New King James Version

New Living Translation

Greeting to the Called

Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James,
To those who are called, [a]sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ:

1

Greetings from Jude

This letter is from Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ and a brother of James.
I am writing to all who have been called by God the Father, who loves you and keeps you safe in the care of Jesus Christ.a

2

Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

2

May God give you more and more mercy, peace, and love.

3

Contend for the Faith

Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

3

The Danger of False Teachers

Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people.

4

For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord [b]God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

4

I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

5

Old and New Apostates

But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.

5

So I want to remind you, though you already know these things, that Jesusb first rescued the nation of Israel from Egypt, but later he destroyed those who did not remain faithful.

6

And the angels who did not keep their [c]proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day;

6

And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them but left the place where they belonged. God has kept them securely chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the great day of judgment.

7

as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the [d]vengeance of eternal fire.

7

And don’t forget Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, which were filled with immorality and every kind of sexual perversion. Those cities were destroyed by fire and serve as a warning of the eternal fire of God’s judgment.

8

Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of [e]dignitaries.

8

In the same way, these people — who claim authority from their dreams — live immoral lives, defy authority, and scoff at supernatural beings.c

9

Yet Michael the archangel, in [f]contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

9

But even Michael, one of the mightiest of the angels,d did not dare accuse the devil of blasphemy, but simply said, “The Lord rebuke you!” (This took place when Michael was arguing with the devil about Moses’ body.)

10

But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves.

10

But these people scoff at things they do not understand. Like unthinking animals, they do whatever their instincts tell them, and so they bring about their own destruction.

11

Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.

11

What sorrow awaits them! For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they deceive people for money. And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion.

12

Apostates Depraved and Doomed

These are [g]spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried [h]about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots;

12

When these people eat with you in your fellowship meals commemorating the Lord’s love, they are like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you.e They are like shameless shepherds who care only for themselves. They are like clouds blowing over the land without giving any rain. They are like trees in autumn that are doubly dead, for they bear no fruit and have been pulled up by the roots.

13

raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.

13

They are like wild waves of the sea, churning up the foam of their shameful deeds. They are like wandering stars, doomed forever to blackest darkness.

14

Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints,

14

Enoch, who lived in the seventh generation after Adam, prophesied about these people. He said, “Listen! The Lord is coming with countless thousands of his holy ones

15

to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”

15

to execute judgment on the people of the world. He will convict every person of all the ungodly things they have done and for all the insults that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”f

16

Apostates Predicted

These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.

16

These people are grumblers and complainers, living only to satisfy their desires. They brag loudly about themselves, and they flatter others to get what they want.

17

But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ:

17

A Call to Remain Faithful

But you, my dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ predicted.

18

how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts.

18

They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires.

19

These are [i]sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.

19

These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them.

20

Maintain Your Life with God

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,

20

But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit,g

21

keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

21

and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.

22

And on some have compassion, [j]making a distinction;

22

And you must show mercy toh those whose faith is wavering.

23

but others save [k]with fear, pulling them out of the [l]fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.

23

Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others,i but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.j

24

Glory to God

Now to Him who is able to keep [m]you from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,

24

A Prayer of Praise

Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault.

25

To [n]God our Savior,
[o]Who alone is wise,
Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and [p]power,
Both now and forever.
Amen.

25

All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.

Parallel

New King James Version

New Living Translation

Jude 1

Jude 1