Deliverance from False Prophets (Jude 1:3–16)
1 UST But people who falsely proclaimed{ messages from God} were also amidst the Israelites. In the same way there will also be people who teach false{ messages} amidst you. They will introduce opinions{ that will result in} eternal condemnation. They will even reject their owner,{ Jesus,} who redeemed them.{ As a result of this,} God will soon condemn them{ for eternity}. BSB BSB: Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.
2 UST And many{ people} will do the same unrestrained immoral acts{ as these false teachers}. Because of these false teachers,{ unbelievers} will speak evil of Christianity. BSB BSB: Many will follow in their depravity, and because of them the way of truth will be defamed.
3 UST And due to their greedy hearts,{ these false teachers} will make a profit off of you by telling you lies. God condemned them a long time ago, and God will certainly destroy them. BSB BSB: In their greed, these false teachers will exploit you with deceptive words. The longstanding verdict against them remains in force, and their destruction does not sleep.
4 UST { This judgment is certain} because God did not let the angels who acted sinfully remain unpunished. On the contrary, he threw them into hell{ where they are} chained in darkness. God imprisoned{ these sinful angels} there and is holding them there in order to judge them. BSB BSB: For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them deep into hell, placing them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment;
5 UST And God did not let{ the people who lived in} the world long ago remain unpunished. However, he preserved eight people, including Noah, who was a righteous herald, when he destroyed by a flood the ungodly{ people who lived in the} world{ at that time}. BSB BSB: if He did not spare the ancient world when He brought the flood on its ungodly people, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, among the eight;
7 UST And God rescued Lot, who was a righteous man. Lot was greatly distressed because of the unrestrained immoral acts of the people who acted lawlessly{ in Sodom}. BSB BSB: and if He rescued Lot, a righteous man distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless
8 UST (When he lived with those wicked people{ in Sodom}, that righteous man Lot distressed himself every day by what he saw and heard.{ He did so} because of the things people did that were against God’ s law.) BSB BSB: (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)—
9 UST { Since these things are all true, then you can be sure that} the Lord knows how to rescue people who honor him from being tried. And{ the Lord also knows how} to keep those who do unrighteous deeds{ ready}{ in order} to punish them at the time when he judges. BSB BSB: if all this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.
10 UST And{ he will punish} especially those who keep on doing what their sinful hearts want to do,{ which are things that make them} displeasing to God.{ These people} also scorn divine authority. How bold{ they are}! They do whatever they wish! They are not even afraid to insult God’ s glorious angels. BSB BSB: Such punishment is specially reserved for those who indulge the corrupt desires of the flesh and despise authority. Bold and self-willed, they are unafraid to slander glorious beings.
11 UST But{ God’ s} angels,{ even though} they are much more powerful than these people, do not accuse glorious beings in an insulting manner in front of God! BSB BSB: Yet not even angels, though greater in strength and power, dare to bring such slanderous charges against them before the Lord.
12 UST However, these{ false teachers} are like animals that cannot think rationally. According to the way they naturally behave, they were born so that others may capture and destroy them. They say bad things about things they do not even know. God will surely destroy them when it is time for their destruction. BSB BSB: These men are like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be captured and destroyed. They blaspheme in matters they do not understand, and like such creatures, they too will be destroyed.
13 UST { These false teachers} suffer harm as the proper punishment for their harmful deeds.{ They are} pleased to party in an immoral manner{ even} during the daytime.{ Like} ugly stains{ on one’ s clothing,}{ they are disgraceful to your gatherings}!{ They even} celebrate their deceptive deeds while eating{ a meal} with you! BSB BSB: The harm they will suffer is the wages of their wickedness. They consider it a pleasure to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deception as they feast with you.
14 UST They constantly want to have immoral sexual relations with{ every} woman{ they see}. They cannot stop sinning. They lure spiritually weak people{ into sin}.{ As athletes train for sports, these false teachers} train themselves to be greedy.{ God} has cursed them! BSB BSB: Their eyes are full of adultery; their desire for sin is never satisfied; they seduce the unstable. They are accursed children with hearts trained in greed.
15 UST They refuse to live the way God wants them to. They are acting wickedly. They are imitating what Balaam, the son of Bosor, did{ long ago}. He loved{ to receive money as} payment for wicked deeds. BSB BSB: They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness.
16 UST However, God rebuked him for his wicked deed{ against Israel}.{ And even though donkeys do not speak}, God used{ Balaam’ s} donkey to speak to him with a human voice and stop his foolish action. BSB BSB: But he was rebuked for his transgression by a donkey, otherwise without speech, that spoke with a man’s voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.
17 UST These{ false teachers} are{ useless},{ like} springs that do not give water.{ They are like} clouds that the storm pushes away{ before they can give rain}.{ God} has reserved the darkness{ of hell} for them. BSB BSB: These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them.
18 UST { This is true} because they persuade people to sin who have recently{ become believers and} stopped doing what wicked unbelievers do.{ These false teachers do this} by speaking proud words that are not worth anything.{ They persuade these people to sin} by doing whatever their sinful natures want to do. BSB BSB: With lofty but empty words, they appeal to the sensual passions of the flesh and entice those who are just escaping from others who live in error.
19 UST { They also do this} by telling their listeners that they are free to do whatever they want while, at the same time, they themselves are controlled{ by their sinful desires} that will destroy them.{ This is true} because the thing that overpowers a person’ s will takes control of that person. BSB BSB: They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves to depravity. For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.
21 UST { This is because} it would have been better for them if they had never learned how to live in the way that pleases God than to learn{ this way} and reject{ God’ s} holy commands that{ the apostles} taught them. BSB BSB: It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to have known it and then to turn away from the holy commandment passed on to them.
22 UST This is a true proverb{ that describes} what has happened to{ these false teachers}:“They are like dogs that return to eat their own vomit,” and,“They are like pigs that have washed themselves and then roll again in the mud.” BSB BSB: Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.”
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.