgment long ago,[b](I) have come in by stealth;(J) they are ungodly,(K) turning the grace of our God into sensuality and denying(L) Jesus Christ, our only Master and Lord.

Apostates: Past and Present

Now I want to remind you, although you came to know all these things once and for all, that Jesus[c] saved a people out of Egypt and later destroyed those who did not believe;(M) and the angels(N) who did not keep their own position but abandoned their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains in deep darkness for the judgment on the great day. Likewise, Sodom and Gomorrah(O) and the surrounding towns committed sexual immorality and perversions,[d] and serve as an example by undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.(P)

In the same way these people—relying on their dreams—defile their flesh, reject authority, and slander glorious ones.(Q) Yet when Michael(R) the archangel(S) was disputing with the devil(T) in an argument about Moses’s(U) 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,(V) have plunged into Balaam’s error(W) for profit, and have perished in Korah’s rebellion.(X)

The Apostates’ Doom

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

14 It was about these that Enoch,(AD) in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied: “Look! The Lord comes with tens of thousands of his holy ones(AE) 15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly(AF) concerning all the ungodly acts that they have done in an ungodly way, and concerning all the harsh things ungodly sinners have said against him.” 16 These people are discontented grumblers, living according to their desires;(AG) their mouths utter arrogant words, flattering(AH) people for their own advantage.

17 But you, dear friends, remember what was predicted by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 They told you, “In the end time(AI) there will be scoffers(AJ) living according to their own ungodly desires.” 19 These people create divisions and are worldly,(AK) not having the Spirit.

Exhortation and Benediction

20 But you, dear friends, as you build yourselves up in your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,(AL) 21 keep yourselves in the love of God,(AM) waiting expectantly for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ for eternal life. 22 Have mercy on those who waver; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire;(AN) have mercy on others but with fear,(AO) hating(AP) even the garment(AQ) defiled by the flesh.

24 Now to him(AR) who is able to protect you from stumbling(AS) and to make you stand in the presence of his glory, without blemish(AT) and with great joy, 25 to the only(AU) God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord,[f] be glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time,[g] now and forever. Amen.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Other mss read sanctified
  2. 4 Or whose judgment was written about long ago
  3. 5 Other mss read the Lord, or God
  4. 7 Or and went after other flesh
  5. 12 Or are like blemishes
  6. 25 Other mss omit through Jesus Christ our Lord
  7. 25 Other mss omit before all time

Judas, of Jesus Christ a servant, and brother of James, to those sanctified in God the Father, and in Jesus Christ kept -- called,

kindness to you, and peace, and love, be multiplied!

Beloved, all diligence using to write to you concerning the common salvation, I had necessity to write to you, exhorting to agonize for the faith once delivered to the saints,

for there did come in unobserved certain men, long ago having been written beforehand to this judgment, impious, the grace of our God perverting to lasciviousness, and our only Master, God, and Lord -- Jesus Christ -- denying,

and to remind you I intend, you knowing once this, that the Lord, a people out of the land of Egypt having saved, again those who did not believe did destroy;

messengers also, those who did not keep their own principality, but did leave their proper dwelling, to a judgment of a great day, in bonds everlasting, under darkness He hath kept,

as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them, in like manner to these, having given themselves to whoredom, and gone after other flesh, have been set before -- an example, of fire age-during, justice suffering.

In like manner, nevertheless, those dreaming also the flesh indeed do defile, and lordship they put away, and dignities they speak evil of,

yet Michael, the chief messenger, when, with the devil contending, he was disputing about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring up an evil-speaking judgment, but said, `The Lord rebuke thee!'

10 and these, as many things indeed as they have not known, they speak evil of; and as many things as naturally (as the irrational beasts) they understand, in these they are corrupted;

11 wo to them! because in the way of Cain they did go on, and to the deceit of Balaam for reward they did rush, and in the gainsaying of Korah they did perish.

12 These are in your love-feasts craggy rocks; feasting together with you, without fear shepherding themselves; clouds without water, by winds carried about; trees autumnal, without fruit, twice dead, rooted up;

13 wild waves of a sea, foaming out their own shames; stars going astray, to whom the gloom of the darkness to the age hath been kept.

14 And prophesy also to these did the seventh from Adam -- Enoch -- saying, `Lo, the Lord did come in His saintly myriads,

15 to do judgment against all, and to convict all their impious ones, concerning all their works of impiety that they did impiously, and concerning all the stiff things that speak against Him did impious sinners.'

16 These are murmurers, repiners; according to their desires walking, and their mouth doth speak great swellings, giving admiration to persons for the sake of profit;

17 and ye, beloved, remember ye the sayings spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ:

18 that they said to you, that in the last time there shall be scoffers, after their own desires of impieties going on,

19 these are those setting themselves apart, natural men, the Spirit not having.

20 And ye, beloved, on your most holy faith building yourselves up, in the Holy Spirit praying,

21 yourselves in the love of God keep ye, waiting for the kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ -- to life age-during;

22 and to some be kind, judging thoroughly,

23 and some in fear save ye, out of the fire snatching, hating even the coat from the flesh spotted.

24 And to Him who is able to guard you not stumbling, and to set [you] in the presence of His glory unblemished, in gladness,

25 to the only wise God our Saviour, [is] glory and greatness, power and authority, both now and to all the ages! Amen.