St. Jude 1
Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James:
to them that are beloved in God the Father, and preserved
in Jesus Christ, and called.
Mercy unto you, and peace, and charity be fulfilled.
Dearly beloved, taking all care to write unto you concerning
your common salvation, I was under a necessity to write
unto you: to beseech you to contend earnestly for the
faith once delivered to the saints.
For certain men are secretly entered in, (who were written
of long ago unto this judgment,) ungodly men, turning
the grace of our Lord God into riotousness, and denying
the only sovereign Ruler, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
I will therefore admonish you, though ye once knew all
things, that Jesus, having saved the people out of the
land of Egypt, did afterwards destroy them that believed
not:
And the angels who kept not their principality, but
forsook their own habitation, he hath reserved under
darkness in everlasting chains, unto the judgment of
the great day.
As Sodom and Gomorrha, and the neighbouring cities,
in like manner, having given themselves to fornication,
and going after other flesh, were made an example, suffering
the punishment of eternal fire.
In like manner these men also defile the flesh, and
despise dominion, and blaspheme majesty.
When Michael the archangel, disputing with the devil,
contended about the body of Moses, he durst not bring
against him the judgment of railing speech, but said:
The Lord command thee.
But these men blaspheme whatever things they know not:
and what things soever they naturally know, like dumb
beasts, in these they are corrupted.
Woe unto them, for they have gone in the way of Cain:
and after the error of Balaam they have for reward poured
out themselves, and have perished in the contradiction
of Core.
These are spots in their banquets, feasting together
without fear, feeding themselves, clouds without water,
which are carried about by winds, trees of the autumn,
unfruitful, twice dead, plucked up by the roots,
Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own confusion;
wandering stars, to whom the storm of darkness is reserved
for ever.
Now of these Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied,
saying: Behold, the Lord cometh with thousands of his
saints,
To execute judgment upon all, and to reprove all the
ungodly for all the works of their ungodliness, whereby
they have done ungodly, and of all the hard things which
ungodly sinners have spoken against God.
These are murmurers, full of complaints, walking according
to their own desires, and their mouth speaketh proud
things, admiring persons for gain's sake.
But you, my dearly beloved, be mindful of the words
which have been spoken before by the apostles of our
Lord Jesus Christ,
Who told you, that in the last time there should come
mockers, walking according to their own desires in ungodlinesses.
These are they, who separate themselves, sensual men,
having not the Spirit.
But you, my beloved, building yourselves upon you most
holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the
mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, unto life everlasting.
And some indeed reprove, being judged:
But others save, pulling them out of the fire. And on
others have mercy, in fear, hating also the spotted
garment which is carnal.
Now to him who is able to preserve you without sin,
and to present you spotless before the presence of his
glory with exceeding joy, in the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ,
To the only God our Saviour through Jesus Christ our
Lord, be glory and magnificence, empire and power, before
all ages, and now, and for all ages of ages. Amen.
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