Jude

Jude, 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:

1This letter is from Jude. I serve Jesus Christ. My brother is James. I am writing to you whom God the Father has called. He loves you, and Jesus Christ keeps you safe.

2Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.

2I pray that God gives you more and more mercy, peace, and love.

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.

3Dear friends, I really wanted to write to you about the rescue we all share. But I found I had to write about something else. I must ask you to fight hard for the faith. God gave that faith to his people one time, and it does not change.

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.

4Some men have quietly slipped in among you. No one noticed them. Long ago it was written down that they would be judged. They do not care about God. God is kind to us, and they use his kindness as an excuse to do wrong. They say no to Jesus Christ, our only Master and Lord.

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.

5You already know this, but I want to remind you. The Lord brought his people safely out of Egypt. Later he destroyed the ones who would not believe him.

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.

6Some angels did not stay in the place God gave them. They left their own home. God has kept them in chains that never break, in the dark. They are waiting for the great day when God judges.

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.

7The people of Sodom and Gomorrah did wrong in the same way. So did the towns nearby. They did wrong sexual things and chased after what was not natural. They are an example that everyone can see. They suffer the punishment of a fire that does not go out.

8Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.

8These dreamers do the same wrong things. They make their bodies dirty with sin. They say no to anyone in charge. They speak evil about the shining beings of heaven.

Note"Dignities" in the old English does not mean important people. It means the shining beings of heaven, that is, angels.

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.

9Michael is the chief angel. He once argued with the devil about the body of Moses. Even Michael did not dare to insult him. He only said, "The Lord tell you that you are wrong."

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.

10These men speak evil about things they do not understand. They follow their feelings, like animals that cannot think. Those very things ruin them.

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.

11How sad for them! They have gone the way Cain went. They rushed after money, the way Balaam did wrong. They died fighting against God, the way Korah did.

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;

12These men sit and eat at your love meals. They are like hidden rocks that wreck a ship. They feed only themselves and are not ashamed. They are clouds with no rain, blown around by the wind. They are trees with no fruit, dead twice over, pulled up by the roots.

Note"Feasts of charity" means shared meals. In 1611 English, "charity" meant love. "Spots" here means rocks hidden under the water that can wreck a ship.

13Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

13They are wild waves of the sea. Their shameful acts foam up like dirty sea foam. They are stars that wander off course. The blackest dark is kept for them forever.

14And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

14Enoch lived long ago. He was seventh in the family line from Adam. He told God's message about these men. He said, "Look! The Lord is coming with thousands and thousands of his holy ones."

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.

15"He will judge every person. He will show all who ignore God that they are guilty. They did wrong things against God. They also said hard words against him."

Note"Convince" in the old English means to prove someone guilty, not to talk someone into something.

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.

16These men grumble and complain. They do whatever they feel like doing. They brag with big words. They say nice things to important people to get something for themselves.

17But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;

17But dear friends, remember the words you were told before. The apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ said them. Apostles are the men Jesus sent out to teach.

18How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.

18They told you that in the last days some people would make fun of God. Those people would follow their own wrong desires.

19These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.

19These are the ones who split people apart. They care only about this world. They do not have the Spirit of God.

20But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

20But you, dear friends, keep building yourselves up in your most holy faith. Pray with the help of the Holy Spirit.

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

21Stay in the love of God. Wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to show you mercy and give you life forever.

22And of some have compassion, making a difference:

22Be kind and gentle with people who are not sure what to believe.

Note"Making a difference" in the old English means treating people differently depending on what each one needs.

23And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

23Save others by pulling them out of the fire. Be kind to others too, but be careful yourself. Hate even the clothes that their sin has stained.

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,

24God is able to keep you from falling. He can bring you before his shining glory with nothing wrong in you. He will do it with great joy.

25To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

25He is the only God, and he saves us. Glory, greatness, rule, and power belong to him. They are his now and forever. Amen.