False Prophets
1But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
4For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; 5And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; 6And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
The Godly will Be Delivered
7And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 8(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) 9The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
Profane and Blasphemous Seducers
10But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. 11Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. 12But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; 13And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; 14Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: 15Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.
17These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. 18For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. 19While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. 20For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
King James Bible
Text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.
Deliverance from False Prophets
(Jude 1:3–16)
1 But false prophets also arose among the people, as false teachers will also be among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master who bought them, bringing on themselves swift destruction. 2 Many will follow their immoral ways, and as a result, the way of the truth will be maligned. 3 In covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words: whose sentence now from of old doesn’t linger, and their destruction will not slumber.
4 For if God didn’t spare angels when they sinned, but cast them down to Tartarus, and committed them to pits of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; 5 and didn’t spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah with seven others, a preacher of righteousness, when he brought a flood on the world of the ungodly; 6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly;
7 and delivered righteous Lot, who was very distressed by the lustful life of the wicked 8 (for that righteous man dwelling among them, was tormented in his righteous soul from day to day with seeing and hearing lawless deeds): 9 the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment;
10 but chiefly those who walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement, and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries; 11 whereas angels, though greater in might and power, don’t bring a railing judgment against them before the Lord. 12 But these, as unreasoning creatures, born natural animals to be taken and destroyed, speaking evil in matters about which they are ignorant, will in their destroying surely be destroyed, 13 receiving the wages of unrighteousness; people who count it pleasure to revel in the daytime, spots and blemishes, reveling in their deceit while they feast with you; 14 having eyes full of adultery, and who can’t cease from sin; enticing unsettled souls; having a heart trained in greed; children of cursing; 15 forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of wrongdoing; 16 but he was rebuked for his own disobedience. A mute donkey spoke with a man’s voice and stopped the madness of the prophet.
17 These are wells without water, clouds driven by a storm; for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved forever. 18 For, uttering great swelling words of emptiness, they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by licentiousness, those who are indeed escaping from those who live in error; 19 promising them liberty, while they themselves are bondservants of corruption; for a man is brought into bondage by whoever overcomes him. 20 For if, after they have escaped the defilement of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in it and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb, “The dog turns to his own vomit again,” and “the sow that has washed to wallowing in the mire.”
Deliverance from False Prophets
(Jude 1:3–16)
1 Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow in their depravity, and because of them the way of truth will be defamed. 3 In their greed, these false teachers will exploit you with deceptive words. The longstanding verdict against them remains in force, and their destruction does not sleep.
4 For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them deep into hell, a placing them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment; 5 if He did not spare the ancient world when He brought the flood on its ungodly people, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, among the eight; 6 if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction, b reducing them to ashes as an example of what is coming on the ungodly; c 7 and if He rescued Lot, a righteous man distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless 8 (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)— 9 if all this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.
10 Such punishment is specially reserved for those who indulge the corrupt desires of the flesh and despise authority. Bold and self-willed, they are unafraid to slander glorious beings. d 11 Yet not even angels, though greater in strength and power, dare to bring such slanderous charges against them before the Lord.
12 These men are like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be captured and destroyed. They blaspheme in matters they do not understand, and like such creatures, they too will be destroyed. 13 The harm they will suffer is the wages of their wickedness.
They consider it a pleasure to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deception as they feast with you. 14 Their eyes are full of adultery; their desire for sin is never satisfied; they seduce the unstable. They are accursed children with hearts trained in greed.
15 They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, e who loved the wages of wickedness. 16 But he was rebuked for his transgression by a donkey, otherwise without speech, that spoke with a man’s voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.
17 These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. 18 With lofty but empty words, they appeal to the sensual passions of the flesh and entice those who are just escaping from others who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves to depravity. For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.
20 If indeed they have escaped the corruption of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, f only to be entangled and overcome by it again, their final condition is worse than it was at first. 21 It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to have known it and then to turn away from the holy commandment passed on to them. 22 Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” g and, “A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.”
Footnotes:
4 a Greek cast them into Tartarus ; see the First Book of Enoch (1 Enoch 13:1–11 and 1 Enoch 20:1–4).
6 b WH does not include to destruction .
6 c Or on future generations of the ungodly
10 d Or to blaspheme angelic majesties
15 e NA, SBL, BYZ, and TR Bosor
20 f SBL and WH the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
22 g Proverbs 26:11
False Prophets
1And there did come also false prophets among the people, as also among you there shall be false teachers, who shall bring in besides destructive sects, and the Master who bought them denying, bringing to themselves quick destruction, 2and many shall follow out their destructive ways, because of whom the way of the truth shall be evil spoken of, 3and in covetousness, with moulded words, of you they shall make merchandise, whose judgment of old is not idle, and their destruction doth not slumber.
4For if God messengers who sinned did not spare, but with chains of thick gloom, having cast them down to Tartarus, did deliver them to judgment, having been reserved, 5and the old world did not spare, but the eighth person, Noah, of righteousness a preacher, did keep, a flood on the world of the impious having brought, 6and the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah having turned to ashes, with an overthrow did condemn, an example to those about to be impious having set them;
The Godly will Be Delivered
7and righteous Lot, worn down by the conduct in lasciviousness of the impious, He did rescue, 8for in seeing and hearing, the righteous man, dwelling among them, day by day the righteous soul with unlawful works was harassing. 9The Lord hath known to rescue pious ones out of temptation, and unrighteous ones to a day of judgment, being punished, to keep,
Profane and Blasphemous Seducers
10and chiefly those going behind the flesh in desire of uncleanness, and lordship despising; presumptuous, self-complacent, dignities they are not afraid to speak evil of, 11whereas messengers, in strength and power being greater, do not bear against them before the Lord an evil speaking judgment; 12and these, as irrational natural beasts, made to be caught and destroyed -- in what things they are ignorant of, speaking evil -- in their destruction shall be destroyed, 13about to receive a reward of unrighteousness, pleasures counting the luxury in the day, spots and blemishes, luxuriating in their deceits, feasting with you, 14having eyes full of adultery, and unable to cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having an heart exercised in covetousnesses, children of a curse, 15having forsaken a right way, they did go astray, having followed in the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who a reward of unrighteousness did love, 16and had a rebuke of his own iniquity -- a dumb ass, in man's voice having spoken, did forbid the madness of the prophet.
17These are wells without water, and clouds by a tempest driven, to whom the thick gloom of the darkness to the age hath been kept; 18for overswellings of vanity speaking, they do entice in desires of the flesh -- lasciviousnesses, those who had truly escaped from those conducting themselves in error, 19liberty to them promising, themselves being servants of the corruption, for by whom any one hath been overcome, to this one also he hath been brought to servitude, 20for, if having escaped from the pollutions of the world, in the acknowledging of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and by these again being entangled, they have been overcome, become to them hath the last things worse than the first, 21for it were better to them not to have acknowledged the way of the righteousness, than having acknowledged it, to turn back from the holy command delivered to them, 22and happened to them hath that of the true similitude; 'A dog did turn back upon his own vomit,' and, 'A sow having bathed herself -- to rolling in mire.'
The Favor of God Paraphrase
False Teachers and Their Destruction
¹ But just as there were false prophets among the people in the past, there will be false teachers among you as well. These deceptive voices will secretly introduce destructive heresies—even denying the Lord who bought them. They will bring swift destruction on themselves.
² Many will follow their shameful ways and because of them, the truth will be maligned.
³ In their greed, these false teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. But their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction will not be delayed.
God’s Judgment Throughout History
⁴ For God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell, binding them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment.
⁵ He did not spare the ancient world when He brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, along with seven others.
⁶ He also condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, reducing them to ashes as an example of what will happen to the ungodly.
⁷ But He rescued Lot, a righteous man who was distressed by the filthy lives of the lawless.
⁸ For that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard.
⁹ If this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.
¹⁰ This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the flesh and despise authority.
The Arrogance of False Teachers
These false teachers are bold and arrogant, not afraid to heap abuse on celestial beings.
¹¹ Yet even angels, though they are stronger and more powerful, do not bring slanderous accusations against such beings in the presence of the Lord.
¹² But these people blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like unreasoning animals—creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed. And like animals, they too will perish.
¹³ They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you.
¹⁴ With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable and are experts in greed—an accursed brood!
Following the Way of Balaam
¹⁵ They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Bezer, who loved the wages of wickedness.
¹⁶ But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey—an animal without speech—who spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.
Empty Promises of Freedom
¹⁷ These false teachers are like springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them.
¹⁸ For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error.
¹⁹ They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.”
The Tragic Return to Sin
²⁰ If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ but are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.
²¹ It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.
²² Of them, the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A washed sow returns to wallowing in the mud.”
Footnotes:
1.“Heresies” (Greek: αἱρέσεις, haíresis): Refers to teachings that deviate from established truth and lead to division and destruction within the community.
2.“Bought them” (Greek: ἀγοράζω, agorázō): In ancient contexts, this word often relates to redeeming or purchasing something or someone, here indicating Jesus’ sacrificial act of redeeming sinners.
3.“Angels cast into hell”: Refers to the rebellious angels mentioned in Jewish apocalyptic literature, bound until the day of final judgment (cf. 1 Enoch).
4.“The way of Balaam”: Balaam, a prophet in the Old Testament, was tempted by wealth and led Israel into sin through his counsel (Numbers 22–24, 31:16).
5.“Empty, boastful words”: False teachers often used eloquent rhetoric, promising liberty while offering no substance and leading people back into bondage to sin.
6.“People are slaves to whatever has mastered them”: A strong declaration that whatever controls a person, whether sin or righteousness, defines their true state of bondage or freedom.
7.“A dog returns to its vomit”: This proverb emphasizes the tragedy of returning to destructive habits after having been freed from them, highlighting the depth of spiritual fall.
