Jude 1
Jude urges believers to earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints, warning that ungodly men have crept into the church who turn the grace of God into lasciviousness. He cites the judgment on Israel in the wilderness, the fallen angels, and Sodom and Gomorrah, and closes with a doxology to Him who is able to keep them from falling and to present them faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.
| v | King James Version | Modern English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: | From Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James — to those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ: |
| 2 | Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied. | May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to You. |
| 3 | Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. | Beloved, I was making every effort to write to You about the salvation we share, when I found it necessary to write to You instead and urge You to earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. |
| 4 | For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. | For certain men have crept in unnoticed — men long ago marked out for this condemnation — ungodly men who twist the grace of our God into a license for sin, and who deny the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. |
| 5 | I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. | I want to remind You — though You already know all of this — that the Lord, after saving His people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. |
| 6 | And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. | And the angels who did not keep their original position of authority, but abandoned their proper dwelling — He has kept them in everlasting chains under darkness, reserved for the judgment of the great day. |
| 7 | Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. | In the same way, Sodom and Gomorrha and the surrounding cities — which gave themselves over to fornication and went after strange flesh — are set forth as an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire. |
| 8 | Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. | In the same way, these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of those in high positions. |
| 9 | Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. | Yet even Michael the archangel, when he was contending with the devil and disputing about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring against him a railing accusation, but said, "The Lord rebuke thee." |
| 10 | But these speak evil of those things which they know not: and what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. | But these men speak evil of things they do not understand; and the things they do understand by instinct — like unreasoning animals — in those very things they corrupt themselves. |
| 11 | Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. | Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain, they have run greedily after the error of Balaam for profit, and they have perished in the rebellion of Korah. |
| 12 | These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; | These men are blemishes at your feasts of charity, feasting with you without any reverence — shepherds feeding only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried along by the winds; autumn trees without fruit, twice dead and pulled up by the roots; |
| 13 | Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. | raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved forever. |
| 14 | And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, | Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men, saying, "The Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, |
| 15 | To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. | to execute judgment on all, and to convict all the ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him." |
| 16 | These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage. | These men are murmurers and complainers, walking after their own lusts; their mouths speak great swelling words, and they flatter people for the sake of personal gain. |
| 17 | But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; | But You, beloved, remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ — |
| 18 | How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. | how they told You that in the last time there would be mockers, walking after their own ungodly lusts. |
| 19 | These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. | These are the ones who cause divisions — sensual men, not having the Spirit. |
| 20 | But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, | But You, beloved, building yourselves up on Your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, |
| 21 | Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. | keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. |
| 22 | And of some have compassion, making a difference: | And on some have compassion, making a distinction; |
| 23 | And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. | and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire — hating even the garment stained by the flesh. |
| 24 | Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, | Now to Him who is able to keep You from falling, and to present You faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy — |
| 25 | To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. | to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. |