The Letter from Jude/Judas
1Judas/Jude Christ Jesus’ slave, and brother of Jacob—to those who have been loved in/by God the Father and who have been kept in/by Jesus Christ, the called—2May mercy be caused to be multiplied for you and peace and love!
3Loved ones, when I was making for myself every effort to be writing to you about our common salvation I had necessity to write to you to you for the purpose of urging [you] to struggle for the faith that was once for all handed over to the holy people/saints, 4because some men SNUCK IN, those who long ago have been prescripted for this judgment, who are impious, who changed our God’s grace into unrestrainedness and who are denying our only Master and Lord Jesus Christ.
5But I want to remind you, because you know all things that the Lord after having saved His people once from the Land of Egypt the second time destroyed those who didn't believe, 6and angels, the ones who didn’t keep their own rule but who deserted their own dwelling He kept in eternal chains under nether-gloom for judgment on the great day, 7like Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them having engaged in excessive sexual indulgence in like manner as these and having gone after other flesh, are exposed as an example of eternal fire by undergoing the punishment of the just penalty.
8In the same way to be sure also these who are dreaming defile flesh on the one hand, but on the other hand they reject Lordship and slander glories. 9But Michael the Archangel when disputing with the devil he was arguing about the body of Moses didn’t dare to pronounce a slanderous judgment, but said “The Lord rebuke you!”
10But these people don't know what kinds of things they are slandering, and what kinds of things they are acquainted with instinctually like thoughtless animals, by these things they are destroyed. 11WOE to them! Because they walked on the path of Cain and they pour themselves out to the deception of the wages of Balaam and they are destroyed by rebellion of Korah! 12These people are the ones who are fearlessly feasting together with you at your love feasts as hidden reefs/stains[1], who are shepherding themselves, waterless clouds being carried away by the wind, fruitless, late-autumnal trees that are twice dead because of having been uprooted, 13wild waves of the sea that are causing their own shameful-deeds to foam, stars that are wanderers for which the gloom of the darkness has been kept into an age.
14But also the seventh from Adam, Enoch, prophesied about them by saying, “LOOK! The Lord came with His holy myriads 15to accomplish judgment against all and to convict every soul concerning all their impious actions which they acted impiously and concerning all the harsh things which the impious sinners spoke against Him.
16These are grumblers who are complaining about their lot in life who are going because of their own desires, and their mouth speaks pompous things, who are complimenting people for the sake of personal benefit.
17But you, loved ones, remember the spoken-words, the ones that have been proclaimed ahead of time by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ 18that they were saying to you upon the last section of time there will be mockers who are going according to their own desires for impieties.
19These are the people who are inciting division, who are fleshly, who can’t possibly have the Spirit!
20But you, loved ones, by building yourselves up on your most holy faith, by praying in the Holy Spirit[2], 21keep yourselves in the love of God with the result of welcoming with anticipation the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ resulting in eternal life.
22And for some who are at odds with themselves, on the one hand, you should show mercy, 23and for some you are saving from fire by yanking them away, but on the other hand for some you should show mercy in fear hating even the tunic stained by the flesh.
24Now, to the One who is able to keep you stumbling-free and cause you to stand right in front of His Glory blemish-free with extreme-joy, to the Only God our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord—glory, greatness, sovereignty, and authority, prior to every age and now and into all the ages, Amen!
[1] The Greek word σπιλαδες here can either mean hidden reefs or stains, but the given that both are fitting to the context, it is likely that Judas/Jude meant for both meanings to be understood.
[2] FYI, while praying in the Spirit certainly includes the speaking in tongues Paul defines in I Cor. 14, it by all means is not exclusively talking about speaking in tongues, although it by all means includes it. Rather the point is that the Holy Spirit should be driving your prayers in whatever manifestations that it can take, whether silent, verbal, in tongues, songs, rap, poetry, prose, accompanied with dance, not so accompanied, with fasting, etc. the point is Spirit-Driven Prayer keeps you in love with God.
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