1 Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ, but a brother of James,+ to the called ones+ who are loved by God the Father and preserved for Jesus Christ:+
2 May mercy and peace and love be increased to you.
3 Beloved ones, although I was making every effort to write you about the salvation we hold in common,+ I found it necessary to write you to urge you to put up a hard fight for the faith+ that was once for all time delivered to the holy ones. 4 My reason is that certain men have slipped in among you who were long ago appointed to this judgment by the Scriptures; they are ungodly men who turn the undeserved kindness of our God into an excuse for brazen conduct*+ and who prove false to our only owner* and Lord, Jesus Christ.+
5 Although you are fully aware of all of this, I want to remind you that Jehovah,* having saved a people out of the land of Egypt,+ afterward destroyed those not showing faith.+ 6 And the angels who did not keep their original position but forsook their own proper dwelling place,+ he has reserved with eternal bonds in dense darkness for the judgment of the great day.+ 7 In the same manner, Sod′om and Go·mor′rah and the cities around them also gave themselves over to gross sexual immorality* and pursued unnatural fleshly desires;+ they are placed before us as a warning example by undergoing the judicial punishment of everlasting fire.+
8 Despite this, these men too are indulging in dreams, defiling the flesh, despising authority, and speaking abusively of glorious ones.+ 9 But when Mi′cha·el+ the archangel+ had a difference with the Devil and was disputing about Moses’ body,+ he did not dare to bring a judgment against him in abusive terms,+ but said: “May Jehovah* rebuke you.”+ 10 But these men are speaking abusively about all the things they really do not understand.+ And in all the things that they do understand by instinct like unreasoning animals,+ they go on corrupting themselves.
11 Too bad for them, for they have followed the path of Cain+and have rushed into the erroneous course of Ba′laam+ for reward, and they have perished in the rebellious talk+ of Kor′ah!+ 12 These are the rocks hidden below water at your love feasts+ while they feast with you, shepherds who feed themselves without fear;+ waterless clouds carried here and there by the wind;+ fruitless trees in late autumn, having died twice* and having been uprooted; 13 wild waves of the sea that cast up the foam of their own shame;+ stars with no set course, for which the blackest darkness stands reserved forever.+
14 Yes, the seventh one in line from Adam, E′noch,+ also prophesied about them when he said: “Look! Jehovah* came with his holy myriads*+ 15 to execute judgment against all,+ and to convict all the ungodly concerning all their ungodly deeds that they did in an ungodly way, and concerning all the shocking things that ungodly sinners spoke against him.”+
17 As for you, beloved ones, call to mind the sayings that have been previously spoken* by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ,18 how they used to say to you: “In the last time there will be ridiculers, following their own desires for ungodly things.”+19 These are the ones who cause divisions,+ animalistic men,*not having spirituality.* 20 But you, beloved ones, build yourselves up on your most holy faith, and pray with holy spirit,+21 in order to keep yourselves in God’s love,+ while you await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ with everlasting life in view.+22 Also, continue showing mercy+ to some who have doubts;+23 save them+ by snatching them out of the fire. But continue showing mercy to others, doing so with fear, while you hate even the garment that has been stained by the flesh.+
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