¹ Jude,^(A) a servant of Jesus Christ^(B) and a brother of James,

To those who have been called,^(C) who are loved in God the Father and kept for^[a] Jesus Christ:^(D)

² Mercy, peace^(E) and love be yours in abundance.^(F)

The Sin and Doom of Ungodly People

³ Dear friends,^(G) although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share,^(H) I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend^(I) for the faith^(J) that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.^(K)

³ No Ammonite^(A) or Moabite or any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the Lord, not even in the tenth generation.^{(B) 4} For they did not come to meet you with bread and water^(C) on your way when you came out of Egypt, and they hired Balaam^(D) son of Beor from Pethor in Aram Naharaim^[a](E) to pronounce a curse on you.^{(F) 5} However, the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam but turned the curse^(G) into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loves^(H) you.

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.^(A)

¹³ They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight.^(B) They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you.^{[a](C) 14} With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce^(D) the unstable;^(E) they are experts in greed^(F)—an accursed brood!^{(G) 15} They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam^(H) son of Bezer,^[b] 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.^(I)

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)

⁵ Not that we are competent in ourselves^(A) to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.^{(B) 6} He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant^(C)—not of the letter^(D) but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.^(E)

The Greater Glory of the New Covenant

⁷ Now if the ministry that brought death,^(F) which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory,^(G) transitory though it was, ⁸ will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? ⁹ If the ministry that brought condemnation^(H) was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!^(I)

¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,^(A) but against the rulers, against the authorities,^(B) against the powers^(C) of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.^(D)

Life Worthy of the Gospel

²⁷ Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy^(A) of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm^(B) in the one Spirit,^[a] striving together^(C) as one for the faith of the gospel ²⁸ without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God.

Doing Good to All

6 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit^(A) should restore^(B) that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.