Font Size
Jude 9-11
New Catholic Bible
Jude 9-11
New Catholic Bible
9 Even the archangel Michael, when he engaged in an argument with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but instead said: “May the Lord rebuke you!”[a] 10 However, these people pour abuse on anything they do not understand, and the very things that they know by instinct, like irrational animals, lead to their destruction.
11 Woe to them! They have followed in the footsteps of Cain; they have abandoned themselves to the error of Balaam for the sake of gain; and they have perished in the rebellion of Korah.[b]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Jude 1:9 This is a reference to an incident recorded in the apocryphal Assumption of Moses, in which Michael the archangel has a dispute with the devil concerning who can claim Moses’ body after his death. Jude argues that if an archangel refrained from reviling even the devil, mere human beings are certainly wrong to revile angels (celestial beings—v. 8).
- Jude 1:11 The author gives three Old Testament personalities who each in some way illustrate the character of the false teachers: (1) footsteps of Cain: selfishness and hatred for a brother (see Gen 4:3f); (2) error of Balaam: surrendering integrity as a spiritual leader because of consuming greed (see note on 2 Pet 2:15); (3) rebellion of Korah: rebelling against God’s appointed leadership (see Num 16). Thus, the false teachers are loveless, greedy, and insubordinate—and destruction is sure to overtake them.
