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I am Jude. I am a servant of Jesus Christ and I am a brother of James. I send greetings to you whom God the Father has called. He has loved you and kept you safe for Jesus Christ.

May God be kind to you. May he give you peace. May he love you very much.

My dear brothers, I wanted very much to write to you and tell you how we all are saved. But then I saw that I must write and tell you to hold very strongly to what you do believe. Fight against those who want to change it. The right way to believe has been given to God's people once for all times.

Some men have come in quietly. They are bad men. The holy writings told us long ago that they would be punished. These men change the blessing of our God to do the wrong things they want to do. They show by their lives that they do not belong to Jesus Christ, our only Master and Lord

You know all these things for all times. But I want to bring them to your minds. First, the Lord saved his people from the country of Egypt. At a time after that, he killed those who did not believe in him.

Remember the angels also. Some of them did not keep the high place they had. But they left their home. God has them tied in chains for ever, and he is keeping them in a very dark place. He will keep them there until that big day when they will be judged.

Also Sodom and Gomorrah and the other cities near them show what will happen. The people there had wrong ways of using sex and did wrong things that people should not do with each other. They were punished and are in fire that burns for ever. God did this to show what will happen to others.

And yet these men do the same wrong things. They think of and do wrong things with their bodies. They will not obey the men who rule over them. And they say wrong things about those who are great, even about the angels.

At one time Michael the chief angel had a quarrel with the devil about who should have the body of Moses. But he did not dare to judge the devil and say wrong things about him. He said, `May the Lord tell you to stop!'

10 But these men say wrong things about everything they do not understand. They know some things just like animals that cannot think. And they will die because they do those wrong things.

11 They will have trouble! They have lived like Cain. They have done wrong things for pay like Balaam. They have talked against those who are over them. Korah did that. And so they will die as he did.

12 These men spoil your love feasts. They are not afraid to eat and drink with you. They take care only of themselves. They are like clouds that do not give rain, and are blown around by the winds. They are like trees when their leaves are gone and they have no fruit. These trees are also dead because they have been pulled up by the roots.

13 These men are like big waves on the sea. Big waves cause much trouble. And these men also show the wrong things they do. They are like stars that have fallen from their place in the sky. A very dark place has been kept for ever in which to put these men.

14 Enoch was the seventh in Adam's family line. He spoke words from God to these men also. He said, `Listen! The Lord came with many thousands of his angels.

15 He came to judge all people and to punish all the bad people for all the wrong things they have done. And he came to punish bad people for all the wrong things that they have said against him.'

16 These men complain about the way things are. They do not like it. They do what they themselves want to do. They say big things. They say nice things to people to get what they want from them.

17 But, my dear brothers, you must remember what the apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ said would happen.

18 They said to you, `At the end of time, men will come who will make fun of holy things. They will do the wrong things they themselves want to do.'

19 These are the men who make people go into different groups in the church meetings. They have only a man's heart. They do not have the Holy Spirit.

20 But you, my dear brothers, must make your lives better in the holy things you believe. Talk to God in the Holy Spirit.

21 Keep yourselves in God's love. Wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to come and help you. He will give you life that will live for ever.

22 Some people are not sure what they believe. Be kind to them by sharing in their troubles.

23 Pull them out of the fire and save them. There are other people to whom you must be kind, but be careful about it. But you must hate even the clothes that bad people have worn.

24 God can keep you from doing anything wrong. He can bring you to the place where he is great and you will be all good. You will be very happy.

25 He is the only God. And he is our Saviour through our Lord Jesus Christ. He is great! He is wonderful! He has power! He has the right to rule! He was like that before time began! He is like that now! And he will be like that for ever. Yes, he will!

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

To those who have been called,(C) who are loved in God the Father and kept for[a] Jesus Christ:(D)

Mercy, peace(E) and love be yours in abundance.(F)

The Sin and Doom of Ungodly People

Dear friends,(G) although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share,(H) I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend(I) for the faith(J) that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.(K) For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about[b] long ago have secretly slipped in among you.(L) They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.(M)

Though you already know all this,(N) I want to remind you(O) that the Lord[c] at one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe.(P) And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.(Q) In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah(R) and the surrounding towns(S) gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.(T)

In the very same way, on the strength of their dreams these ungodly people pollute their own bodies, reject authority and heap abuse on celestial beings.(U) But even the archangel(V) Michael,(W) when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses,(X) did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”[d](Y) 10 Yet these people slander whatever they do not understand, and the very things they do understand by instinct—as irrational animals do—will destroy them.(Z)

11 Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain;(AA) they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error;(AB) they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.(AC)

12 These people are blemishes at your love feasts,(AD) eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves.(AE) They are clouds without rain,(AF) blown along by the wind;(AG) autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted(AH)—twice dead. 13 They are wild waves of the sea,(AI) foaming up their shame;(AJ) wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.(AK)

14 Enoch,(AL) the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is coming(AM) with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones(AN) 15 to judge(AO) everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”[e](AP) 16 These people are grumblers(AQ) and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires;(AR) they boast(AS) about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.

A Call to Persevere

17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles(AT) of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold.(AU) 18 They said to you, “In the last times(AV) there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.”(AW) 19 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.(AX)

20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up(AY) in your most holy faith(AZ) and praying in the Holy Spirit,(BA) 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait(BB) for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.(BC)

22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire;(BD) to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.[f](BE)

Doxology

24 To him who is able(BF) to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence(BG) without fault(BH) and with great joy— 25 to the only God(BI) our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore!(BJ) Amen.(BK)

Footnotes

  1. Jude 1:1 Or by; or in
  2. Jude 1:4 Or individuals who were marked out for condemnation
  3. Jude 1:5 Some early manuscripts Jesus
  4. Jude 1:9 Jude is alluding to the Jewish Testament of Moses (approximately the first century a.d.).
  5. Jude 1:15 From the Jewish First Book of Enoch (approximately the first century b.c.)
  6. Jude 1:23 The Greek manuscripts of these verses vary at several points.

Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:

Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.

Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.

Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.

17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;

18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.

19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.

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

21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:

23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.