Greeting

1Jude,a a •slave of Jesus Christ and a brother of James:

To those who are the called,b lovedc, d by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ.e

2May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.f

Jude’s Purpose in Writing

3Dear friends, although I was eager to write you about the salvation we share,g I found it necessary to write and exhort you to contend for the faithh that was deliveredi to the •saints once for all. 4For some men, who were designated for this judgment long ago,j have come in by stealth;k they are ungodly,l turning the grace of our God into promiscuity and denyingm Jesus Christ, our only Master and Lord.

Apostates: Past and Present

5Now I want to remind you, though you know all these things: The Lordn firsto saved a people out of Egypt and later destroyed those who did not believe;p 6and He has kept, with eternal chains in darkness for the judgment of the great day, the angelsq who did not keep their own position but deserted their proper dwelling. 7In the same way, Sodom and Gomorrahr and the cities around them committed sexual immorality and practiced perversions,s just as angels did, and serve as an example by undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.t

8Nevertheless, these dreamers likewise defile their flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme glorious ones.u 9Yet Michaelv the archangel,w when he was disputing with the Devilx in a debate about Moses’y body, did not dare bring an abusive condemnation against him but said, “The Lord rebuke you! ” 10But these people blaspheme anything they don’t understand. What they know by instinct like unreasoning animals — they destroy themselves with these things. 11Woe to them! For they have traveled in the way of Cain,z have abandoned themselves to the error of Balaamaa for profit, and have perished in Korah’s rebellion.ab

The Apostates’ Doom

12These are the ones who are like dangerous reefsac at your love feasts.ad They feast with you, nurturing only themselves without fear. They are waterless clouds carried along by winds;ae trees in late autumn — fruitless, twice dead, pulled out by the roots; 13wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shameful deeds; wandering starsaf for whom the blackness of darknessag is reserved forever!ah

14And Enoch,ai in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied about them:

Look! The Lord comesaj

with thousands of His holy onesak

15to execute judgment on all

and to convict themal

of all their ungodlyam acts

that they have done in an ungodly way,

and of all the harsh things ungodly sinners

have said against Him.

16These people are discontented grumblers, •walking according to their desires;an their mouths utter arrogant words, flatteringao people for their own advantage.

17But you, dear friends, remember what was predicted by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; 18they told you, “In the end timeap there will be scoffersaq walking according to their own ungodly desires.” 19These people create divisions and are unbelievers,ar, as not having the Spirit.

Exhortation and Benediction

20But you, dear friends, as you build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit,at 21keep yourselves in the love of God,au expecting the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ for eternal life. 22Have mercy on those who doubt; 23save others by snatching them from the fire;av have mercy on others but with fear,aw hatingax even the garmentay defiled by the flesh.

24Now to Himaz who is able to protect you from stumblingba and to make you stand in the presence of His glory, blamelessbb and with great joy, 25to the onlybc God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord,bd be glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time,be now and forever. •Amen.