The Letter from Jude
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Chapter 1
^1Jude, [334] a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those
who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and kept for Jesus
Christ:
^2Mercy to you and peace and love be multiplied.
^3Beloved, while I was very eager to write to you about our common
salvation, I was constrained to write to you exhorting you to contend
earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.
^4For there are certain men who crept in secretly, even those who were
long ago written about for this condemnation: ungodly men, turning the
grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying our only Master, God,
and Lord, Jesus Christ.
^5Now I desire to remind you, though you already know this, that the
Lord, having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward
destroyed those who didn't believe.
^6Angels who didn't keep their first domain, but deserted their own
dwelling place, he has kept in everlasting bonds under darkness for the
judgment of the great day.
^7Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them, having, in
the same way as these, given themselves over to sexual immorality and
gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the
punishment of eternal fire.
^8Yet in like manner these also in their dreaming defile the flesh,
despise authority, and slander celestial beings.
^9But Michael, the archangel, when contending with the devil and
arguing about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him an abusive
condemnation, but said, "May the Lord rebuke you!"
^10But these speak evil of whatever things they don't know. What they
understand naturally, like the creatures without reason, in these
things are they destroyed.
^11Woe to them! For they went in the way of Cain, and ran riotously in
the error of Balaam for hire, and perished in Korah's rebellion.
^12These are hidden rocky reefs in your love feasts when they feast
with you, shepherds who without fear feed themselves; clouds without
water, carried along by winds; autumn leaves without fruit, twice dead,
plucked up by the roots;
^13wild waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars,
for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved forever.
^14About these also Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying,
"Behold, the Lord came with ten thousands of his holy ones,
^15to execute judgment on all, and to convict all the ungodly of all
their works of ungodliness which they have done in an ungodly way, and
of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him."
^16These are murmurers and complainers, walking after their lusts (and
their mouth speaks proud things), showing respect of persons to gain
advantage.
^17But you, beloved, remember the words which have been spoken before
by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.
^18They said to you that "In the last time there will be mockers,
walking after their own ungodly lusts."
^19These are they who cause divisions, and are sensual, not having the
Spirit.
^20But you, beloved, keep building up yourselves 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.
^22On some have compassion, making a distinction,
^23and some save, snatching them out of the fire with fear, hating even
the clothing stained by the flesh.
^24Now to him who is able to keep them [335] from stumbling, and to
present you faultless before the presence of his glory in great joy,
^25to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion
and power, both now and forever. Amen.
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[334] or, Judah,
[335] TR and NU read "you"
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