JUDE (ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΗ ΙΟΥΔΑ)

1

Jude,²²³² a servant²²³³ of Jesus Christ and brother of James, to those who are called, sanctified²²³⁴ by God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: 2May mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you.

Reason for writing

3Beloved, while I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I felt it needful to write to you in order to encourage you to fight hard for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 4Indeed, there are certain men who have secretly crept in, people whose condemnation was announced long ago. They are ungodly men who turn the grace of our God into indecency, and they deny our only Master, God,²²³⁵ and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Lessons from the Old Testament

5Even though you already know this, I wish to remind you that the Lord, having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, later on destroyed²²³⁶ those who did not believe! 6The angels who did not keep their first domain but deserted their own dwelling place, he has also kept in darkness and eternal chains for the judgment of the great day. 7Likewise, Sodom, Gomorrah and the cities around them had given themselves over to sexual immorality and unnatural relations²²³⁷ in the same way as these angels. They are presented as an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire. 8Yet, these people do the same thing: in their delusion, they degrade the flesh, despise authority, and slander the glorious beings. 9But the archangel Michael, when he struggled with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring against the devil an evil-speaking judgment, but said, “May the Lord rebuke you!”²²³⁸ 10Yet, these people speak evil of things they know nothing about. What they do understand (by natural power, like the creatures without reason), these things will destroyed them. 11Woe to them! They have followed the path of Cain, they have thrown themselves after the error of Balaam for the sake of money, and they have perished in Korah’s rebellion. 12These people are like hidden and rocky reefs in your agape meals, when they feast with you. They are shepherds who feed themselves without fear, clouds without water carried along by winds, autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, uprooted. 13They are wild waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of darkness has been reserved to the age.²²³⁹ 14About these people, Enoch, the seventh from Adam, also prophesied, saying:²²⁴⁰

Behold, the Lord is coming 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 [people] are grumblers and complainers who pursue their [own] lusts, and their mouth speaks proud things. They only show respect of persons in order to gain an advantage.

Recalling the apostolic teachings

17As for 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 [scoffers] are these ones who cause divisions, because they are sensual and deprived of the Spirit. 20But you, beloved, keep on building yourselves up in 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 [that leads] to eternal life. 22Have compassion on some of them, [but] make a distinction.²²⁴¹ 23You can save some of them, snatching them out of the fire with fear,²²⁴² yet hating even the clothing stained by what is carnal.

24Now, to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory in great joy, 25to God our Savior who alone is wise,²²⁴³ be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever and unto all ages. Amen.