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not understand and are destroyed by what they know by nature like irrational animals.i 11Woe to them!j They followed the way of Cain, abandoned themselves to Balaam’s error for the sake of gain, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.* 12These are blemishes on your love feasts,* as they carouse fearlessly and look after themselves. They are waterless clouds blown about by winds, fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead and uprooted.k 13They are like wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shameless deeds, wandering stars for whom the gloom of darkness has been reserved forever.
14* Enoch, of the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied also about them when he said,l “Behold, the Lord has come with his countless holy ones 15to execute judgment on all and to convict everyone for all the godless deeds that they committed and for all the harsh words godless
sinners have uttered against
him.” 16These people are
complainers, disgruntled ones
who live by their desires; their
mouths utter bombast as
they fawn over people to gain
advantage.m
Exhortations. 17But you, be-
loved, remember the words
spoken beforehand by the
apostles of our Lord Jesus
Christ,n 18for they told you,o
“In [the] last time there will
be sco ers who will live according to their own godless desires.”* 19These are the ones who cause divisions; they live on the natural plane, devoid of the Spirit.p 20But you, beloved, build yourselves up in your most holy faith; pray in the holy Spirit.q 21Keep yourselves in the love of God and wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.r 22On those who waver, have mercy;* 23save others by snatching them out of the re; on others have mercy with fear,* abhorring even the outer garment stained by the esh.
Doxology.* 24To the one who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you unblemished and exultant, in the presence of his glory,s 25to the only God, our savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord be glory, majesty, power, and authority from ages past, now, and for ages to come. Amen.t
12
“Love feasts”—in Greek, agape—were early Christian gatherings, community meals which were at rst connected with the Eucharist (I Corinthians 11:17-22).
These gatherings have been scandalously disrupted by
the “carousing” of those who have strayed far from the word they originally received. The context reveals the real purpose of these love feasts: moderation, sharing, community.
24
The letter ends with a magni cent doxology, praising God who protects us and leads us to eternal life in the divine presence.
* [11] Cain. . .Balaam. . .Korah: examples of rebellious men and of the punishment their conduct incurred; cf. Gn 4:8–16; Nm 16:1–35; 31:16. See note on 2 Pt 2:15.
* [12] Blemishes on your love feasts: or “hidden rocks” or “submerged reefs” (cf. Jude 13). The opponents engaged in scandalous conduct in connection with community gatherings called love feasts (agape meals), which were associated with eucharistic celebrations at certain stages of early Christian practice; cf. 1 Cor 11:18–34 and the note on 2 Pt 2:13.
* [14–15] Cited from the apocryphal Book of Enoch 1:9.
* [18] This is the substance of much early Christian preaching rather than a direct quotation of any of the various New Testament passages on this theme (see Mk 13:22; Acts 20:30; 1 Tm 4:1–3;
2 Pt 3:3).
* [22] Have mercy: some manuscripts read “convince,” “confute,”
or “reprove.” Others have “even though you waver” or “doubt”
instead of who waver.
* [23] With fear: some manuscripts connect the phrase “with fear”
with the imperative “save” or with the participle “snatching.” Other manuscripts omit the phrase “on others have mercy,” so that only two groups are envisioned. Rescue of those led astray and caution in the endeavor are both enjoined. Outer garment stained by the esh: the imagery may come from Zec 3:3–5, just as that of snatching. . .out of the re comes from Zec 3:2; the very garments of the godless are to be abhorred because of their contagion.
* [24–25] With this liturgical statement about the power of God to keep the faithful from stumbling, and praise to him through Jesus Christ, the letter reaches its conclusion by returning to the themes with which it began (Jude 1–2).
i. [10] 2 Pt 2:12.
j. [11] Gn 4:8–16; 1 Jn 3:12 / Nm 31:15–16;
2 Pt 2:15; Rev 2:14 / Nm 16:19–35.
k. [12] 2 Pt 2:13, 17.
l. [14–15] Mt 16:27; Heb 12:22–23.
m. [16] 18; 1 Cor 10:10; 2 Pt 2:10, 18. n. [17] Heb 2:3; 2 Pt 3:2.
o. [18] 1 Tm 4:1; 2 Tm 3:1–5; 2 Pt 3:3. p. [19] 1 Cor 2:14; Jas 3:15.
q. [20] 2; Eph 6:18; Col 2:7.
r. [21] Ti 2:13.
s. [24] 2 Cor 4:14; 1 Pt 4:13. t. [25] Rom 11:36; 1 Tm 1:17.
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