Bible Reading Plan

Jude 1

Chapter 1

Greeting

Jude,^(a) a slave of Jesus Christ and a brother of James:

To those who are the called,^(b) loved^[a](c) by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ.^(d)

² May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.^(e)

Jude's Purpose in Writing

³ Dear friends, although I was eager to write you about the salvation we share,^(f) I found it necessary to write and exhort you to contend for the faith^(g) that was delivered^(h) to the saints once for all. ⁴ For some men, who were designated for this judgment long ago,⁽ⁱ⁾ have come in by stealth;^(j) they are ungodly,^(k) turning the grace of our God into promiscuity and denying^(l) Jesus Christ, our only Master and Lord.

Apostates: Past and Present

⁵ Now I want to remind you, though you know all these things: The Lord^[b] first^[c] saved a people out of Egypt and later destroyed those who did not believe;^{(m) 6} and He has kept, with eternal chains in darkness for the judgment of the great day, the angels⁽ⁿ⁾ who did not keep their own position but deserted their proper dwelling. ⁷ In the same way, Sodom and Gomorrah^(o) and the cities around them committed sexual immorality and practiced perversions,^[d] just as angels did, and serve as an example by undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.^(p)

⁸ Nevertheless, these dreamers likewise defile their flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme glorious ones.^{(q) 9} Yet Michael^(r) the archangel,^(s) when he was disputing with the Devil^(t) in a debate about Moses'^(u) body, did not dare bring an abusive condemnation against him but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" ¹⁰ But these people blaspheme anything they don't understand. What they know by instinct like unreasoning animals—they destroy themselves with these things. ¹¹ Woe to them! For they have traveled in the way of Cain,^(v) have abandoned themselves to the error of Balaam^(w) for profit, and have perished in Korah's rebellion.^(x)

The Apostates' Doom

¹² These are the ones who are like dangerous reefs^[e] at your love feasts.^(y) They feast with you, nurturing only themselves without fear. They are waterless clouds carried along by winds;^(z) trees in late autumn—fruitless, twice dead, pulled out by the roots; ¹³ wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shameful deeds; wandering stars^(aa) for whom the blackness of darkness^(ab) is reserved forever!^(ac)

¹⁴ And Enoch,^(ad) in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied about them:

¹⁶ These people are discontented grumblers, walking according to their desires;^(ag) their mouths utter arrogant words, flattering^(ah) people for their own advantage.

¹⁷ But you, dear friends, remember what was predicted by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; ¹⁸ they told you, "In the end time^(ai) there will be scoffers^(aj) walking according to their own ungodly desires." ¹⁹ These people create divisions and are unbelievers,^[h](ak) not having the Spirit.

Exhortation and Benediction

²⁰ But you, dear friends, as you build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit,^{(al) 21} keep yourselves in the love of God,^(am) expecting the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ for eternal life. ²² Have mercy on those who doubt; ²³ save others by snatching them from the fire;^(an) have mercy on others but with fear,^(ao) hating^(ap) even the garment^(aq) defiled by the flesh.

²⁴ Now to Him^(ar) who is able to protect you from stumbling^(as) and to make you stand in the presence of His glory, blameless^(at) and with great joy, ²⁵ to the only^(au) God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord,^[i] be glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time,^[j] now and forever. Amen.