1This letter is from Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ and a brother of James. I am writing to all who have been called by God the Father, who loves you and keeps you safe in the care of Jesus Christ.G2455G1401G2424G5547G1161G80G2385G37G1722G2316G3962G2532G5083G2424G5547G28222May God give you more and more mercy, peace, and love.G1656G5213G2532G1515G2532G26G4129
The Danger of False Teachers
3Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people.G27G4160G3956G4710G1125G5213G4012G2839G4991G2192G318G2192G1125G5213G3870G1864G4102G530G3860G404I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God's marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.G1063G5100G444G3921G3588G4270G3819G4270G1519G5124G2917G765G3346G5485G2257G2316G1519G766G2532G720G3441G1203G2316G2532G2257G2962G2424G55475So I want to remind you, though you already know these things, that Jesus first rescued the nation of Israel from Egypt, but later he destroyed those who did not remain faithful.G1014G1161G5279G5209G5279G5209G530G1492G5124G3754G2962G4982G2992G1537G1093G125G1208G622G4100G33616And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them but left the place where they belonged. God has kept them securely chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the great day of judgment.G5037G32G5083G3361G1438G746G235G620G2398G3613G5083G126G1199G5259G2217G1519G2920G3173G22507And don't forget Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, which were filled with immorality and every kind of sexual perversion. Those cities were destroyed by fire and serve as a warning of the eternal fire of God's judgment.G5613G4670G2532G1116G2532G4172G4012G846G3664G5125G5158G1608G2532G565G3694G2087G4561G4295G1164G5254G1349G166G44428In the same way, these people—who claim authority from their dreams—live immoral lives, defy authority, and scoff at supernatural beings.G3668G3305G2532G3778G1797G3392G3303G4561G1161G114G2963G1161G987G13919But even Michael, one of the mightiest of the angels, did not dare accuse the devil of blasphemy, but simply said, "The Lord rebuke you!" (This took place when Michael was arguing with the devil about Moses' body.)G1161G3413G743G3753G1252G1228G1256G4012G4983G3475G5111G3756G2018G988G2920G235G2036G2962G2008G467110But these people scoff at things they do not understand. Like unthinking animals, they do whatever their instincts tell them, and so they bring about their own destruction.G1161G3778G987G3745G3303G1492G3756G1161G3745G1987G5447G5613G249G2226G1722G5125G535111What sorrow awaits them! For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they deceive people for money. And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion.G3759G846G3754G4198G3598G2535G2532G1632G4106G903G3408G2532G622G485G287912When these people eat with you in your fellowship meals commemorating the Lord's love, they are like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you. They are like shameless shepherds who care only for themselves. They are like clouds blowing over the land without giving any rain. They are like trees in autumn that are doubly dead, for they bear no fruit and have been pulled up by the roots.G3778G1526G4694G1722G5216G26G4910G5213G4165G1438G870G3507G504G4064G5259G417G1186G5352G175G1364G599G161013They are like wild waves of the sea, churning up the foam of their shameful deeds. They are like wandering stars, doomed forever to blackest darkness.G66G2949G2281G1890G1438G152G4107G792G3739G5083G2217G4655G1519G16514Enoch, who lived in the seventh generation after Adam, prophesied about these people. He said, "Listen! The Lord is coming with countless thousands of his holy onesG1161G1802G2532G1442G575G76G4395G5125G3004G2400G2962G2064G1722G3461G846G4015to execute judgment on the people of the world. He will convict every person of all the ungodly things they have done and for all the insults that ungodly sinners have spoken against him."G4160G2920G2596G3956G2532G1827G3956G765G846G4012G3956G846G763G2041G3739G764G2532G4012G3956G4642G3739G765G268G2980G2596G84616These people are grumblers and complainers, living only to satisfy their desires. They brag loudly about themselves, and they flatter others to get what they want.G3778G1526G1113G3202G4198G2596G846G1939G2532G846G4750G2980G5246G4383G2296G5484G5622
A Call to Remain Faithful
17But you, my dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ said.G1161G27G3415G5210G4487G3588G4280G5259G652G2257G2962G2424G554718They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires.G3754G3754G3004G5213G2071G1703G1722G2078G5550G4198G2596G1438G763G193919These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God's Spirit in them.G3778G1526G592G1438G5591G2192G3361G415120But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit,G1161G5210G27G2026G1438G5216G40G4102G4336G1722G40G415121and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God's love.G5083G1438G1722G26G2316G4327G1656G2257G2962G2424G5547G1519G166G222222And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering.G2532G3303G3739G1653G125223Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.G1161G3739G4982G1722G5401G726G1537G4442G3404G2532G5509G4695G575G4561
A Prayer of Praise
24Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault.G1161G1410G5442G5209G846G679G2532G2476G299G2714G846G1391G1722G2025All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.G3441G4680G2316G2257G4990G1391G2532G3172G2904G2532G1849G2532G3568G2532G1519G3956G165G281
Psalms 39
39[For Jeduthun, the choir director: A psalm of David.] I said to myself, "I will watch what I do and not sin in what I say. I will hold my tongue when the ungodly are around me."H5329H3038H4210H1732H559H8104H1870H2398H3956H8104H6310H4269H75632But as I stood there in silence—not even speaking of good things—the turmoil within me grew worse.H481H1747H2814H2896H3511H59163The more I thought about it, the hotter I got, igniting a fire of words.H3820H2552H7130H1901H784H1197H227H1696H39564"LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered—how fleeting my life is.H3068H3045H7093H4060H3117H3045H23105You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath." InterludeH5414H3117H2947H2465H3605H120H5324H3605H1892H55426We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it.H376H1980H6754H1993H1892H6651H3045H6227And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.H136H6960H84318Rescue me from my rebellion. Do not let fools mock me.H5337H6588H7760H2781H50369I am silent before you; I won't say a word, for my punishment is from you.H481H6605H6310H621310But please stop striking me! I am exhausted by the blows from your hand.H5493H5061H5493H3615H8409H302711When you discipline us for our sins, you consume like a moth what is precious to us. Each of us is but a breath. InterludeH8433H3256H376H5771H2530H4529H6211H120H1892H554212Hear my prayer, O LORD! Listen to my cries for help! Don't ignore my tears. For I am your guest—a traveler passing through, as my ancestors were before me.H8085H8605H3068H238H7775H2790H1832H1616H8453H113Leave me alone so I can smile again before I am gone and exist no more.H8159H1082H3212
Dublin, OH
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