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Jude1

World English Bible · Public Domain

1Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ:

2May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

3Beloved, while I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I was constrained to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

4For there are certain men who crept in secretly, even those who were long ago written about for this condemnation: ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into indecency, and denying our only Master, God, and Lord, Jesus Christ.

5Now I desire to remind you, though you already know this, that the Lord, having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who didn’t believe.

6Angels who didn’t keep their first domain, but deserted their own dwelling place, he has kept in everlasting bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day.

7Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, having in the same way as these given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are shown as an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire.

8Yet in the same way, these also in their dreaming defile the flesh, despise authority, and slander celestial beings.

9But Michael, the archangel, when contending with the devil and arguing about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him an abusive condemnation, but said, “May the Lord rebuke you!”

10But these speak evil of whatever things they don’t know. They are destroyed in these things that they understand naturally, like the creatures without reason.

11Woe to them! For they went in the way of Cain, and ran riotously in the error of Balaam for hire, and perished in Korah’s rebellion.

12These are hidden rocky reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you, shepherds who without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

13wild waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved forever.

14About these also Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with ten thousands of his holy ones,

15to execute judgment on all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their works of ungodliness which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”

16These are murmurers and complainers, walking after their lusts—and their mouth speaks proud things—showing respect of persons to gain advantage.

17But you, beloved, remember the words which have been spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.

18They said to you, “In the last time there will be mockers, walking after their own ungodly lusts.”

19These are those who cause divisions and are sensual, not having the Spirit.

20But you, beloved, keep building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.

21Keep yourselves in God’s love, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.

22On some have compassion, making a distinction,

23and some save, snatching them out of the fire with fear, hating even the clothing stained by the flesh.

24Now to him who is able to keep them from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory in great joy,

25to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Jude 1.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: The apostle exhorts to stedfastness in the faith. (1–4). The danger of being infected by false professors, and the dreadful punishment which shall be inflicted on them and their followers. (5–7). An awful description of these seducers and their deplorable end. (8–16). Believers cautioned against being surprised at such deceivers arising among them. (17–23). The epistle ends with an encouraging doxology, or words of praise. (24, 25).

vv1-4

Christians are called out of the world, from the evil spirit and temper of it; called above the world, to higher and better things, to heaven, things unseen and eternal; called from sin to Christ, from vanity to seriousness, from uncleanness to holiness; and this according to the Divine purpose and grace. If sanctified and glorified, all the honour and glory must be ascribed to God, and to him alone. As it is God who begins the work of grace in the souls of men, so it is he who carries it on, and perfects it. Let us not trust in ourselves, nor in our stock of grace already received, but in him, and in him alone. The mercy of God is the spring and fountain of all the good we have or hope for; mercy, not only to the miserable, but to the guilty. Next to mercy is peace, which we have from the sense of having obtained mercy. From peace springs love; Christ's love to us, our love to him, and our brotherly love to one another. The apostle prays, not that Christians may be content with a little; but that their souls and societies may be full of these things. None are shut out from gospel offers and invitations, but those who obstinately and wickedly shut themselves out. But the application is to all believers, and only to such. It is to the weak as well as to the strong. Those who have received the doctrine of this common salvation, must contend for it, earnestly, not furiously. Lying for the truth is bad; scolding for it is not better. Those who have received the truth must contend for it, as the apostles did; by suffering with patience and courage for it, not by making others suffer if they will not embrace every notion we call faith, or important. We ought to contend earnestly for the faith, in opposition to those who would corrupt or deprave it; who creep in unawares; who glide in like serpents. And those are the worst of the ungodly, who take encouragement to sin boldly, because the grace of God has abounded, and still abounds so wonderfully, and who are hardened by the extent and fulness of gospel grace, the design of which is to deliver men from sin, and bring them unto God.

vv5-7

Outward privileges, profession, and apparent conversion, could not secure those from the vengeance of God, who turned aside in unbelief and disobedience. The destruction of the unbelieving Israelites in the wilderness, shows that none ought to presume on their privileges. They had miracles as their daily bread; yet even they perished in unbelief. A great number of the angels were not pleased with the stations God allotted to them; pride was the main and direct cause or occasion of their fall. The fallen angels are kept to the judgment of the great day; and shall fallen men escape it? Surely not. Consider this in due time. The destruction of Sodom is a loud warning to all, to take heed of, and flee from fleshly lusts that war against the soul, 1Pe 2:11. God is the same holy, just, pure Being now, as then. Stand in awe, therefore, and sin not, Ps 4:4. Let us not rest in anything that does not make the soul subject to the obedience of Christ; for nothing but the renewal of our souls to the Divine image by the Holy Spirit, can keep us from being destroyed among the enemies of God. Consider this instance of the angels, and see that no dignity or worth of the creature is of avail. How then should man tremble, who drinketh iniquity like water! Job 15:16.

vv8-16

False teachers are dreamers; they greatly defile and grievously wound the soul. These teachers are of a disturbed mind and a seditious spirit; forgetting that the powers that be, are ordained of God, Ro 13:1. As to the contest about the body of Moses, it appears that Satan wished to make the place of his burial known to the Israelites, in order to tempt them to worship him, but he was prevented, and vented his rage in desperate blasphemy. This should remind all who dispute never to bring railing charges. Also learn hence, that we ought to defend those whom God owns. It is hard, if not impossible, to find any enemies to the Christian religion, who did not, and do not, live in open or secret contradiction to the principles of natural religion. Such are here compared to brute beasts, though they often boast of themselves as the wisest of mankind. They corrupt themselves in the things most open and plain. The fault lies, not in their understandings, but in their depraved wills, and their disordered appetites and affections. It is a great reproach, though unjust to religion, when those who profess it are opposed to it in heart and life. The Lord will remedy this in his time and way; not in men's blind way of plucking up the wheat with the tares. It is sad when men begin in the Spirit, and end in the flesh. Twice dead; they had been once dead in their natural, fallen state; but now they are dead again by the evident proofs of their hypocrisy. Dead trees, why cumber they the ground! Away with them to the fire. Raging waves are a terror to sailing passengers; but when they get into port, the noise and terror are ended. False teachers are to expect the worst punishments in this world and in that to come. They glare like meteors, or falling stars, and then sink into the blackness of darkness for ever. We have no mention of the prophecy of Enoch in any other part or place of Scripture; yet one plain text of Scripture, proves any point we are to believe. We find from this, that Christ's coming to judge was prophesied of, as early as the times before the flood. The Lord cometh: what a glorious time will that be! Notice how often the word “ungodly” is repeated. Many now do not at all refer to the terms godly, or ungodly, unless it be to mock at even the words; but it is not so in the language taught us by the Holy Ghost. Hard speeches of one another, especially if ill-grounded, will certainly come into account at the day of judgment. These evil men and seducers are angry at every thing that happens, and never pleased with their own state and condition. Their will and their fancy, are their only rule and law. Those who please their sinful appetites, are most prone to yield to ungovernable passions. The men of God, from the beginning of the world, have declared the doom denounced on them. Such let us avoid. We are to follow men only as they follow Christ. (Jud 1:17-23)

Cross References

Jude 1
v42 Peter 2:1thematic

Direct sister parallel concerning false teachers creeping in unawares and denying the Lord.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v62 Peter 2:4thematic

Direct parallel regarding God sparing not the angels that sinned, reserving them in darkness.

Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB

v9Zechariah 3:2allusion

Verbal echo of the archangel's rebuke: 'The Lord rebuke thee' spoken to Satan.

Supported by JFB

v24Romans 16:25thematic

Direct parallel in doxology celebrating Him who is 'of power to stablish you' (able to keep).

Supported by Matthew Poole

v25Romans 16:27thematic

Parallel praise 'to God only wise' matching Jude's doxology to 'the only wise God'.

Supported by Matthew Poole

The Old Testament account of Moses' secret burial, over which Michael disputed.

Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB

v112 Peter 2:15thematic

Direct sister parallel on those who follow the way and error of Balaam for reward.

Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB

v11Numbers 16:1thematic

Historical account of the gainsaying of Korah (Core) and his rebellion.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole

v23Zechariah 3:2allusion

Source of the imagery 'a brand plucked out of the fire' used in rescuing sinners.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB

v24Colossians 1:22thematic

Parallel of presenting believers holy, unblameable, and unreprovable (faultless) in His sight.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB

v251 Timothy 1:17thematic

Echos the doxology to the 'only wise God, be honour and glory for ever'.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v11Genesis 4:8thematic

The historical way of Cain, cited as the first archetype of apostasy and hatred.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v132 Peter 2:17thematic

Parallel imagery of wells without water and clouds carried with a tempest.

Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB

v14Genesis 5:18thematic

Identifies Enoch as the seventh from Adam in genealogical descent.

Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB

v14Deuteronomy 33:2thematic

Old Testament verbal parallel of the Lord coming with ten thousands of saints.

Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB

v182 Peter 3:3thematic

Identical apostolic warning that there shall come mockers in the last days.

Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB

v22James 5:19thematic

Parallel instruction on converting erring brothers to save their souls from death.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v23Amos 4:11allusion

Old Testament imagery of being 'as a firebrand plucked out of the burning'.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole

Saves as through fire, aligning with Jude's 'pulling them out of the fire'.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole

v23Revelation 3:4thematic

Contrast of those who 'have not defiled their garments' with garments spotted by flesh.

Supported by JFB

v24Ephesians 3:20thematic

Echos the praise to Him who is 'able to do exceeding abundantly' to keep.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole

v1John 14:22thematic

Distinguishes the author Jude (Judas, not Iscariot) from the traitor.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v5Numbers 14:29thematic

Historical destruction of the unbelieving generation in the wilderness.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v72 Peter 2:6thematic

Sodom and Gomorrah turning to ashes as an example to the ungodly.

Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB

v82 Peter 2:10thematic

Parallel regarding walking after the flesh, despising government, and speaking evil of dignities.

Supported by Matthew Henry

Defines the 'sensual' (natural) man who has not the Spirit of God.

Supported by JFB

v21Romans 11:22thematic

Exhortation to 'continue in his goodness' corresponding to 'keep yourselves in the love of God'.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v23Leviticus 13:47typology

Levitically illustrates 'the garment spotted by the flesh' through contaminated leprosy garments.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v252 Peter 3:18thematic

Doxological parallel attributing glory to Jesus Christ both now and forever.

Supported by JFB

v21Titus 1:2thematic

Links the hope of eternal life to the promise of God.

Supported by Matthew Poole