A Greeting from Jude

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:

² Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

God’s Judgment on the Ungodly

³ Beloved, although I made every effort to write to 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. ⁴ 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.

⁵ 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. ⁶ And the angels who did not stay within their own domain^* but abandoned their proper dwelling— these He has kept in eternal chains under darkness, bound for judgment on that great day. ⁷ 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.

⁸ Yet in the same way these dreamers defile their bodies, reject authority,^* and slander^* glorious beings.^{* 9} But even the archangel Michael, when he disputed with the devil over the body of Moses, did not presume^* to bring a slanderous^* charge against him, but said, “The Lord rebuke^* you!”¹⁰ These men, however, slander what they do not understand, and like irrational animals, they will be destroyed^* by the things they do instinctively^*. ¹¹ Woe to them! They have traveled the path of Cain; they have rushed^* for profit into the error of Balaam; they have perished in Korah’s rebellion.^*

¹² These men are 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. ¹³ They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.

¹⁴ Enoch, the seventh from Adam, also prophesied about them:

“Behold, the Lord is coming

with myriads of His holy ones

¹⁵ 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.”

¹⁶ These men are discontented grumblers, following after their own lusts; their mouths spew arrogance; they flatter others^* for their own advantage.

A Call to Persevere

¹⁷ But you, beloved, remember what was foretold by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ ¹⁸ when they said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow after their own ungodly desires.”¹⁹ These are the ones who cause divisions, who are worldly and devoid of the Spirit.

²⁰ But you, beloved, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith^* and praying in the Holy Spirit, ²¹ keep yourselves in the love of God as you await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you eternal life.

²² And indeed, have mercy on those who doubt;^{* 23} 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.

Doxology

²⁴ Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you unblemished in His glorious presence, with great joy — ²⁵ 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.