Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and a brother of James, to the ones sanctified in God the Father, and kept and called in Jesus Christ. Mercy to you, and peace and love be multiplied.
Beloved, using all eagerness to write you about the common salvation, I had a need to write to you, pleading with you to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. For certain men have come in stealthily, the ones who of old have been predestined to this condemnation, ungodly, changing the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only God, the only Master, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
But I intend to remind you that you once knew this, that the Lord having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterwards destroyed the unbelieving ones. And the angels who didn’t keep to their own first state, but left their own dwelling, he’s keeping in everlasting bonds in darkness until the judgement of the great day. As Sodom and Gomorrha and the cities around them in a similar manner, having given themselves over to fornication and having gone after other flesh, are set out as an example, undergoing the penalty of everlasting fire. Likewise also these dreamers defile flesh and set authority aside and speak evil of glories. Even Michael the archangel when, disputing with the devil, he debated about Moses’ body didn’t dare to bring an abusive accusation against him, but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you!’
But these, whatever they don’t know they speak evil of, but whatever things they understand naturally, like irrational animals, in these things they corrupt themselves.
Alas for them! - because they have gone in the way of Cain, and rushed to the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. These are hidden reefs in your love feasts, feasting together fearlessly, cherishing themselves; clouds without water, being carried about by winds, autumn trees without fruit, rooted up, twice dead, wild waves of the sea foaming out their own shame, wandering stars, for whom the gloom of eternal darkness has been kept.
And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these also saying, “Look, the Lord has come with his countless thousands of holy ones, to do judgement on all, and to convict all the ungodly of them for all their works of ungodliness which they godlessly have committed, and about all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their desires, and their mouth speaks exquisitely - admiring externals, for the sake of profit.
But you beloved, remember the words spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, that they told you that in the last time there will be scoffers, walking according to their own desires of ungodliness. These are the ones setting themselves up, worldly-minded, not having the Spirit.
But you beloved, building yourselves up on your holiest faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to everlasting life. And discerning, pity some, but others save by fear, snatching them from the fire, hating also the garment defiled by the flesh.
And to him who can keep you from stumbling and set you in the presence of his glory, blameless and full of joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, glory and greatness, might and authority, both now and for ever. Truly.
This translation,
from the Greek Text used for the ‘Authorized’ or ‘King James’ Version
Copyright © David Lawrie 1998
