THE GENERAL EPISTLE OF JUDE
1
1 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to the called, loved in God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ:
2 Mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you.
3 Beloved, while giving all diligence to write to you, I found it necessary to write to you concerning the common salvation, exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once delivered to the saints.
4 For there have stealthily crept in certain men who were of old appointed beforehand for this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into wantonness, and denying the only Sovereign, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
5 But I wish to remind you as once knowing it all, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who believed not;
6 and the angels which kept not their principality, but left their own dwelling-place, he hath kept in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day;
7 even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them, in like manner with them giving themselves over to fornication, and going away after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of everlasting fire.
8 Yet in like manner these dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and rail at dignities.
9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the Devil he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a railing accusation, but said: The Lord rebuke thee.
10 But these rail at the things which they know not; but what things they understand naturally, as brute beasts, in these they corrupt themselves.
11 Woe to them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and rushed on in the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah.
12 These are the rocks in your feasts of love, feasting together without fear, feeding only themselves; clouds without water, carried away by winds; trees in late autumn, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
13 raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.
14 Yea, and against these Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord cometh in the midst of his holy myriads,
15 to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly among them of all the deeds of their ungodliness which they committed; and of all the hard things which ungodly sinners spoke against him.”
16 These are murmurers, complaining of their lot, walking according to their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words; admiring men's persons, for the sake of profit.
17 But do ye, beloved, remember the words which were before spoken by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;
18 that they told you that at the last time there would be scoffers, walking according to their own ungodly lusts.
19 These are they that separate themselves, sensual, not having the Spirit.
20 But do ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
22 And some rebuke when they contend; and others save, snatching them out of the fire; and on others have compassion
23 with fear, hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
24 But to him that is able to keep them from falling, and to present them faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
25 to the only God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, is glory, majesty, dominion and power, before all time, and now, and for ever. Amen.