The General Epistle of Jude

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- Chapter 1 -

(James 1:1)

Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, To those who are called, loved by God the Father, and kept in Jesus Christ:

Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

God’s Judgment on the Ungodly

(2 Peter 3:1–7)

Beloved, although I made every effort to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt it necessary to write and urge you to contend earnestly for the faith entrusted once for all to the saints.

For certain men have crept in among you unnoticed—ungodly ones who were designated long ago for condemnation. They turn the grace of our God into a license for immorality, and they deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Although you are fully aware of this, I want to remind you that after Jesus

(a)

had delivered His people out of the land of Egypt, He destroyed those who did not believe.

And the angels who did not stay within their own domain but abandoned their proper dwelling—these He has kept in eternal chains under darkness, bound for judgment on that great day.

In like manner, Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, who indulged in sexual immorality and pursued strange flesh, are on display as an example of those who sustain the punishment of eternal fire.

Yet in the same way these dreamers defile their bodies, reject authority, and slander glorious beings.

But even the archangel Michael, when he disputed with the devil over the body of Moses, did not presume to bring a slanderous charge against him, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”(b)

These men, however, slander what they do not understand, and like irrational animals, they will be destroyed by the things they do instinctively.

Woe to them! They have traveled the path of Cain; they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam; they have perished in Korah’s rebellion.

These men are hidden reefs

(c)

in your love feasts, shamelessly feasting with you but shepherding only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried along by the wind; fruitless trees in autumn, twice dead after being uprooted.

They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.

Enoch, the seventh from Adam, also prophesied about them: “Behold, the Lord is coming with myriads of His holy ones

to execute judgment on everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of every ungodly act of wickedness and every harsh word spoken against Him by ungodly sinners.”(d)

These men are discontented grumblers, following after their own lusts; their mouths spew arrogance; they flatter others for their own advantage.

A Call to Persevere

(Hebrews 10:19–39; 2 Peter 3:1–7)

But you, beloved, remember what was foretold by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ

when they said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow after their own ungodly desires.”(e)

These are the ones who cause divisions, who are worldly and devoid of the Spirit.

But you, beloved, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,

keep yourselves in the love of God as you await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you eternal life.

And indeed, have mercy on those who doubt;

save others by snatching them from the fire; and to still others show mercy tempered with fear, hating even the clothing stained by the flesh.

Doxology

(Romans 16:25–27)

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you unblemished in His glorious presence, with great joy—

to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority through Jesus Christ our Lord before all time, and now, and for all eternity. Amen.

Footnotes

(a)1:5 NE, WH, BYZ, and TR the Lord

(b)1:9 This account is attributed by Origen to the Testament of Moses, also called the Assumption of Moses.

(d)1:15 See the First Book of Enoch (1 Enoch 1:9).

(e)1:18 See 2 Peter 3:3.

(James 1:1)

Jude,(a) a servant of Jesus Christ,(b) 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.

God’s Judgment on the Ungodly

(2 Peter 3:1–7)

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!”

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.

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.

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;

wild waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved forever.

About these also Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold,(c) the Lord came with ten thousands of his holy ones,

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.”

These are murmurers and complainers, walking after their lusts—and their mouth speaks proud things—showing respect of persons to gain advantage.

A Call to Persevere

(Hebrews 10:19–39; 2 Peter 3:1–7)

But you, beloved, remember the words which have been spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.

They said to you, “In the last time there will be mockers, walking after their own ungodly lusts.”

These are those who cause divisions and are sensual, not having the Spirit.

But you, beloved, keep building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.

Keep yourselves in God’s love, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.

On some have compassion, making a distinction,

and some save, snatching them out of the fire with fear, hating even the clothing stained by the flesh.

Doxology

(Romans 16:25–27)

Now to him who is able to keep them

(d)

from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory in great joy,

to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.

Footnotes

(a)1:1 or, Judah

(b)1:1 “Christ” means “Anointed One”.

(c)1:14 “Behold”, from “ἰδοὺ”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.

(d)1:24 TR and NU read “you”