JUDE a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those who are
sanctified in God the Father, and preserved by Jesus Christ, the
called: (2)mercy unto you, and peace and love be multiplied.
(3)Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you concerning the
common salvation, I held it necessary to write unto you, exhorting you
to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered unto the saints.
(4)For certain men have craftily introduced themselves, who were from
of old proscribed for this condemnation, ungodly men, changing the
grace of God into impurity, and denying our only sovereign God and
Lord, Jesus Christ. (5)But I would remind you, though ye once knew
this, that the Lord, though he delivered the people out of the land of
Egypt, afterwards destroyed those who believed not. (6)And the angels
who preserved not their own primitive state, but deserted their proper
abode, hath he reserved in everlasting chains under darkness, unto the
judgment of the great day. (7)As Sodom and Gomorrha and the surrounding
cities, in like manner with them abandoned to whoredom, and going after
other flesh, are set forth an example, suffering the judicial
punishment of eternal fire.
(8)In like manner also do these men, even when they dream, defile
indeed the flesh, despise sovereignty, and revile dignities. (9)Though
Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil, he disputed
about the body of Moses, dared not to produce a railing accusation, but
said, The Lord rebuke thee. (10)But these men speak evil even of the
things of which they have no knowledge: but such things as they know
naturally, as the brute beasts, in these they corrupt themselves.
(11)Wo unto them! for they have walked in the way of Cain, and have
eagerly run in Balaam's erroneous path of hire, and have perished in
opposition, like Corah. (12)These are in your feasts of love, as sunken
rocks; though joining in your banquet, they feed themselves fearlessly;
clouds without water carried about by the winds; trees untimely
withering, fruitless, twice dead, rooted up; (13)raging billows of the
sea foaming out their own infamies; stars wandering from their courses,
for whom the blackness of darkness for ever is reserved.
(14)Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied also of these men,
saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with myriads of his saints, (15)to
execute judgment against all men, and to convict all the ungodly of all
their deeds of ungodliness which they have impiously committed, and of
all the bitter words which impious offenders have spoken against him.
(16)These men are murmurers, complainers at their lot in life, walking
after their own corrupt passions; and their mouth utters hyperbolically
pompous expressions, pretending high personal admiration, in order to
make their advantage.
(17)But ye, beloved, remember the words which have been spoken before
by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, (18)how they told you that in
the last time there will be scoffers, walking after their own ungodly
passions. (19)These are the men who separate themselves, sensual,
destitute of the Spirit.
(20)But ye, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith,
praying by the Holy Ghost, (21)preserve yourselves in the love of God,
waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
(22)And of some have compassion, distinguishing their case; (23)and
others save with trembling, snatching them out of the fire; though
hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
(24)Now to him who is able to guard you from stumbling, and to present
you blameless before the presence of his glory with exultation, (25)to
the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, might and
dominion, both now and unto all eternity. Amen.