Jude Chapter 1

Salutation

         ¹Jude, servant of Jesus Christ^Messiah and brother of James, to the ones called by God the Father, loves and keeps you in Jesus Christ. ² Mercy, peace, and love many times over.

Condemnation of False Teachers

            ³ Friends, I’m anxious to write to you about the salvation we share. I need to encourage you to keep contending earnestly for the faith once and for all delivered to the saints. ⁴ Ungodly people have sneaked in under false pretenses; long ago they were assigned to that condemnation. They deny Jesus Christ as our only Master and Lord and try to pervert God’s grace into lustful living.                                                                                                                                      

⁵ You know that once and for all, but I want to remind you that after the LORD saved a people out of Egypt, he destroyed the ones that didn’t trust him. ⁶ Angels that didn’t keep their place he has held under darkness in permanent bonds till the great judgment day. ⁷ Likewise, Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them lived immorally, going after other flesh. They serve as examples of being subjected to eternal punishment by fire.                                                                                                                                         Jude 1-7

Describing Some False Teachers

⁸ Yet in like manner such people even fantasize about defiling the flesh, rejecting authority, and railing at angels. ⁹ But when Michael the archangel was arguing with the devil about the body of Moses, he didn’t bring railing condemnation; he said, “The LORD reprimand you.” ¹⁰ People like them rail out about what they don’t understand, about what they know by instinct like animals that can’t reason—and therefore destroy themselves. ¹¹ What consequences await them! They’ve followed Cain’s way; they’ve plunged into Balaam’s deception for money; they’ve perished in Korah’s rebellion. ¹² They’re hidden pieces of gravel in your love-feast food; without qualms they carouse among you, shepherding themselves. They’re clouds with no moisture, driven around by the wind. They’re late autumn trees with no fruit, uprooted, and doubly dead. ¹³ They’re wild waves of the sea, foaming up shameful acts. They’re stars out of orbit that the gloom of darkness is reserved for.            Jude 8-13

¹⁴ Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them, “The LORD will come with 10,000 holy ones ¹⁵ to convict sinners of their ungodly deeds and terrible blasphemies against him.” ¹⁶ They grumble, complain, pursue lusts, talk arrogantly, flatter people for gain.   Jude 14-16          

Maintaining Faithfulness Despite Competition

¹⁷ But dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ ¹⁸ used to tell you, “In the end mockers will come, chasing after ungodly lusts. ¹⁹ They’ll be divisive, materialistic, unspiritual.” ²⁰ But you, build yourselves up with your most holy faith and with prayer in the Holy Spirit. ²¹ Keep yourselves in God’s love and wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who brings eternal life. ²² Have mercy on some that doubt; ²³ save some by snatching them out of the fire; have mercy on others cautiously, hating even their clothes stained by the flesh.

Jude 17-23

Benediction

²⁴ Now to him who can keep you from stumbling and stand you blameless in front of his glory with great joy, ²⁵ to the only God our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord be glory and majesty, dominion and authority before all time, now, and forever. Amen.    Jude 24-25

Translator: Virgil Warren,                                                                                                 christir.org