Defending the Faith — December 22

Jude 1

Jude 1

1 Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are called, ^{[a]NU beloved} sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ:365N 356.1

2 Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.365N 356.2

3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.365N 356.3

4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord ^{[b]NU omits God} God and our Lord Jesus Christ.365N 356.4

5 But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.365N 356.5

6 And the angels who did not keep their ^[c]own proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day;365N 356.6

7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the ^{[d]punishment} vengeance of eternal fire.365N 356.7

8 Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of ^{[e]glorious ones, lit. glories} dignitaries.365N 356.8

9 Yet Michael the archangel, in ^[f]arguing contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”365N 356.9

10 But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves.365N 356.10

11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.365N 356.11

12 These are ^{[g]stains, or hidden reefs} spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried ^{[h]NU, M along} about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots;365N 356.12

13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.365N 356.13

14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints,365N 356.14

15 to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”365N 356.15

16 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words , flattering people to gain advantage.365N 356.16

17 But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ:365N 356.17

18 how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts.365N 356.18

19 These are ^{[i]soulish or worldly} sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.365N 356.19

20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,365N 356.20

21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.365N 356.21

22 And on some have compassion, ^{[j]NU who are doubting (or making distinctions)} making a distinction;365N 356.22

23 but others save ^{[k]NU omits with fear} with fear, pulling them out of the ^{[l]NU adds and on some have mercy with fear} fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.365N 356.23

24 Now to Him who is able to keep ^{[m]M them} you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,365N 356.24

25 To ^{[n]NU the only God our} God our Savior, ^{[o]NU Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Be glory} Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and ^{[p]NU adds Before all time,} power, Both now and forever. Amen.365N 356.25