1 J ude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ:

Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ (the Messiah), and brother of James, to those who are called (chosen), dearly loved by God the Father and separated (set apart) and kept for Jesus Christ:

2 M ercy unto you and peace and love be multiplied.

May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

3 B eloved, while I was giving all diligence to write unto you of our common salvation, I was constrained to write unto you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints.

Beloved, my whole concern was to write to you in regard to our common salvation. I found it necessary and was impelled to write you and urgently appeal to and exhort to contend for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints '> verbally to the holy people of God].

4 F or there are certain men crept in privily, even they who were of old written of beforehand unto this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

For certain men have crept in stealthily '> gaining entrance secretly by a side door]. Their doom was predicted long ago, ungodly (impious, profane) persons who pervert the grace (the spiritual blessing and favor) of our God into lawlessness and wantonness and immorality, and disown and deny our sole Master and Lord, Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

5 N ow I desire to put you in remembrance, though ye know all things once for all, that the Lord, having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

Now I want to remind you, though you were fully informed once for all, that though the Lord delivered a people out of the land of Egypt, He subsequently destroyed those who did not believe.

6 A nd angels that kept not their own principality, but left their proper habitation, he hath kept in everlasting bonds under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

And angels who did not keep (care for, guard, and hold to) their own first place of power but abandoned their proper dwelling place—these He has reserved in custody in eternal chains (bonds) under the thick gloom of utter darkness until the judgment and doom of the great day.

7 E ven as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them, having in like manner with these given themselves over to fornication and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire.

just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the adjacent towns—which likewise gave themselves over to impurity and indulged in unnatural vice and sensual perversity—are laid out as an exhibit of perpetual punishment of everlasting fire.

8 Y et in like manner these also in their dreamings defile the flesh, and set at nought dominion, and rail at dignities.

Nevertheless in like manner, these dreamers also corrupt the body, scorn and reject authority and government, and revile and libel and scoff at glories (the glorious ones).

9 B ut Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing judgment, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, judicially argued (disputed) about the body of Moses, he dared not bring an abusive condemnation against him, but said, The Lord rebuke you!

10 B ut these rail at whatsoever things they know not: and what they understand naturally, like the creatures without reason, in these things are they destroyed.

But these men revile (scoff and sneer at) anything they do not happen to be acquainted with and do not understand; and whatever they do understand physically, like irrational beasts—by these they corrupt themselves and are destroyed (perish).

11 W oe unto them! For they went in the way of Cain, and ran riotously in the error of Balaam for hire, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah.

Woe to them! For they have run riotously in the way of Cain, and have abandoned themselves for the sake of gain the error of Balaam, and have perished in rebellion of Korah!

12 T hese are they who are hidden rocks in your love-feasts when they feast with you, shepherds that without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn leaves without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

These are hidden reefs (elements of danger) in your love feasts, where they boldly feast sumptuously, without scruples providing for themselves. They are clouds without water, swept along by the winds; trees, without fruit at the late autumn gathering time—twice (doubly) dead, plucked up by the roots;

13 W ild waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the blackness of darkness hath been reserved forever.

Wild waves of the sea, flinging up the foam of their own shame and disgrace; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of eternal darkness has been reserved forever.

14 A nd to these also Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, Behold, the Lord came with ten thousands of his holy ones,

It was of these people, moreover, that Enoch in the seventh from Adam prophesied when he said, Behold, the Lord comes with His myriads of holy ones (ten thousands of His saints)

15 t o execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their works of ungodliness which they have ungodly wrought, and of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

To execute judgment upon all and to convict all the impious (unholy ones) of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed ungodly, and of all the severe (abusive, jarring) things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.

16 T hese are murmurers, complainers, walking after their lusts (and their mouth speaketh great swelling words), showing respect of persons for the sake of advantage.

These are inveterate murmurers (grumblers) who complain, going after their own desires; their talk is boastful and arrogant, admire men’s persons and pay people flattering compliments to gain advantage.

17 B ut ye, beloved, remember ye the words which have been spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;

But you must remember, beloved, the predictions which were made by the apostles (the special messengers) of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

18 T hat they said to you, In the last time there shall be mockers, walking after their own ungodly lusts.

They told you beforehand, In the last days (in the end time) there will be scoffers, following after their own ungodly passions.

19 T hese are they who make separations, sensual, having not the Spirit.

It is these who are setting up distinctions and causing divisions—merely sensual, devoid of the Spirit and destitute of any higher spiritual life.

20 B ut ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,

But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith '> make progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], praying in the Holy Spirit;

21 k eep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

Guard and keep yourselves in the love of God; expect and patiently wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah)— unto life eternal.

22 A nd on some have mercy, who are in doubt;

And refute convict some who dispute with you, and on some have mercy who waver and doubt.

23 a nd some save, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

save others, snatching out of fire; on others take pity with fear, loathing even the garment spotted by the flesh and polluted by their sensuality.

24 N ow unto him that is able to guard you from stumbling, and to set you before the presence of his glory without blemish in exceeding joy,

Now to Him Who is able to keep you without stumbling or slipping or falling, and to present unblemished (blameless and faultless) before the presence of His glory in triumphant joy and exultation —

25 t o the only God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and power, before all time, and now, and for evermore. Amen.

To the one only God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory (splendor), majesty, might and dominion, and power and authority, before all time and now and forever (unto all the ages of eternity). Amen (so be it).