RationalWiki:Annotated Bible/Jude

See the main article on this topic: Epistle of Jude

Jude 1:1 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:	Jude 1:1 Notes Who are these people? It's not clear, but James might be James, brother of Jesus, who had another brother called Jude or Judas. Judas was a common name, as indeed was James (a form of Jacob).
Jude 1:2 Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.	Jude 1:2 Notes
Jude 1:3 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 Notes Another missing epistle.
Jude 1:4 For 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.	Jude 1:4 Notes
Jude 1:5 I 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.	Jude 1:5 Notes
Jude 1:6 And 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.	Jude 1:6 Notes According to the theologian Robert Charles, this passage was influenced by 1 Enoch 12:4. "the Watchers of the heaven who have left the high heaven" and 1 Enoch 10:4-6,11,12. "4. And again the Lord said to Raphael: 'Bind Azâzêl hand and foot, and cast him into the darkness: and make an opening in the desert, which is in Dûdâêl, and cast him therein. 5. And place upon him rough and jagged rocks, and cover him with darkness, and let him abide there for ever, and cover his face that he may not see light. 6. And on the day of the great judgement he shall be cast into the fire. And heal the earth which the angels have corrupted, and proclaim the healing of the earth, that they may heal the plague, and that all the children of men may not perish through all the secret things that the Watchers have disclosed and have taught their sons." "11. And the Lord said unto Michael: 'Go, bind Semjâzâ and his associates who have united themselves with women so as to have defiled themselves with them in all their uncleanness. 12. And when their sons have slain one another, and they have seen the destruction of their beloved ones, bind them fast for seventy generations in the valleys of the earth, till the day of their judgement and of their consummation, till the judgement that is for ever and ever is consummated."
Jude 1:7 Even 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.	Jude 1:7 Notes The original greek uses the words "sarkos heteras" which directly translates to "other flesh", and is a clear reference to the accounts of Sodom and Gomorrah from Genesis 19:4-29 instead of Ezekiel 16:46-50. It's unknown exactly what "strange flesh" means as some scholars interpret it as God destroying the cities for lusting an angel rather than homosexuality. Other scholars assert that it still does refer to homosexuality citing Genesis 6:1-4; this yet again falls under the assumption that the "Son of God" in question is indeed a male angel.
Jude 1:8 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.	Jude 1:8 Notes
Jude 1:9 Yet 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.	Jude 1:9 Notes
Jude 1:10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.	Jude 1:10 Notes
Jude 1:11 Woe 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.	Jude 1:11 Notes
Jude 1:12 These 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;	Jude 1:12 Notes Some translations use "hidden reefs" or some such instead of "spots", with the idea is that these people are hidden hazards one might not discover until it's too late.
Jude 1:13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.	Jude 1:13 Notes The second part of this verse is very unlikely to refer to black holes.
Jude 1:14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,	Jude 1:14 Notes References the apocryphal Books of Enoch. According to the theologian Robert Charles, this passage and Jude 1:15 were influenced by 1 Enoch: 60:8 — "the seventh from Adam" 1:9 — "And behold! He cometh with ten thousands of His holy ones, To execute judgement upon all, And to destroy all the ungodly: And to convict all flesh Of all the works of their ungodliness which they have ungodly committed, And of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him." 5:4 — "But ye — ye have not been steadfast, nor done the commandments of the Lord, But ye have turned away and spoken proud and hard words With your impure mouths against His greatness. Oh, ye hard-hearted, ye shall find no peace.' 27:2 — Then Uriel, one of the holy angels who was with me, answered and said: 'This accursed valley is for those who are accursed for ever: Here shall all ⌈the accursed⌉ be gathered together who utter with their lips against the Lord unseemly words and of His glory speak hard things."
Jude 1:15 To 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.	Jude 1:15 Notes Ungodly is as ungodly does. Got it.
Jude 1:16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.	Jude 1:16 Notes
Jude 1:17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;	Jude 1:17 Notes
Jude 1:18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.	Jude 1:18 Notes
Jude 1:19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.	Jude 1:19 Notes
Jude 1:20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,	Jude 1:20 Notes
Jude 1:21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.	Jude 1:21 Notes
Jude 1:22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:	Jude 1:22 Notes
Jude 1:23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.	Jude 1:23 Notes Apparently conversion by intimidation is a-okay.
Jude 1:24 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 Notes
Jude 1:25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.	Jude 1:25 Notes