1 ¶ Jude, slave of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those that are called, sanctified in God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ:

This letter is from Jude, a brother of James. I am a servant owned by Jesus Christ. I am writing to you who have been chosen by God the Father. You are kept for Jesus Christ.

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

May you have much of God’s loving-kindness and peace and love.

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 persevere in the faith which was given once unto the saints.

Dear friends, I have been trying to write to you about what God did for us when He saved us from the punishment of sin. Now I must write to you and tell you to fight hard for the faith which was once and for all given to the holy people of God.

4 F or there are certain men crept in unawares without fear or reverence of God, who from beforehand have been ordained unto this condemnation, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness and denying God who alone has dominion, and our Lord Jesus, the Christ.

Some sinful men have come into your church without anyone knowing it. They are living in sin and they speak of the loving-favor of God to cover up their sins. They have turned against our only Leader and Lord, Jesus Christ. Long ago it was written that these people would die in their sins.

5 I will, therefore, remind you, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those that did not believe.

You already know all this, but think about it again. The Lord saved His people out of the land of Egypt. Later He destroyed all those who did not put their trust in Him.

6 A nd the angels who did not keep their first estate but left their own habitation, he has reserved in eternal chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

Angels who did not stay in their place of power, but left the place where they were given to stay, are chained in a dark place. They will be there until the day they stand before God to be judged.

7 E ven as Sodom and Gomorrha and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh, were set forth for an example, having received the judgment of eternal fire.

Do you remember about the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and the towns around them? The people in those cities did the same things. They were full of sex sins and strong desires for sinful acts of the body. Those cities were destroyed by fire. They still speak to us of the fire of hell that lasts forever. What False Teachers Are Like

8 ¶ In the same manner these deceived dreamers, defile their flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of higher powers.

In the same way, these men go on dreaming and sinning against their bodies. They respect no leaders. They speak bad against those who live in the heavens.

9 Y et when Michael, the archangel, contended with the devil, disputing over the body of Moses, he dared not bring against him a curse of judgment, but said, The Lord reprehend thee.

Michael was one of the head angels. He argued with the devil about the body of Moses. But Michael would not speak sharp words to the devil, saying he was guilty. He said, “The Lord speaks sharp words to you.”

10 B ut these speak evil of those things which they do not know; but what they know by nature as animals without reason, in those things they corrupt themselves.

But these men speak against things they do not understand. They are like animals in the way they act. By these things they destroy themselves.

11 W oe 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.

It is bad for them! They have followed the way of Cain who killed his brother. They have chosen the way of Balaam and think only about making money. They were destroyed as Korah was destroyed who would not show respect to leaders.

12 T hese are spots in your banquets of charity, feeding themselves without any fear whatsoever: clouds without water, carried to and fro of the winds; trees withered as in fall, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

When you come together to eat the Christians’ love suppers, these people are like hidden rocks that wreck a ship. They only think of themselves. They are like clouds without rain carried along by the wind and like trees without fruit in the fall of the year. They are pulled out by the roots and are dead now and never can live again.

13 r aging waves of the sea, foaming out their own abominations; erratic stars, to whom is reserved gross darkness eternally.

They are like the waves of a wild sea. Their sins are like the dirty water along the shore. They look like stars moving here and there. But the darkest place has been kept for them forever.

14 A nd Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his saints

Enoch was the head of the seventh family born after Adam. He said this about such people, “The Lord comes with many thousands of His holy ones.

15 ¶ to execute judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have unfaithfully committed and of all the hard words which the unfaithful sinners have spoken against him.

He comes to say that all are guilty for all the sin they have done and all the sinful things these sinners have spoken against God.”

16 T hese are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own desires; and their mouth speaks arrogant things, admiring persons to take advantage.

These men complain and are never happy with anything. They let their desires lead them into sin. When they talk about themselves, they make it sound as if they are great people. They show respect to people only to get something out of them.

17 B ut, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Dear friends, you must remember the words spoken by the missionaries of our Lord Jesus Christ.

18 h ow that they told you, That in the last time there would be mockers, who would walk after their own ungodly desires.

They said, “In the last days there will be men who will laugh at the truth and will be led by their own sinful desires.”

19 T hese are those who make divisions, and are as animals, not having the Spirit.

They are men who will make trouble by dividing people into groups against each other. Their minds are on the things of the world because they do not have the Holy Spirit.

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

Dear friends, you must become strong in your most holy faith. Let the Holy Spirit lead you as you pray.

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

Keep yourselves in the love of God. Wait for life that lasts forever through the loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ.

22 A nd receive some with mercy, discerning;

Have loving-kindness for those who doubt.

23 A nd others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.

Save some by pulling them out of the fire. Have loving-kindness for others but also fear them. Be afraid of being led into doing their sins. Hate even the clothes that have touched sinful bodies.

24 N ow unto him that is powerful to keep you without sin and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

There is One Who can keep you from falling and can bring you before Himself free from all sin. He can give you great joy as you stand before Him in His shining-greatness.

25 t o the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, now and in all the ages. Amen.

He is the only God. He is the One Who saves from the punishment of sin through Jesus Christ our Lord. May He have shining-greatness and honor and power and the right to do all things. He had this before the world began, He has it now, and He will have this forever. Let it be so.