CHAPTER 1
Jude,
a servant
of Jesus
Christ
and
a brother
of James,
To those who are
called,
loved
by
God
the Father,
and
kept
in Jesus
Christ:
Beloved,
although I made
every
effort
to write
you
about
the
salvation
we
share,
I felt
it necessary
to write
and urge
you
to contend earnestly
for the
faith
entrusted
once for all
to the
saints.
For
certain
men
have crept in among you unnoticed—
ungodly ones
who were designated
long ago
for
condemnation.
They turn
the
grace
of our
God
into
a license for immorality,
and
they deny
our
only
Master
and
Lord,
Jesus
Christ.
Although you are fully aware of this,
I want
to remind
you
that
after
Jesus
had delivered
His people
out of
the land
of Egypt,
He destroyed
those who
did not believe.
And
the angels
who
did not stay within
their
own
domain,
but
abandoned
their
proper
dwelling,
He keeps
under
darkness,
in eternal
chains
for
judgment
on that great
day.
In like
manner,
Sodom
and
Gomorrah
and
the
cities
around
them,
who indulged in sexual immorality
and
pursued
strange
flesh,
are on display
as an example
of those who sustain
the punishment
of eternal
fire.
Yet
in the same way,
these
dreamers
defile
their bodies,
reject
authority,
and
slander
glorious beings.
But even
the
archangel
Michael,
when
he disputed
with the
devil
over
the
body
of Moses,
did not presume
to bring
a slanderous
judgment against him,
but
said,
“The Lord
rebuke
you!"
These men,
however,
slander
what
they do not understand,
and
like
irrational
animals,
they will be destroyed
by
the things
they do instinctively.
Woe
to them!
They have traveled
the
path
of Cain;
they have rushed
headlong
into the
error
of Balaam;
they have perished
in
Korah’s
rebellion.
These men
are
the
hidden reefs
in
your
love feasts,
shamelessly
feasting with you
but shepherding
only themselves.
They are clouds
without water,
carried along
by
the wind;
fruitless
trees
in autumn,
twice
dead
after being uprooted.
They are wild
waves
of the sea,
foaming up
their
own
shame;
wandering
stars,
for whom
blackest
darkness
has been reserved
forever.
Enoch,
the seventh
from
Adam,
also
prophesied
about them:
“Behold,
the Lord
is coming
with
myriads
of His
holy ones
to execute
judgment
on
everyone,
and
to convict
all
the
ungodly
of
every
ungodly
act
of wickedness
and
every
harsh word
spoken
against
Him
by ungodly
sinners."
These men
are
discontented
grumblers,
following
after
their
own
lusts;
their
mouths
spew
arrogance;
they flatter
others
for their own
advantage.
when
they said
to you,
“In
the last
times
there will be
scoffers
who will follow
after
their own
ungodly
desires.”
But
you,
beloved,
by building
yourselves up
in
your
most holy
faith
and praying
in
the Holy
Spirit,
keep
yourselves
in
the love
of God
as you await
the
mercy
of our
Lord
Jesus
Christ
to bring you
eternal
life.
save
others
by snatching them
from
the fire;
and
to still others,
show mercy
tempered with
fear,
hating
even
the
clothing
stained
by
the
flesh.
Now
to Him who
is able
to keep
you
from stumbling
and
to present you
unblemished
in His
glorious
presence,
with
great joy—
to the only
God
our
Savior
be glory,
majesty,
dominion,
and
authority,
through
Jesus
Christ
our
Lord,
before
all
time,
and
now,
and
for
all
eternity.
Amen.