A Greeting from Jude (James 1:1)
1 UST { I,} Jude, serve Jesus the Messiah, and I am a brother of James.{ I am writing} to you whom God has called, to you whom God the Father loves, to you whom Jesus the Messiah is keeping{ for himself}. BSB BSB: Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, To those who are called, loved by God the Father, and kept in Jesus Christ:
2 UST I pray that God will increase his merciful acts toward you and make you more peaceful and make you experience more of his love. BSB BSB: Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.
God’s Judgment on the Ungodly (2 Peter 3:1–7)
4 UST { I am urging you to do this} because some men have crept stealthily{ into your meetings}.{ They are men} whom God has chosen to condemn a long time ago. They do ungodly things. They think that our God permits people to be sexually immoral because he is kind.{ They also} oppose what is true about Jesus the Messiah, who alone owns us and rules over us. BSB BSB: For certain men have crept in among you unnoticed—ungodly ones who were designated long ago for condemnation. They turn the grace of our God into a license for immorality, and they deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
5 UST Although you previously knew all these things, I desire to remind you{ of them}.{ Remember} that after Jesus rescued the people{ of Israel} from the country of Egypt, he destroyed those people{ among them} who did not trust him. BSB BSB: Although you are fully aware of this, I want to remind you that after Jesus had delivered His people out of the land of Egypt, He destroyed those who did not believe.
6 UST Also,{ some} angels did not continue to remain in their proper places where they had authority but abandoned them.{ Because they did this} God has imprisoned them forever in darkness{ in hell}.{ God did this} in order to judge them on the important day{ when he judges everything}. BSB BSB: And the angels who did not stay within their own domain but abandoned their proper dwelling—these He has kept in eternal chains under darkness, bound for judgment on that great day.
7 UST The same is true of{ the people who lived in the cities of} Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities near them. They acted in a sexually immoral way in the same way as those angels did. They participated in all kinds of improper sexual acts. By causing these{ angels and people} to suffer for eternity in the fire of hell, God is making them an example{ of those who reject him}. BSB BSB: In like manner, Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, who indulged in sexual immorality and pursued strange flesh, are on display as an example of those who sustain the punishment of eternal fire.
8 UST Similarly, these{ false teachers} are dreamers who not only make their own bodies dirty by living immorally, but also reject the Lord’ s commands. They even insult God’ s glorious angels. BSB BSB: Yet in the same way these dreamers defile their bodies, reject authority, and slander glorious beings.
9 UST Even the archangel Michael was not so bold as to speak slanderous accusations against Satan when he argued with him concerning the dead body of Moses. Instead, he{ merely} said,“May the Lord reprove you!” BSB BSB: But even the archangel Michael, when he disputed with the devil over the body of Moses, did not presume to bring a slanderous charge against him, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”
10 UST By contrast, these{ false teachers} speak evil words about spiritual things that they do not understand. They are just like animals that cannot think rationally. The things that they are naturally able to understand are destroying them. BSB BSB: These men, however, slander what they do not understand, and like irrational animals, they will be destroyed by the things they do instinctively.
11 UST How sad it is for them! They act like Cain,{ who murdered his brother}. They have dedicated themselves to committing the same sin that Balaam committed in order to get money. God will certainly destroy them like he destroyed Korah and those who rebelled{ against Moses with him}. BSB BSB: Woe to them! They have traveled the path of Cain; they have rushed for profit into the error of Balaam; they have perished in Korah’s rebellion.
12 UST These people are shamelessly eating with you. At your fellowship meals they are like rocks hidden under the water that ships crash against. They only take care of themselves. They are{ useless,} like clouds that the wind carries away before they can give rain. They are{ useless,} like trees that do not bear fruit at harvest time.{ They are like trees} that will die twice because God will uproot them. BSB BSB: These men are hidden reefs in your love feasts, shamelessly feasting with you but shepherding only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried along by the wind; fruitless trees in autumn, twice dead after being uprooted.
13 UST They are{ uncontrollable,} like the sea’ s thrashing waves. They display their disgraceful acts just like the waves bring up foam.{ They are like} stars that do not stay where they should in the sky. God is reserving the dark gloom{ of hell} for them forever. BSB BSB: They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.
15 UST { They will come} to judge everyone and rebuke everyone for all their ungodly deeds that they have done in ungodly ways, and for all the harsh insults that these people, who sin and dishonor God, spoke against Jesus.” BSB BSB: to execute judgment on everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of every ungodly act of wickedness and every harsh word spoken against Him by ungodly sinners.”
16 UST These{ false teachers} grumble{ to themselves} and complain{ to others}. They live according to their sinful desires and brag about themselves. They flatter people in order to get what they want{ from them}. BSB BSB: These men are discontented grumblers, following after their own lusts; their mouths spew arrogance; they flatter others for their own advantage.
A Call to Persevere (Hebrews 10:19–39; 2 Peter 3:1–7)
17 UST But you{ fellow believers} whom I love, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus the Messiah said long ago. BSB BSB: But you, beloved, remember what was foretold by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ
18 UST { Remember} that they told you,“In the last days{ before Jesus returns,} there will be people who mock{ the true things that God has told us}.{ They will} live according to their own sinful desires that dishonor God.” BSB BSB: when they said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow after their own ungodly desires.”
19 UST These{ mockers} are the people who are making believers angry with each other.{ They live according to their} natural instincts. The{ Holy} Spirit does not dwell within them. BSB BSB: These are the ones who cause divisions, who are worldly and devoid of the Spirit.
20 UST However, you{ fellow believers} whom I love, by increasing your trust in God and by praying with the Holy Spirit’ s help, BSB BSB: But you, beloved, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,
21 UST keep living in a way that enables you to experience God’ s love.{ Do this} while expecting the merciful return of our Lord Jesus the Messiah,{ which will result in} living eternally{ with him}. BSB BSB: keep yourselves in the love of God as you await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you eternal life.
22 UST And be merciful to those who are confused{ about what they should believe}. BSB BSB: And indeed, have mercy on those who doubt;
23 UST But rescue other people urgently, as if you are pulling them out of the fire of hell. And be merciful to some other people, but be cautious with them, as if just touching their clothing could make you sinful. BSB BSB: save others by snatching them from the fire; and to still others show mercy tempered with fear, hating even the clothing stained by the flesh.
Doxology (Romans 16:25–27)
24 UST God is able to prevent you from returning to a sinful life.{ He is also able} to take you without sin into his glorious presence.{ You will stand there} with great joy. BSB BSB: Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you unblemished in His glorious presence, with great joy—
25 UST There is only one God. He has saved us as a result of what our Lord Jesus the Messiah{ did for us}. I pray that everyone will recognize that God is glorious, majestic, powerful, and rules with great authority.{ He was like that} before time began.{ He is like that} today, and{ he will remain like that} forever! May it truly be so! BSB BSB: to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority through Jesus Christ our Lord before all time, and now, and for all eternity. Amen.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.