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 Gesù Cristo e fratello di Giacomo, ai chiamati che sono amati in Dio Padre e custoditi da Gesù Cristo:

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

misericordia, pace e amore vi siano moltiplicati. Contro gli empi e i falsi dottori

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, avendo un gran desiderio di scrivervi della nostra comune salvezza, mi sono trovato costretto a farlo per esortarvi a combattere strenuamente per la fede, che è stata trasmessa ai santi una volta per sempre.

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.

Perché si sono infiltrati fra di voi certi uomini (per i quali già da tempo è scritta questa condanna); empi che volgono in dissolutezza la grazia del nostro Dio e negano il nostro unico Padrone e Signore Gesù 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.

Ora voglio ricordare a voi che avete da tempo conosciuto tutto questo, che il Signore, dopo aver tratto in salvo il popolo dal paese d’Egitto, fece in seguito 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 custodito nelle tenebre e in catene eterne, per il gran giorno del giudizio, gli angeli che non conservarono la loro dignità e abbandonarono la loro 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

Allo stesso modo Sodoma e Gomorra e le città vicine, che si abbandonarono, come loro, alla fornicazione e ai vizi contro natura, sono date come esempio, portando 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.

Ciò nonostante, anche questi visionari contaminano la carne nello stesso modo, disprezzano 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 contendeva con il diavolo disputando per il corpo di Mosè, non osò pronunciare contro di lui un giudizio ingiurioso, 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.

Questi, invece, parlano in maniera oltraggiosa di quello che ignorano, e si corrompono in tutto ciò che sanno per istinto, come bestie prive di ragione.

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 amor di lucro si sono gettati nei traviamenti di Balaam, e sono periti per la ribellione di Core.

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.

Essi sono delle macchie nelle vostre agapi quando banchettano con voi senza ritegno, pascendo se stessi; nuvole senza acqua, portate qua e là dai venti; alberi d’autunno senza frutti, due volte 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, schiumanti la loro bruttura; stelle erranti, a cui è riservata l’oscurità delle tenebre in eterno.

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.

Anche per costoro profetizzò Enoc, settimo dopo 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 giudicare tutti; per convincere tutti gli empi in mezzo a loro di tutte le loro opere di empietà che hanno empiamente commesse e di tutti gli insulti che gli empi peccatori hanno pronunciati 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.

Sono dei mormoratori, degli scontenti; camminano secondo le loro passioni; la loro bocca proferisce cose incredibilmente gonfie, e circondano d’ammirazione le persone per interesse.

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

Ma voi, carissimi, ricordatevi di ciò che gli apostoli del Signore nostro Gesù 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.”

quando vi dicevano: «Negli ultimi tempi vi saranno schernitori che vivranno secondo 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.

Essi sono quelli che provocano le divisioni, gente sensuale, che non ha lo Spirito. Esortazioni ai cristiani

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 nella vostra santissima fede, pregando mediante lo 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 nostro Signore Gesù Cristo, a vita eterna.

22 H ave loving-kindness for those who doubt.

Abbiate pietà di quelli che sono nel dubbio;

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.

altri salvateli, strappandoli dal fuoco; e di altri abbiate pietà mista a timore, 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.

A colui che può preservarvi da ogni caduta e farvi comparire irreprensibili e con gioia davanti alla sua gloria,

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.

al Dio unico, nostro Salvatore per mezzo di Gesù Cristo nostro Signore, siano gloria, maestà, forza e potere prima di tutti i tempi, ora e per tutti i secoli. Amen.