1 T his 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.

Giuda, servo di Gesú Cristo e fratello di Giacomo, ai chiamati che sono santificati in Dio Padre e custoditi in Cristo Gesú:

2 M ay you have much of God’s loving-kindness and peace and love.

misericordia, pace e amore vi siano moltiplicati.

3 D ear 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.

Carissimi, anche se avevo una grande premura di scrivervi circa la nostra comune salvezza, sono stato obbligato a farlo per esortarvi a combattere strenuamente per la fede, che è stata trasmessa una volta per sempre ai santi.

4 S ome 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.

Si sono infatti infiltrati tra di voi certi uomini, che sono stati da tempo designati per questa condanna, empi che mutano la grazia del nostro Dio in immoralità e negano l'unico Padrone Dio e il Signor nostro Gesú Cristo.

5 Y ou 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.

Or voglio ricordare a voi, che già conoscevate tutto questo, che il Signore, dopo aver salvato il suo popolo dal paese di Egitto, in seguito fece perire quelli che non credettero.

6 A ngels 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.

Egli ha pure rinchiuso nelle tenebre dell'inferno con catene eterne, per il giudizio del gran giorno, gli angeli che non conservarono il loro primiero stato ma che lasciarono la loro propria dimora.

7 D o 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

Proprio come Sodoma e Gomorra e le città vicine, che come loro si erano abbandonate alla fornicazione e si erano date a perversioni sessuali contro natura, sono state poste davanti come esempio, subendo la pena di un fuoco eterno;

8 I n 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.

allo stesso modo questi sognatori contaminano anch'essi la carne, respingono l'autorità e parlano male delle dignità.

9 M ichael 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.”

Invece l'arcangelo Michele, quando in contesa col diavolo disputava intorno al corpo di Mosé, non osò lanciargli contro un giudizio oltraggioso, ma disse: «Ti sgridi il Signore!».

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

Ma costoro parlano male di tutte le cose che non comprendono; tutte le cose invece, che come animali irragionevoli conoscono naturalmente, diventano per essi motivo di rovina.

11 I t 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.

Guai a loro, perché si sono incamminati per la via di Caino e per lucro si sono buttati nella perversione di Balaamb e sono periti nella ribellione di Kore.

12 W hen 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.

Costoro sono macchie nelle vostre agapi, mentre banchettano assieme a voi senza timore, pascendo se stessi; essi sono nuvole senz'acqua, sospinte qua e là dai venti, alberi d'autunno senza frutti, doppiamente morti, sradicati,

13 T hey 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.

onde furiose del mare che vomitano la schiuma delle loro brutture, stelle erranti a cui è riservata la caligine delle tenebre infernali per sempre.

14 E noch 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.

Ebbene, per loro profetizzò anche Enok, il settimo da Adamo, dicendo: «Ecco, il Signore è venuto con le sue sante miriadi,

15 H e 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.”

per far giudizio contro tutti e per convincere tutti gli empi di tutte le opere d'empietà che hanno commesso empiamente e di tutte le parole offensive che gli empi peccatori hanno proferito contro di lui».

16 T hese 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.

Costoro sono mormoratori, scontenti, che camminano secondo le loro passioni; per di piú la loro bocca proferisce cose oltremodo gonfie e adulano le persone per l'utilità propria.

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

Ma voi, carissimi, ricordatevi delle parole che gli apostoli del Signore nostro Gesú Cristo hanno predetto.

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

Essi vi dicevano che nell'ultimo tempo vi saranno degli schernitori che seguiranno le loro empie passioni.

19 T hey 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.

Costoro sono quelli che causano le divisioni, gente carnale, che non ha lo Spirito.

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

Ma voi, carissimi, edificando voi stessi sulla vostra santissima fede, pregando nello Spirito Santo,

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

conservatevi nell'amore di Dio, aspettando la misericordia del Signore nostro Gesú Cristo, in vista della vita eterna.

22 H ave loving-kindness for those who doubt.

E abbiate compassione degli uni usando discernimento.

23 S ave 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.

ma salvate gli altri con timore, strappandoli dal fuoco, odiando perfino la veste contaminata dalla carne.

24 T here 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.

Or a colui che può salvaguardarvi da ogni caduta e farvi comparire davanti alla sua gloria irreprensibili e con grande gioia,

25 H e 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.

all'unico Dio sapiente, il nostro Salvatore, sia gloria, grandezza dominio e potestà, da ora e per tutte le età. Amen.