Reference: Jude, Epistle of
Easton
The author was "Judas, the brother of James" the Less (Jude 1:1), called also Lebbaeus (Mt 10:3) and Thaddaeus (Mr 3:18). The genuineness of this epistle was early questioned, and doubts regarding it were revived at the time of the Reformation; but the evidences in support of its claims are complete. It has all the marks of having proceeded from the writer whose name it bears.
There is nothing very definite to determine the time and place at which it was written. It was apparently written in the later period of the apostolic age, for when it was written there were persons still alive who had heard the apostles preach (ver. 17). It may thus have been written about A.D. 66 or 70, and apparently in Palestine.
The epistle is addressed to Christians in general (ver. 1), and its design is to put them on their guard against the misleading efforts of a certain class of errorists to which they were exposed. The style of the epistle is that of an "impassioned invective, in the impetuous whirlwind of which the writer is hurried along, collecting example after example of divine vengeance on the ungodly; heaping epithet upon epithet, and piling image upon image, and, as it were, labouring for words and images strong enough to depict the polluted character of the licentious apostates against whom he is warning the Church; returning again and again to the subject, as though all language was insufficient to give an adequate idea of their profligacy, and to express his burning hatred of their perversion of the doctrines of the gospel."
The striking resemblance this epistle bears to 2PE suggests the idea that the author of the one had seen the epistle of the other.
The doxology with which the epistle concludes is regarded as the finest in the New Testament.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;
Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananaean.
Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those who are called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ:
Hastings
This short epistle is an earnest warning and appeal, couched in vivid and picturesque language, addressed to a church or a circle of churches which have become suddenly exposed to a mischievous attack of false teaching.
1. Contents
(1) Text.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Is this man the carpenter's son? Is his mother called Mary? Are his brothers James and Joseph, Simon, and Judas?
He sat on the Mount of Olives. The disciples came to him privately, saying: Tell us when these things will be? What will be the sign of your presence and of the end of the age? Jesus answered: Be careful that no man misleads you. read more. Many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.
Many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. Do not be troubled, for this must happen, but the end is not yet. read more. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many places. These things are the beginning of birth pains (Greek: odin': in the throws of pain, such as childbirth). People will cause you tribulation, and kill you. You will be hated by all the nations for my name's sake. Many will stumble and betray and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.
Many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. Wickedness and lawlessness will increase. The love of many will grow cold.
Wickedness and lawlessness will increase. The love of many will grow cold. The person who endures to the end will be saved. read more. The good news of the kingdom will be preached in the entire world for a witness to all the nations and then the end will come. When you see the disgusting abomination of desolation (unclean thing) spoken about through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let him that reads understand), you in Judea flee to the mountains; you on the housetop do not go down to remove the things in your house. You in the field do not return to get your clothes. You who are pregnant or nursing babies in those days will feel trouble. Pray that your flight not be in the winter, neither on a Sabbath. There will be great tribulation. It will be greater than any has ever been from the beginning of the world until now. Unless those days are shortened, no flesh will be saved. For the sake of the chosen ones (selected individuals), those days will be shortened. If someone says, 'Here is the Christ,' or, 'Over there is the Christ,' do not believe it. There will be false Christs and false prophets. They will show great signs and wonders so that many will be misled. This includes some of the chosen ones. Remember, I told you before it happens.
Is this the carpenter, the son of Mary, brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? Are not his sisters here with us? He offended them.
And finally there was Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
The first account I composed, O Theophilus, was about all that Jesus did and taught,
When they entered the city they went to the upper chamber where they were staying. Included were Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealous one, and Judas the son of James.
A certain man called Simon was in the same city. He used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, telling everyone that he was great. They all listened to him, from the least to the greatest, saying: This man has great power from God. read more. They followed him because for a long time he astonished them with sorceries. When they believed what Philip preached about the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Simon also believed. When he was baptized he continued with Philip, amazed by the miracles and signs he saw. When the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. Peter and John prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit. They were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus but had not yet received the Spirit. So they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. When Simon saw the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money. Simon said: Give me this power that on whomever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit. Peter said to him: Your money will perish with you, because you think that the gift of God may be purchased with money. You have no part or share in this matter for your heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent of this wickedness, and pray to God, that the thought in your heart may be forgiven you. For I perceive that you are full of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. Simon answered: Pray to God for me, that none of these things that you have spoken will happen to me.
They traveled the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they found Barjesus. He was a sorcerer, a false prophet and a Jew. He was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man, who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God. read more. But Elymas the sorcerer opposed them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, set his eyes on him, And said: You child of the devil, full of all subtlety and mischief, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to pervert the right ways of Jehovah? Look Jehovah's hand is on you. You will be blind and not see the sun for a season. Immediately there fell on him a mist and darkness. He went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. When he saw what was done the deputy believed. He was astonished at the teaching of God.
When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Paul laid his hands on them and Holy Spirit came upon them. They spoke with tongues and prophesied. read more. There were twelve men in all.
Many of the believers confessed openly about the evil things they had done. Many of those who practiced magical arts brought their books and burned them in the sight of everyone. When they totaled the value of them it came to about fifty thousand pieces of silver.
Hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts. It comes through Holy Spirit, which is God's gift to us.
Likewise the Spirit also helps our weaknesses. We do not know what we should pray for, as we should. The Spirit [of God] makes intercession with groaning that cannot be spoken.
Now to him that is of power to establish you according to my good news, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the secret, which was kept secret since the world began. It is now made known by the Scriptures of the prophets according to the commandment of the everlasting God. It is made known to all nations for the obedience of faith. read more. To God, wise alone, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.
But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God. They are foolishness to him! He cannot know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Yet you cannot completely avoid the fornicators of this world, nor the greedy persons, nor cheaters and robbers, nor those who worship idols. To do so you would have to leave this world.
Now in this that I declare to you that I do not praise you. For you come together not for the better but for the worse.
Fourteen years later I went again to Jerusalem with Barnabas. I took Titus with me also.
When they saw the grace that was given to me, James, Cephas (Peter) and John, they who were known to be pillars, gave to Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship. We were to go to the nations and they were to go to the people who are circumcised.
He ate with the people of the nations until some men James sent arrived. When they arrived, he drew back and separated himself. He feared those who were of the circumcised people.
But he (Christ) reconciled you in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and without accusation before Him (God).
Keep your roots deep in him! Build your lives on him. Become stronger in your faith, as you were taught, and be filled with thanksgiving.
We know your calling brothers, beloved of God.
Do not let anyone deceive you about this in any way. That day will not come unless apostasy (a falling away from truth) takes place first, and the man of lawlessness (sin), the man of destruction, is revealed. (2 Timothy 4:3)
As I urged you to stay at Ephesus, when I was going into Macedonia, that you might command certain men not to teach strange doctrines.
Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Some men's sins are known publicly, leading to judgment; and some men's sin becomes known later.
frictions between men corrupted in mind and lacking in truth, supposing that godliness is a way of gain.
For the time will come when they will not endure the sound doctrine. Having their ears tickled, they will accumulate teachers who follow after their own lusts.
Do your best to come to me shortly.
Remind them to be in subjection to rulers and to authorities, to be obedient, and to be ready to do every good work,
He poured Spirit out upon us richly, through Jesus Christ our Savior.
Faithful is the saying, and concerning these things I desire that you affirm confidently, to the end that they who have believed God may be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.
Send Zenas, the lawyer, and Apollos on their journey quickly and see that they lack nothing.
Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those who are called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ:
Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those who are called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ: Mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you. read more. Beloved, I diligently wrote you about our common salvation. I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the holy ones. Certain men crept in unnoticed. They were appointed long ago for this condemnation. These ungodly men turned the grace of our God into loose conduct. They deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. I want to remind you though you once knew this, that Jehovah (God), having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.
I want to remind you though you once knew this, that Jehovah (God), having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.
These men speak abusively about things they do not know. What they understand naturally, like the creatures without reason, they corrupt themselves.
These cause divisions; they are sensual (worldly-minded) persons not having the Spirit. You, beloved, build yourself up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit. read more. Stay in the love of God! Look (wait) for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ for everlasting life. Show mercy to some who have doubt.
Show mercy to some who have doubt. Save some, snatch them out of the fire. Have mercy on some with alarm. Hate even the garment defiled (polluted) by the flesh.
Save some, snatch them out of the fire. Have mercy on some with alarm. Hate even the garment defiled (polluted) by the flesh. Now to him that is able to guard you from stumbling, and to set you before the presence of his glory without blemish with exceeding joy. read more. To the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord. There is glory, majesty, dominion, and power, before all time, now, and for evermore, amen.
I know your works, and your labor, and your patience. I also know how you cannot tolerate those who are evil. You tested those who say they are apostles. They are not apostles. You found them to be liars.
Yet you have this in your favor: you hate the deeds of the sect of Nicolaus just as I hate their deeds.
I have a few things against you: you have people there who hold to the teachings of Balaam, who taught Balak to present a snare to the sons of Israel, to eat of idol sacrifices and commit fornication. You also have those who hold the doctrine (teaching) of the sect of Nicolaus in like manner.
Morish
Written by Jude the brother of James, and apparently the same person as the apostle JUDAS, q.v. The Epistle is addressed to "the called ones, beloved in God the Father and preserved in Jesus Christ." Apostasy had set in, and the saints are exhorted to contend for the faith divinely delivered. Ungodly ones had crept in, who abused the grace of God, and denied their only Master and Lord Jesus Christ.
Three instances are produced to show how apostasy had been punished:
1. Some of those saved out of Egypt were yet destroyed.
2. Fallen angels are kept in eternal chains for judgement.
3. Sodom and Gomorrha, which lie under the abiding effect of the judgement on them. Then the railers are put to shame by the conduct of Michael the archangel, who when rightly contending with Satan about the body of Moses did not rail against him, but said, "The Lord rebuke thee."
Three stages of departure from the way of truth are mentioned, with a woe upon those who are found in them:
1. The way of Cain
See Verses Found in Dictionary
We should not be like Cain who was of the evil one, and killed his brother. Why did he murder him? It was because his works were evil, and his brother's were righteous.
Smith
Jude, Epistle of.
Its author was probably Jude, one of the brethren of Jesus, the subject of the preceding article. There are no data from which to determine its date or place of writing, but it is placed about A.D.
65. The object of the epistle is plainly enough announced ver. 3; the reason for this exhortation is given ver.
4. The remainder of the epistle is almost entirely occupied by a minute depiction of the adversaries of the faith. The epistle closes by briefly reminding the readers of the oft-repeated prediction of the apostles --among whom the writer seems not to rank himself --that the faith would be assailed by such enemies as he has depicted, vs.
exhorting them to maintain their own steadfastness in the faith, vs.
while they earnestly sought to rescue others from the corrupt example of those licentious livers, vs.
and commending them to the power of God in language which forcibly recalls the closing benediction of the epistle to the Romans. vs.
cf. Roma 16:25-27 This epistle presents one peculiarity, which, as we learn from St. Jerome, caused its authority to be impugned in very early times --the supposed citation of apocryphal writings. vs.
The larger portion of this epistle, vs.
is almost identical in language and subject with a part of the Second Epistle of Peter.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
There arose false prophets among the people. There will be false teachers among you! They will privately bring in destructive heresies (contrary doctrines), denying even the Master who bought them. They bring swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their lascivious (filthy sensual) deeds. The way of the truth will be maligned. read more. They speak evil words about you because of their extreme greed. They will exploit you with false evil words. Their judgment from long ago is not idle. Their destruction will not delay. God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them down to captivity in pits of darkness reserved for judgment! He did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly! He turned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them with an overthrow, and made them an example to those who are ungodly. He delivered righteous Lot, who was very distressed by the lustful life of the wicked. That righteous man that dwelled among them was tormented by the lawless deeds he saw and heard. Jehovah knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to preserve the unrighteous for the Day of Judgment. (Psalm 34:19) (Matthew 25:46) This is primarily for those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble at glorious ones but speak abusively. Angels, though greater in might and power, do not bring an accusation of abusive judgment against them before Jehovah. But these are creatures without reason. They were born mere animals to be taken and destroyed! They speak abusively in matters of which they are ignorant. They suffer destruction in their own course of destruction. They suffer wrong as their reward for wrongdoing. They are men that count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions while they feast with you. They have eyes full of adultery that cannot cease from sin! They entice unsteady persons. Their hearts are full of covetousness. They are children of cursing. They went astray, forsaking the right way. They followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of wrongdoing. He was rebuked for his own transgression. A beast of burden spoke with a man's voice and restrained (hindered) the madness of the prophet. These are springs without water, and mists driven by a storm, for whom the gloom of darkness has been reserved. For, uttering arrogant words of vanity, they entice in the desires (lusts) of the flesh, by sensuality (lasciviousness), those who are just escaping from the ones who live in error. They promise them freedom, while they are bondservants of corruption. A man is brought into bondage by one and enslaved by another.
Beloved, I diligently wrote you about our common salvation. I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the holy ones. Certain men crept in unnoticed. They were appointed long ago for this condemnation. These ungodly men turned the grace of our God into loose conduct. They deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. read more. I want to remind you though you once knew this, that Jehovah (God), having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. Angels who did not keep their position left their proper habitation. He has kept them in everlasting bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day. Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them are an example for they, in like manner with these surrendered to fornication and went after flesh for unnatural use. They received justice by ever burning fire. In like manner these men also in their dreams defile the flesh, reject authority and speak evil of glorious ones. Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil disputed about the body of Moses. He did not speak evil judgment against him in abusive terms, but said: Jehovah rebukes you. (Zechariah 3:2)
Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil disputed about the body of Moses. He did not speak evil judgment against him in abusive terms, but said: Jehovah rebukes you. (Zechariah 3:2) These men speak abusively about things they do not know. What they understand naturally, like the creatures without reason, they corrupt themselves. read more. Woe to them! They went in the way of Cain, and ran riotously in the error of Balaam for hire, and perished in the rebellious talk of Korah. These men are hidden rocks in your love feasts when they feast (entertain) with you. They are shepherds that without fear feed themselves. They are clouds without water, carried along by winds. They are autumn leaves without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots. They are wild waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame. They are wandering stars, for which the black darkness has been reserved forever. Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these, saying: Behold, Jehovah came with many thousands of his holy ones.
Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these, saying: Behold, Jehovah came with many thousands of his holy ones. They execute judgment upon all. They convict all the ungodly of all their wicked behavior, deeds that they have committed in an irreverent way, and of all the hard things those detestable sinners have spoken against him.
They execute judgment upon all. They convict all the ungodly of all their wicked behavior, deeds that they have committed in an irreverent way, and of all the hard things those detestable sinners have spoken against him. These murmur, complain, and walk after their lusts, they speak arrogantly, flattering people to gain advantage. read more. But you, beloved, remember the words spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you: In the last time there will be mockers (scoffers), walking after their own ungodly lusts. These cause divisions; they are sensual (worldly-minded) persons not having the Spirit. You, beloved, build yourself up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit. Stay in the love of God! Look (wait) for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ for everlasting life. Show mercy to some who have doubt. Save some, snatch them out of the fire. Have mercy on some with alarm. Hate even the garment defiled (polluted) by the flesh. Now to him that is able to guard you from stumbling, and to set you before the presence of his glory without blemish with exceeding joy. To the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord. There is glory, majesty, dominion, and power, before all time, now, and for evermore, amen.