The Epistles · Chapter 1 of 1

Jude 1

Jude, servant of Jesus and brother of James, writes urging believers to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered. Certain ungodly men have crept in, turning grace into license and denying the Lord. Jude recalls past judgments, warns against these deceivers, and calls the beloved to build themselves up, pray in the Spirit, keep in God's love, and rescue others, closing with a soaring doxology to God our Saviour.

What happens in Jude 1

Jude intended to write of the common salvation but felt compelled instead to urge the saints to contend for the faith. He exposes intruders who pervert grace into lasciviousness and deny Christ. He rehearses three judgments: Israel destroyed after unbelief, angels who left their estate reserved in chains, and Sodom and Gomorrah set forth as an example of eternal fire. These false teachers defile the flesh, despise authority, and slander what they do not know.

Jude compares them to Cain, Balaam, and Korah, calling them clouds without water and wandering stars. He cites Enoch's prophecy of the Lord coming with His saints to judge, and recalls that the apostles foretold mockers. Then he turns tenderly to the beloved: build up your faith, pray in the Holy Ghost, keep in God's love, look for mercy. Show compassion, snatch some from the fire. He ends praising the God able to keep them from falling.

Jude 1 in context

Jude, likely the half-brother of Jesus and brother of James, writes a short, urgent letter late in the apostolic age. Its language closely parallels 2 Peter. Jude draws on Old Testament examples and Jewish traditions, such as Enoch and the dispute over Moses' body, as illustrations to press his warning.

The recipients faced teachers who abused the message of grace, and Jude arms them to guard the deposit of faith.

Main themes of Jude 1

Jude 1 (KJV)

1Jude, 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: 2Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied. 3Beloved, 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. 4For 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. 5I 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. 6And 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. 7Even 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. 8Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. 9Yet 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. 10But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. 11Woe 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. 12These 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; 13Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. 14And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 15To 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. 16These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage. 17But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; 18How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. 19These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. 20But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, 21Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 22And of some have compassion, making a difference: 23And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. 24Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Verses to carry from Jude 1

“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.”Jude 1:3

“Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”Jude 1:21

“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,”Jude 1:24

Reflection

Jude ends not in fear but in worship. Surrounded by warnings about those who fell, he lifts the eyes of the beloved to the God able to keep them from falling and present them faultless with exceeding joy. Where do you feel most in danger of stumbling? Bring that place to the One who keeps.

A prayer from Jude 1