1 From Jude, servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James—
To those who have been called by God, who live in the love of God the Father and the protection of Jesus Christ:
2 May mercy, peace, and love be yours in full measure.
False Teachers
3 My dear friends, I was doing my best to write to you about the salvation we share in common, when I felt the need of writing at once to encourage you to fight on for the faith which once and for all God has given to his people. 4 For some godless people have slipped in unnoticed among us, persons who distort the message about the grace of our God in order to excuse their immoral ways, and who reject Jesus Christ, our only Master and Lord. Long ago the Scriptures predicted the condemnation they have received.
5 For even though you know all this, I want to remind you of how the Lord once rescued the people of Israel from Egypt, but afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 Remember the angels who did not stay within the limits of their proper authority, but abandoned their own dwelling place: they are bound with eternal chains in the darkness below, where God is keeping them for that great Day on which they will be condemned. 7 Remember Sodom and Gomorrah, and the nearby towns, whose people acted as those angels did and indulged in sexual immorality and perversion: they suffer the punishment of eternal fire as a plain warning to all.
8 In the same way also, these people have visions which make them sin against their own bodies; they despise God's authority and insult the glorious beings above. 9 Not even the chief angel Michael did this. In his quarrel with the Devil, when they argued about who would have the body of Moses, Michael did not dare condemn the Devil with insulting words, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” 10 But these people attack with insults anything they do not understand; and those things that they know by instinct, like wild animals, are the very things that destroy them. 11 How terrible for them! They have followed the way that Cain took. For the sake of money they have given themselves over to the error that Balaam committed. They have rebelled as Korah rebelled, and like him they are destroyed. 12 With their shameless carousing they are like dirty spots in your fellowship meals. They take care only of themselves. They are like clouds carried along by the wind, but bringing no rain. They are like trees that bear no fruit, even in autumn, trees that have been pulled up by the roots and are completely dead. 13 They are like wild waves of the sea, with their shameful deeds showing up like foam. They are like wandering stars, for whom God has reserved a place forever in the deepest darkness.
14 It was Enoch, the seventh direct descendant from Adam, who long ago prophesied this about them: “The Lord will come with many thousands of his holy angels 15 to bring judgment on all, to condemn them all for the godless deeds they have performed and for all the terrible words that godless sinners have spoken against him!”
16 These people are always grumbling and blaming others; they follow their own evil desires; they brag about themselves and flatter others in order to get their own way.
Warnings and Instructions
17 But remember, my friends, what you were told in the past by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 They said to you, “When the last days come, people will appear who will make fun of you, people who follow their own godless desires.” 19 These are the people who cause divisions, who are controlled by their natural desires, who do not have the Spirit. 20 But you, my friends, keep on building yourselves up on your most sacred faith. Pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, 21 and keep yourselves in the love of God, as you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ in his mercy to give you eternal life.
22 Show mercy toward those who have doubts; 23 save others by snatching them out of the fire; and to others show mercy mixed with fear, but hate their very clothes, stained by their sinful lusts.
Prayer of Praise
24 To him who is able to keep you from falling and to bring you faultless and joyful before his glorious presence— 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, might, and authority, from all ages past, and now, and forever and ever! Amen.
1 Jūda, Jēzus Kristus kalps un Jēkaba brālis, aicinātajiem brāļiem, kas Dievā Tēvā mīlēti un Jēzū Kristū pasargāti: 2 žēlastība, miers un mīlestība lai jums bagātīgi! 3 Mīļie, tā kā man ļoti rūpēja jums rakstīt par mūsu kopējo pestīšanu, tad sirds mani spieda jūs pamācīt šinī rakstā turpināt cīņu par to ticību, kas svētiem reiz uzticēta. 4 Jo ir iezagušies kādi ļaudis, par kuriem sen jau rakstīts, kas likti nākamajam sodam, bezdievji, kas mūsu Dieva žēlastības vietā nododas kauna dzīvei un noliedz mūsu vienīgo valdnieku un Kungu Jēzu Kristu. 5 Bet es jums, lai gan jūs jau visu zināt, gribu atgādināt, ka Tas Kungs gan izglāba tautu no Ēģiptes zemes, bet pēc tam nomaitāja tos, kas neticēja. 6 Un eņģeļus, kas savu augsto stāvokli nebija nosargājuši, bet savu mājokli atstājuši, Viņš mūžīgās saitēs saistītus tur ieslēgtus tumsā lielās dienas tiesai. 7 Tā Sodoma, Gomora un apkārtējās pilsētas, kuras šiem līdzīgi padevās netiklībai un nomaldījās pretdabīgās miesas kārībās, ir noliktas par atbaidošu piemēru mūžīga uguns soda izciešanai. 8 Tāpat arī šie, sekodami saviem sapņiem, apgāna miesu, nicina augsto valdnieku, zaimo debess varas. 9 Turpretim virseņģelis Miķelis, kad viņam bija Mozus miesas dēļ vārdu cīņa ar velnu, neiedrošinājās par viņu izteikt zaimu spriedumu, bet tikai sacīja: Tas Kungs lai tevi soda! 10 Bet šie zaimo visu, ko tie nesaprot, turpretim visās tais lietās, kuras tie izprot dabīgi - līdzīgi neprātīgiem dzīvniekiem, tie iet bojā. 11 Vai tiem, jo tie ir staigājuši Kaina ceļu, krituši peļņas dēļ Bileāma maldos un gājuši bojā, pretodamies kā Kora. 12 Viņi ir kauna traipi jūsu mīlestības mielastos, bez bijības mielodamies līdz ar jums, sevis pašu ganītāji, vēja dzenāti bezūdens mākoņi, koki, kas rudenī bez augļiem, divkārt miruši, izrauti ar saknēm, 13 trakojošas jūras bangas, kas izgāž putās savu pašu kaunu, nomaldījušās zvaigznes, kam lemta mūžīgā galējā tumsa. 14 Bet šiem arī Ēnohs, septītais pēc Ādama, ir sludinājis, sacīdams: redzi, Tas Kungs nāk ar daudz tūkstošiem Savu svēto 15 tiesāt visus un sodīt visus bezdievjus viņu bezdievīgo darbu dēļ, ko tie darījuši, un visu nekaunīgo vārdu dēļ, ko bezdievīgi grēcinieki ir runājuši pret viņu. 16 Tie ir kurnētāji, kas sūdzas par likteni un dzīvo savās kārībās, tie ar savu muti runā lielus vārdus, glaimodami acu priekšā sava labuma dēļ. 17 Bet jūs, mīļie, pieminiet vārdus, kurus jums mūsu Kunga Jēzus Kristus apustuļi ir sacījuši savā laikā; 18 to viņi teica jums: pēdējā laikā būs smējēji, kas dzīvos savās pašu bezdievīgajās kārībās, - 19 tie, kas nošķiras, laicīgi cilvēki, kam nav Gara. 20 Bet jūs, mīļotie, stiprinādamies savā visusvētākajā ticībā, lūdziet Dievu Svētajā Garā. 21 Un pasargait sevi Dieva mīlestībā, gaidīdami mūsu Kunga Jēzus Kristus žēlastību, lai iemantotu mūžīgo dzīvību. 22 Un citus, kas šaubās, apžēlojiet, 23 glābiet, no uguns izraudami, citus apžēlojiet ar bailēm, nīzdami pat miesas apgānītās drēbes. 24 Bet Tam, kas spēj jūs pasargāt, ka neklūpat, un nostatīt nevainīgus un līksmus Savas godības priekšā, 25 vienīgajam Dievam, mūsu Glābējam, lai ir caur Jēzu Kristu, mūsu Kungu, godība, varenība, spēks un vara no mūžības, tagad un mūžu mūžos! Āmen.
