Greeting
1 Jude, a servant1 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface of Jesus Christ and brother of James,
Rom. 1:7;1 Cor. 1:24To those who are called, 1 Thess. 1:4;2 Thess. 2:13beloved in God the Father and John 17:11,15;1 Thess. 5:23kept for1 Or by Jesus Christ:
2 May [2 John 3] mercy, 1 Pet. 1:2;2 Pet. 1:2peace, and love be multiplied to you.
Judgment on False Teachers
3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our Titus 1:4common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you 1 Tim. 6:12;2 Tim. 4:7;[Luke 13:24;1 Cor. 9:25;Phil. 1:27]to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For 2 Pet. 2:1certain people [Gal. 2:4] have crept in unnoticed 1 Pet. 2:8who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert See Acts 11:23the grace of our God into sensuality and Titus 1:16;2 Pet. 2:1;1 John 2:22deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
5 Now I want 2 Pet. 1:12;3:17to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that [1 Cor. 10:4,5,9] Jesus, who saved5 Some manuscripts although you fully knew it, that the Lord who once saved a people out of the land of Egypt, Num. 14:29,37;26:64,65;Ps. 106:26;Heb. 3:17-19afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And 2 Pet. 2:4;[Rev. 20:2]the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day— 7 just as See Gen. 19:24Sodom and Gomorrah and Deut. 29:23;Hos. 11:8the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and 2 Pet. 2:10pursued unnatural desire,7 Greek different flesh serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.
8 Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and 2 Pet. 2:10blaspheme the glorious ones. 9 But when 1 Thess. 4:16;[2 Pet. 2:11] the archangel Dan. 10:13;12:1;Rev. 12:7Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing [Deut. 34:6] about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, Zech. 3:2"The Lord rebuke you." 10 2 Pet. 2:12But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively. 11 Woe to them! For they walked in See Gen. 4:5-8the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain See 2 Pet. 2:15to Balaam’s error and Num. 16:1-3,31-35perished in Korah’s rebellion. 12 These are hidden reefs12 Or are blemishes2 Pet. 2:13at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, Ezek. 34:2,8,10shepherds feeding themselves; Prov. 25:14;2 Pet. 2:17waterless clouds, Heb. 13:9swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, Matt. 15:13uprooted; 13 Isa. 57:20wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of [2 Cor. 4:2;Phil. 3:19] their own shame; [Isa. 14:12] wandering stars, 2 Pet. 2:17for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.
14 It was also about these that Enoch, Gen. 5:18the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, See Deut. 33:2;[Dan. 7:10;Mark 8:38;1 Thess. 3:13;2 Thess. 1:7]"Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15 [2 Pet. 2:5] to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have 2 Pet. 2:6committed in such an ungodly way, and of all 1 Sam. 2:3;Ps. 94:4;John 6:60the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him." 16 These are grumblers, malcontents, 2 Pet. 2:10following their own sinful desires; 2 Pet. 2:18they are loud-mouthed boasters, Lev. 19:15;Deut. 10:17showing favoritism to gain advantage.
A Call to Persevere
17 But you must 2 Pet. 3:2remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 They18 Or Christ, because they said to you, 2 Pet. 3:3"In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions." 19 It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, [Rom. 8:9;Phil. 3:3]devoid of the Spirit. 20 But you, beloved, See Col. 2:7building yourselves up in your most holy faith and Eph. 6:18;[Rom. 8:26]praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 2 Cor. 13:14;[Acts 13:43] keep yourselves in the love of God, Titus 2:13;2 Pet. 3:12waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on those who doubt; 23 save others by Amos 4:11;Zech. 3:2snatching them out of See 1 Cor. 3:15the fire; to others show mercy [2 Cor. 5:11] with fear, hating even Rev. 3:4;[Zech. 3:4]the garment23 Greek chiton, a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin stained by the flesh.
Doxology
24 Rom. 16:25;Eph. 3:20Now to him who is able John 17:12to keep you from stumbling and Col. 1:22;[1 Pet. 4:13] to present you Eph. 1:4;5:27;Phil. 2:15;Rev. 14:5blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to John 5:44;1 Tim. 1:17the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, See Rom. 11:36be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time25 Or before any age and now and forever. Amen.