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THE GENERAL EPISTLE OF
JUDE.
UDE, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that
are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ,
and called:
2 Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.
3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the
common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and
exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which
was once delivered unto the saints.
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:
and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.
Amen (Matt., 28:19, 20)."
"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel
to every creature.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth
not shall be damned (Mark, 16:15, 16)."
"And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by
Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not
imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the
word of reconciliation.
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech
you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye
reconciled to God.
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we
might be made the righteousness of God in him (II. Cor., 5:18-21)."
"But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth,
and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach
(Rom., 10:8)."
4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before
of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of
our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our
Lord Jesus Christ.
"That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and
carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men,
and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive
(Eph., 4:14)."
5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew
this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land
of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.
"Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they
to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief
(Heb., 4:6)."
6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left
their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains
under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
"For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them
down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be
reserved unto judgment (II. Pet., 2:4)."
7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like
manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange
flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal
fire.
"And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt,
and burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any
grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah,
Admah, and Zeboim, which the Lord overthrew in his anger, and in his
wrath (Deut., 29:23)."
8 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh,
despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.
9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he
disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a
railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
"So Moses the servant of the Lord died
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there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord.
And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against
Beth-peor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day
(Deut., 34:5, 6)."
"Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not
railing accusation against them before the Lord (II. Pet., 2:11)."
10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but
what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt
themselves.
11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran
greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the
gainsaying of Core.
"And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit
of the ground an offering unto the Lord.
And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat
thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering
(Gen., 4:3, 4)."
"And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the
rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and
spake unto him the words of Balak (Num., 22:7)."
"Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and
Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons
of Reuben, took men:
And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel,
two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the
congregation, men of renown:
And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron,
and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the
congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is
among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation
of the Lord (Num., 16:1-3)?"
12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast
with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are
without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth,
without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame;
wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness
for ever.
14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these,
saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,
15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are
ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have
ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly
sinners have spoken against him.
"And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred
years, and begat sons and daughters:
And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:
And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him
(Gen., 5:22-24)."
"By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was
not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation
he had this testimony, that he pleased God (Heb., 11:5)."
16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own
lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having
men's persons in admiration because of advantage.
17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before
of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;
18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last
time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
"Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers,
walking after their own lusts (II. Pet., 3:3)."
19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not
the Spirit.
20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy
faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
"Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what
we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh
intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered
(Rom., 8:26)."
21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of
our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:
23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the
fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
"I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and
Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet
have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord (Amos, 4:11)."
"And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the
Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand
plucked out of the fire (Zech., 3:2)?"
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"If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he
himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire (I. Cor., 3:15)."
24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to
present you faultless before the presence of his glory with
exceeding joy,
25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and
majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
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