The Book of Jude

1¹FROM: Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James.
TO: Them that are sanctified by God, the Father, preserved in Jesus Christ and called;
²Mercy to you and peace and love be multiplied.

³Beloved, when I gave all (perserverance; care) writing to you of [our] common salvation, it was necessary for me to write to you and [urge; advise] you so that you would earnestly contend for the faith which was [formerly] delivered to the saints. ⁴(Because) there are certain men (that have) crept in unawares (who formerly wrote or announced their decision against God), turning the grace of our Lord into (wanton desires) and denying the only God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁵(So) I'd like you to remember, although, I know you already know this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who didn't believe. ⁶And the angels who kept not their first estate (Gen.6:4) but left their own habitation, He has reserved in everlasting chains under (brooding) darkness (until) the judgment of the great day. ⁷(Also) even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them (Admah and Zoboim)(Duet.29:23; Hosea 11:8) in like manner, gave themselves over to (deviate sexual practices) going after strange flesh, are the examples set forth, suffering the vengence of eternal fire. ⁸Also in the same manner these filthy dreamers [contaminate] (human nature), [rejecting](rulers; masters; thrones; powers; dignitaries or anyone over them) and speak evil of (those who deserve praise, honor and respect). ⁹Yet, Micahael, the archangel, when contending with the devil, in a dispute about the body of Moses, didn't dare bring a railing accusation against him but said, "The Lord rebuke thee". ¹⁰(Yet)(the ungodly) speak evil of things they know nothing about; only what they know naturally (like any) brute beast and corrupt themselves. ¹¹Woe unto them! (Because) they've gone in the way of Cain and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward and perished in the [disputing; disobedience] of Korah. (Numbers 16 sin of Korah: denial of the authority of Moses). ¹²These are (like reefs or rocks in the sea) of your love (at the expense of your affections) when they feast with you, (Shepherds) that feed themselves to further their own schemes and lusts) without (any respect or fear of judgment); they are clouds (seemingly full of refreshing showers) but are without water and carried away by winds (pass by without yeilding anything); trees whose fruit [wastes away], twice dead (unfruitful; then dead at the root) and (pulled out); ¹³raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; (comets that shine brightly for a moment and then pass into darkness), to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. ¹⁴Also, Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord comes with 10,000 of His saints, ¹⁵to execute judgment on all and to convict all that are ungodly among them, of all their ungodly (behavior and acts) which the ungodly have committed and all their (profane; vain; railings) which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him. ¹⁶These are murmurers and complainers that walk after their own lusts (self-serving); and speak great swelling words, admiring men with (money, good looks) advantage. ¹⁷But, beloved, (just) remember the words that were spoken by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; ¹⁸(When) they told you there (would) be mockers in the last (days), who (would) walk after their own ungodly (selfish; self-seeking) lusts. ¹⁹These are (those) who [cause divisions], (in the natural), not having the Spirit.

²⁰But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, ²¹Keep yourselves in the LOVE of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. ²²(note: the scholars have 2 renderings for this verse:) A. Have mercy on those who doubt. B. Have mercy and reprove those who are contentious. ²³And others save with (dread of contamination), pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by (carnality).

²⁴Now to Him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, ²⁵to the only wise God, our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.