1 J ude, 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:

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, 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, 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 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 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 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.

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 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 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 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.

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 L ikewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of 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 Y et 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.

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 speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

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 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 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 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 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 R aging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

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 Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

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 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 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 own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because 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, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of 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 H ow that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk 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 be they who separate themselves, 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 Ghost,

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 of some have compassion, making a difference:

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

23 A nd others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; 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 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 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 wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. 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).