Greetings from Jude

(James 1:1-1)

1Jude, bondman of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to the called ones beloved in God [the] Father and preserved in Jesus Christ: 2Mercy to you, and peace, and love be multiplied.

God's Judgment on the Ungodly

(Genesis 4:1-7; Romans 2:1-16)

3Beloved, using all diligence to write to you of our common salvation, I have been obliged to write to you exhorting [you] to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. 4For certain men have got in unnoticed, they who of old were marked out beforehand to this sentence, ungodly [persons], turning the grace of our God into dissoluteness, and denying our only Master and Lord Jesus Christ.

5But I would put you in remembrance, you who once knew all things, that the Lord, having saved a people out of [the] land of Egypt, in the second place destroyed those who had not believed. 6And angels who had not kept their own original state, but had abandoned their own dwelling, he keeps in eternal chains under gloomy darkness, to [the] judgment of [the] great day; 7as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities around them, committing greedily fornication, in like manner with them, and going after other flesh, lie there as an example, undergoing the judgment of eternal fire.

8Yet in like manner these dreamers also defile [the] flesh, and despise lordship, and speak railingly against dignities. 9But Michael the archangel, when disputing with the devil he reasoned about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a railing judgment against [him], but said, [The] Lord rebuke thee. 10But these, whatever things they know not, they speak railingly against; but what even, as the irrational animals, they understand by mere nature, in these things they corrupt themselves. 11Woe to them! because they have gone in the way of Cain, and given themselves up to the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. 12These are spots in your love-feasts, feasting together [with you] without fear, pasturing themselves; clouds without water, carried along by [the] winds; autumnal trees, without fruit, twice dead, rooted up; 13raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shames; wandering stars, to whom has been reserved the gloom of darkness for eternity.

14And Enoch, [the] seventh from Adam, prophesied also as to these, saying, Behold, [the] Lord has come amidst his holy myriads, 15to execute judgment against all; and to convict all the ungodly of them of all their works of ungodliness, which they have wrought ungodlily, and of all the hard [things] which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. 16These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their lusts; and their mouth speaks swelling words, admiring persons for the sake of profit.

A Call to Persevere

(Hebrews 10:19-39)

17But ye, beloved, remember the words spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, 18that they said to you, that at [the] end of the time there should be mockers, walking after their own lusts of ungodlinesses. 19These are they who set [themselves] apart, natural [men], not having [the] Spirit. 20But ye, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21keep yourselves in the love of God, awaiting the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 22And of some have compassion, making a difference, 23but others save with fear, snatching [them] out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

Doxology

(Romans 11:33-36; Romans 16:25-27)

24But to him that is able to keep you without stumbling, and to set [you] with exultation blameless before his glory, 25to the only God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, [be] glory, majesty, might, and authority, from before the whole age, and now, and to all the ages. Amen.