1 THE LETTER OF JUDEa. Greeting From Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, James’s brother, to those who are loved by God the Father and kept safe for Jesus Christ.
2 May mercy, peace and love overflow for you!
3 The Danger of False Teachers Dear friends, I’ve been trying to write you as quickly as I canb about our common salvation. I’ve felt compelled to write you, to urge you to strive on behalf of the faith. That faith was handed over to the holy ones once for all.
4 Butc certain people have sneaked in-the scripture said long ago that they’d come to this judgment.d They’re irreverent. They turn the grace of our God into a license for promiscuity.e And they deny our only Ruler and Lord, Jesus Christ.
5 But I want to remind you of something-although you’ve known all this since the beginning. Jesusf saved a nation out of Egypt, but later destroyed the people that didn’t believe.
6 And consider the angels that didn’t keep to their own realm of authority, but left their own domain. He has kept them in permanent chains, deep in the darkness, for the great day of judgment.
7 And think ofg Sodom and Gomorrah, and the surrounding towns. They did the same thing. They were committing sexual immorality and going off into perversion.h They provide an example ofi the penalty of eternal fire.
8 Like them, these dreamers pollute their bodies and ignore authority. And they insult angelic beings.j
9 But even the archangel Michael, when he was arguing with the devil about Moses’ body,k didn’t dare to lay an insulting judgment on him. Not at all. He said, “May the Sovereign One rebuke you!”
10 But these people don’t even know what they’re insulting. And what they know instinctually, like unreasoning animals, is what destroys them.l
11 It’s going to be bad for them!m Because they’ve chosenn the path of Cain.o They’ve plunged into the error of Balaam’sp bribe.q They’ve been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.r
12 These people are hidden reefss in your love feasts.t They eat alongside you, fearlessly looking out for their own interests. They’re clouds without rain,u swept around by the wind. They’re trees with no fruit in autumnv.-twice dead, uprooted.
13 They’re wild waves of the ocean, foaming with their own shameful behaviors.w They’re wandering stars. The deepest darkness has been reserved for them for the coming age.x
14 In the seventh generation from Adam, Enochy prophesied about them. He said, I saw the Sovereign One coming,z With tens of thousands of God’s holy ones-aa
15 Coming to render judgment on all people, And to pay back all the ungodly, For all the ungodly things that they had done, And for all the harsh things that ungodly sinners had said against God.bb
16 These people are grumblers, complainers. They live on the basis of their own obsessions.cc They talk big. They pretend to be in awe of important people, in order to advance themselves.dd
17 Hold Fast and Build One Another Up But as for you, dear friends, remember the things that were prophesied by the apostlesee of our Lord Jesus Christ.
18 Because they told you: “In the final time there are going to be people mocking the faith,ff who live on the basis of their own ungodly obsessions”.gg
19 They’re people who cause splits in communities, operating in their own strength because they don’t have the Spirit.hh
20 But as for you, dear friends, keep building each other up in your holy, holy faith. Be praying in the Holy Spirit.
21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, as you look forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.
22 Have mercy on some people who are doubting.
23 Save others by snatching them out of the fire. Have mercy on still others, yet be afraid-hate even their clothes that have been contaminated by sin.ii
24 Final Prayer of Praise to God Glory to God, whojj is able to protect you from falling down-who’s able to make you stand without guilt in front of the glory of God with a shout of joy.
25 Glory, greatness, power, and authority to the One God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord-from before all time, and now, and to all eternity.kk Amen.