¹ Jude,^(A) a servant of Jesus Christ^(B) and a brother of James,

To those who have been called,^(C) who are loved in God the Father and kept for^[a] Jesus Christ:^(D)

² Mercy, peace^(E) and love be yours in abundance.^(F)

The Sin and Doom of Ungodly People

³ Dear friends,^(G) although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share,^(H) I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend^(I) for the faith^(J) that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.^{(K) 4} For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about^[b] long ago have secretly slipped in among you.^(L) They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.^(M)

⁵ Though you already know all this,^(N) I want to remind you^(O) that the Lord^[c] at one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe.^{(P) 6} And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.^{(Q) 7} In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah^(R) and the surrounding towns^(S) gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.^(T)

⁸ In the very same way, on the strength of their dreams these ungodly people pollute their own bodies, reject authority and heap abuse on celestial beings.^{(U) 9} But even the archangel^(V) Michael,^(W) when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses,^(X) did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”^{[d](Y) 10} Yet these people slander whatever they do not understand, and the very things they do understand by instinct—as irrational animals do—will destroy them.^(Z)

¹¹ Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain;^(AA) they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error;^(AB) they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.^(AC)

¹² These people are blemishes at your love feasts,^(AD) eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves.^(AE) They are clouds without rain,^(AF) blown along by the wind;^(AG) autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted^(AH)—twice dead. ¹³ They are wild waves of the sea,^(AI) foaming up their shame;^(AJ) wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.^(AK)

¹⁴ Enoch,^(AL) the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is coming^(AM) with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones^{(AN) 15} to judge^(AO) everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”^{[e](AP) 16} These people are grumblers^(AQ) and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires;^(AR) they boast^(AS) about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.

A Call to Persevere

¹⁷ But, dear friends, remember what the apostles^(AT) of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold.^{(AU) 18} They said to you, “In the last times^(AV) there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.”^{(AW) 19} These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.^(AX)

²⁰ But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up^(AY) in your most holy faith^(AZ) and praying in the Holy Spirit,^{(BA) 21} keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait^(BB) for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.^(BC)

²² Be merciful to those who doubt; ²³ save others by snatching them from the fire;^(BD) to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.^[f](BE)

Doxology

²⁴ To him who is able^(BF) to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence^(BG) without fault^(BH) and with great joy— ²⁵ to the only God^(BI) our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore!^(BJ) Amen.^(BK)

1 Simon Peter, a servant^(A) and apostle of Jesus Christ,^(B)

To those who through the righteousness^(C) of our God and Savior Jesus Christ^(D) have received a faith as precious as ours:

² Grace and peace be yours in abundance^(E) through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.^(F)

Confirming One’s Calling and Election

³ His divine power^(G) has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him^(H) who called us^(I) by his own glory and goodness. ⁴ Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises,^(J) so that through them you may participate in the divine nature,^(K) having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.^(L)

⁵ For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;^{(M) 6} and to knowledge, self-control;^(N) and to self-control, perseverance;^(O) and to perseverance, godliness;^{(P) 7} and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.^{(Q) 8} For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive^(R) in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.^{(S) 9} But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind,^(T) forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.^(U)

¹⁰ Therefore, my brothers and sisters,^[a] make every effort to confirm your calling^(V) and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble,^{(W) 11} and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom^(X) of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.^(Y)

Prophecy of Scripture

¹² So I will always remind you of these things,^(Z) even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth^(AA) you now have. ¹³ I think it is right to refresh your memory^(AB) as long as I live in the tent of this body,^{(AC) 14} because I know that I will soon put it aside,^(AD) as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me.^{(AE) 15} And I will make every effort to see that after my departure^(AF) you will always be able to remember these things.

¹⁶ For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power,^(AG) but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.^{(AH) 17} He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”^{[b](AI) 18} We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.^(AJ)

¹⁹ We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable,^(AK) and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light^(AL) shining in a dark place, until the day dawns^(AM) and the morning star^(AN) rises in your hearts.^{(AO) 20} Above all, you must understand^(AP) that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. ²¹ For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God^(AQ) as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.^(AR)