Jude | ESV | STEP |

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The letter of Jude warns against those who, having gained admission to the church, were perverting the grace of God, denying “our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ” (v. 4). Jude used Old Testament examples to warn of these “blemishes” on the church. He wrote multiple denunciations of these ungodly people who “defile the flesh” and “reject authority” (v. 8). He urged Christians to continue in godliness and love toward such people, in some cases reasoning with them, in other cases “snatching them out of the fire” (v. 23). Jude closes with one of the most beautiful doxologies in all of Scripture (vv. 24-25). Jude was the brother of James (probably “James the Lord’s brother,” Gal. 1:19). He likely wrote sometime between a.d. 65 and 80.

‏ Jude

Greeting

1 Jude, a servant ^{▼▼Or slave (for the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface)} of Jesus Christ and brother of James,

^bTo those who are called, ^cbeloved in God the Father and ^dkept for ^{▼▼Or by} Jesus Christ:

2 May ^fmercy, ^gpeace, and love be multiplied to you.

Judgment on False Teachers

3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our ^hcommon salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you ⁱto contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For ^jcertain people ^khave crept in unnoticed ^lwho long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert ^mthe grace of our God into sensuality and ⁿdeny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

5 Now I want ^oto remind you, although you once fully knew it, that ^pJesus, who saved ^{▼▼Some manuscripts although you fully knew it, that the Lord who once saved} a people out of the land of Egypt, ^rafterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And ^sthe 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 ^tSodom and Gomorrah and ^uthe surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and ^vpursued unnatural desire, ^{▼▼Greek other 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 ^xblaspheme the glorious ones. 9 But when ^ythe archangel ^zMichael, contending with the devil, was disputing ^aaabout the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, ^ab“The Lord rebuke you.” 10 ^acBut 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 ^adthe way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain ^aeto Balaam’s error and ^afperished in Korah’s rebellion. 12 These are hidden reefs ^{▼▼Or are blemishes} ^ahat your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, ^aishepherds feeding themselves; ^ajwaterless clouds, ^akswept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, ^aluprooted; 13 ^amwild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of ^antheir own shame; ^aowandering stars, ^apfor whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.

14 It was also about these that Enoch, ^aqthe seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, ^ar“Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15 ^asto execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have ^atcommitted in such an ungodly way, and of all ^authe harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” 16 These are grumblers, malcontents, ^avfollowing their own sinful desires; ^awthey are loud-mouthed boasters, ^axshowing favoritism to gain advantage.

A Call to Persevere

17 But you must ^ayremember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 They ^{▼▼Or Christ, because they} said to you, ^ba“In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” 19 It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, ^bbdevoid of the Spirit. 20 But you, beloved, ^bcbuilding yourselves up in your most holy faith and ^bdpraying in the Holy Spirit, 21 ^bekeep yourselves in the love of God, ^bfwaiting 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 ^bgsnatching them out of ^bhthe fire; to others show mercy ^biwith fear, hating even ^bjthe garment ^{▼▼Greek chiton, a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin} stained by the flesh.

Doxology

24 ^blNow to him who is able ^bmto keep you from stumbling and ^bnto present you ^boblameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to ^bpthe only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, ^bqbe glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.