The Sin and Doom of Ungodly People

³ Dear friends,^(A) although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share,^(B) I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend^(C) for the faith^(D) that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.^{(E) 4} For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about^[a] long ago have secretly slipped in among you.^(F) They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.^(G)

⁸ In the very same way, on the strength of their dreams these ungodly people pollute their own bodies, reject authority and heap abuse on celestial beings.^(A)

¹⁰ Yet these people slander whatever they do not understand, and the very things they do understand by instinct—as irrational animals do—will destroy them.^(A)

¹² These people are blemishes at your love feasts,^(A) eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves.^(B) They are clouds without rain,^(C) blown along by the wind;^(D) autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted^(E)—twice dead. ¹³ They are wild waves of the sea,^(F) foaming up their shame;^(G) wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.^(H)

¹⁶ These people are grumblers^(A) and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires;^(B) they boast^(C) about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.

A Call to Persevere

¹⁷ But, dear friends, remember what the apostles^(D) of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold.^{(E) 18} They said to you, “In the last times^(F) there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.”^{(G) 19} These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.^(H)

²⁰ But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up^(I) in your most holy faith^(J) and praying in the Holy Spirit,^{(K) 21} keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait^(L) for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.^(M)

²² Be merciful to those who doubt; ²³ save others by snatching them from the fire;^(N) to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.^[a](O)