Jude 1

Salutation

1:1 From Jude,¹ a slave² of Jesus Christ and brother of James,³ to those who are called, wrapped in the love of⁴ God the Father and kept for⁵ Jesus Christ. 1:2 May mercy, peace, and love be lavished on you!⁶

Condemnation of the False Teachers

1:3 Dear friends, although I have been eager to write to you⁷ about our common salvation, I now feel compelled⁸ instead to write to encourage⁹ you to contend earnestly¹⁰ for the faith¹¹ that was once for all¹² entrusted to the saints.¹³ 1:4 For certain men¹⁴ have secretly slipped in among you¹⁵ – men who long ago¹⁶ were marked out¹⁷ for the condemnation I am about to describe¹⁸ – ungodly men who have turned the grace of our God into a license for evil¹⁹ and who deny our only Master²⁰ and Lord,²¹ Jesus Christ.

1:5 Now I desire to remind you (even though you have been fully informed of these facts²² once for all²³) that Jesus,²⁴ having saved the²⁵ people out of the land of Egypt, later²⁶ destroyed those who did not believe. 1:6 You also know that²⁷ the angels who did not keep within their proper domain²⁸ but abandoned their own place of residence, he has kept²⁹ in eternal chains³⁰ in utter³¹ darkness, locked up³² for the judgment of the great Day. 1:7 So also³³ Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighboring towns,³⁴ since they indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire³⁵ in a way similar to³⁶ these angels,³⁷ are now displayed as an example by suffering the punishment of eternal fire.

1:8 Yet these men,³⁸ as a result of their dreams,³⁹ defile the flesh, reject authority,⁴⁰ and insult⁴¹ the glorious ones.⁴² 1:9 But even⁴³ when Michael the archangel⁴⁴ was arguing with the devil and debating with him⁴⁵ concerning Moses’ body, he did not dare to bring a slanderous judgment, but said, “May the Lord rebuke you!” 1:10 But these men do not understand the things they slander, and they are being destroyed by the very things that, like irrational animals, they instinctively comprehend.⁴⁶ 1:11 Woe to them! For they have traveled down Cain’s path,⁴⁷ and because of greed⁴⁸ have abandoned themselves⁴⁹ to⁵⁰ Balaam’s error; hence,⁵¹ they will certainly perish⁵² in Korah’s rebellion. 1:12 These men are⁵³ dangerous reefs⁵⁴ at your love feasts,⁵⁵ feasting without reverence,⁵⁶ feeding only themselves.⁵⁷ They are⁵⁸ waterless⁵⁹ clouds, carried along by the winds; autumn trees without fruit⁶⁰ – twice dead,⁶¹ uprooted; 1:13 wild sea waves,⁶² spewing out the foam of⁶³ their shame;⁶⁴ wayward stars⁶⁵ for whom the utter depths of eternal darkness⁶⁶ have been reserved.

1:14 Now Enoch, the seventh in descent beginning with Adam,⁶⁷ even prophesied of them,⁶⁸ saying, “Look! The Lord is coming⁶⁹ with thousands and thousands⁷⁰ of his holy ones, 1:15 to execute judgment on⁷¹ all, and to convict every person⁷² of all their thoroughly ungodly deeds⁷³ that they have committed,⁷⁴ and of all the harsh words that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”⁷⁵ 1:16 These people are grumblers and⁷⁶ fault-finders who go⁷⁷ wherever their desires lead them,⁷⁸ and they give bombastic speeches,⁷⁹ enchanting folks⁸⁰ for their own gain.⁸¹

Exhortation to the Faithful

1:17 But you, dear friends – recall the predictions⁸² foretold by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.⁸³ 1:18 For they said to you, “In the end time there will come⁸⁴ scoffers, propelled by their own ungodly desires.”⁸⁵ 1:19 These people are divisive,⁸⁶ worldly,⁸⁷ devoid of the Spirit.⁸⁸ 1:20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith, by praying in the Holy Spirit,⁸⁹ 1:21 maintain⁹⁰ yourselves in the love of God, while anticipating⁹¹ the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that brings eternal life.⁹² 1:22 And have mercy on those who waver; 1:23 save⁹³ others by snatching them out of the fire; have mercy⁹⁴ on others, coupled with a fear of God,⁹⁵ hating even the clothes stained⁹⁶ by the flesh.⁹⁷

Final Blessing

1:24 Now to the one who is able to keep you from falling,⁹⁸ and to cause you to stand, rejoicing,⁹⁹ without blemish¹⁰⁰ before his glorious presence,¹⁰¹ 1:25 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.