Jude 1

Jude · Chapter 1

Jude 1:20

1Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:2Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.3Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.4For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.5I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.6And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.7Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.8Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.9Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.10But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.11Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.12These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;13Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.14And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,15To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.16These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.17But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;18How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.19These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.20But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,21Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.22And of some have compassion, making a difference:23And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.24Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,25To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
20But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,But you, beloved, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

Jude has just described false teachers as people "who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit" (1:19). Verse 20 turns to the readers with "But ye" and shows how they are to live instead: build up on the faith and pray in the Holy Ghost. These lead into the main command of the next verse: "Keep yourselves in the love of God" (1:21). Jude 1:19Jude 1:20Jude 1:21

SpeakingJude, who calls himself "the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James." Traditionally he is the Judas named among Jesus' brothers. Jude 1:1Jude overview

ToBelievers Jude calls "beloved," those "sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called." The letter does not say where they lived. Jude 1:1Jude 1:20Jude overview

Also involvedThe ungodly men who had "crept in unawares" stand in the background as the contrast. Unlike them, the readers are to grow in faith and pray in the Spirit. Jude 1:4Jude 1:19

Jude tells the believers to keep building their lives on "your most holy faith" and to keep praying in the Holy Ghost. This is how they guard themselves while false teachers are among them. Jude 1:20Jude 1:21Jude 1:3

The text does not say where the letter was written or where its readers lived. Its many references to Israel's history suggest readers who knew Jewish tradition well. Jude overview

SYRIAJerusalemNazarethEGYPTSodomGomorrahSalt SeaCaesarea

The eventsThe verse describes no single event. It speaks to an ongoing situation in which false teachers had slipped into the church. Jude 1:4Jude 1:18Jude 1:19

WrittenTraditional view: about AD 65-80, by Jude the brother of James and of Jesus. Scholarly view: dates range from the 50s to the early second century, and some think a later follower wrote in Jude's name, while others defend Jude's authorship. Jude overview

HereJude wrote so the readers would "earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints" (1:3). Verse 20 gives the positive side of that fight: grow strong in the faith and pray, rather than only oppose error. Jude 1:3Jude overviewJude 1:20

In the whole of ScriptureThe believers are to keep themselves in God's love (1:21), and God is the one "able to keep you from falling" (1:24). Other Scripture also speaks of being "built up in him, and stablished in the faith" (Colossians 2:7) and of "praying always ... in the Spirit" (Ephesians 6:18). Jude 1:21Jude 1:24Colossians 2:7Ephesians 6:18Jude overview

For readersWhen false ideas are around, the answer Jude gives is not only to argue against them. It is to keep growing in the true faith and to keep praying with the Spirit's help, as Romans 8:26 says the Spirit "helpeth our infirmities." Jude 1:20Jude 1:3Romans 8:26

  • ye (you yourselves)σέ
    Greek · se · G4771

    The lexicon marks this pronoun as emphatic here, "you yourselves." It sharpens the contrast with the men just described as "having not the Spirit" (1:19). Strong's G4771Jude 1:19Jude 1:20

  • building upἐποικοδομέω
    Greek · epoikodomeō · G2026

    In the New Testament this word is always a picture of the spiritual life as a building. It is also used in Colossians 2:7, "rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith." Strong's G2026Colossians 2:7

  • yourselvesαὑτοῦ
    Greek · ahutou · G1438

    The readers are to build up "yourselves" on their most holy faith. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 gives a related call: "edify one another." Strong's G1438Jude 1:201 Thessalonians 5:11

  • prayingπροσεύχομαι
    Greek · proseuchomai · G4336

    This word is always used of prayer to God. The lexicon lists "in the Spirit" alongside it in both Ephesians 6:18 and Jude, tying the two passages together. Strong's G4336Ephesians 6:18

Takeaway

Jude 20 tells believers how to stand when false teachers are near: keep building on the faith once delivered and keep praying in the Holy Ghost. They do this as they keep themselves in God's love, trusting God to keep them from falling. Jude 1:20Jude 1:21Jude 1:24Jude 1:3

Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a second AI pass. Updated 2026-10-23.

The world around the text

About AD 65-80. Roman emperors: Nero, then Vespasian and Titus (AD 54-68, 69-79, 79-81).

Who ruled
  • Roman emperorsNero, then Vespasian and TitusAD 54-68, 69-79, 79-81

    Nero's death in AD 68 was followed by civil war. Vespasian, the general fighting in Judea, won the throne in AD 69, and his son Titus finished the war and later succeeded him. Suetonius, Vespasian 4-6Tacitus, Histories 1.2Josephus, Jewish War 4.588-604

  • Jewish client kingHerod Agrippa IIc. AD 50-90s

    Ruled territories north and east of Galilee under Rome. He tried to talk Jerusalem out of revolt in AD 66 and stayed on Rome's side. Acts 25:13Josephus, Jewish War 2.345-407

  • Rulers of the provinceRoman governors of JudeaAD 44-66, then from AD 70

    Judea was ruled by Roman governors until the revolt. After AD 70 it became a separate province with a Roman legion stationed in ruined Jerusalem. Josephus, Jewish War 2.271-308Josephus, Jewish War 7.1-5

What was happening, AD 62 to AD 81
  1. AD 62
    The churchJames, Jude's brother, is killed

    The high priest Ananus had "James, the brother of Jesus who was called Christ" stoned in Jerusalem. Jude names himself "brother of James." Josephus, Antiquities 20.197-203Jude 1:1Galatians 1:19

  2. AD 64
    The churchNero blames the Christians for Rome's fire

    After the Great Fire of Rome, Nero put a "vast multitude" of Christians to death. Tacitus, Annals 15.38-44

  3. AD 66
    WarThe Jewish revolt begins

    Jerusalem rose against Rome after the governor Florus seized money from the temple treasury. Josephus, Jewish War 2.293-308, 2.409-410

  4. AD 68-69
    RulersThe Year of the Four Emperors

    After Nero's suicide, Galba, Otho and Vitellius each seized power and fell within months, until Vespasian won. Tacitus, Histories 1.1-2Suetonius, Galba, Otho, Vitellius

  5. AD 70
    WarJerusalem and its temple destroyed

    Titus took Jerusalem after a five-month siege and the temple was burned, as Jesus had foretold. Josephus, Jewish War 6.249-287Luke 19:41-44Luke 21:20-24

  6. AD 73 or 74
    WarThe fall of Masada

    The last rebels held out on the desert fortress of Masada above the Dead Sea until a Roman siege ramp reached its walls. Josephus, Jewish War 7.252-406

  7. August AD 79
    DisasterVesuvius buries Pompeii

    The eruption of Vesuvius buried Pompeii and Herculaneum in Italy. Pliny the Younger, Letters 6.16, 6.20

  8. AD 80
    BuildingThe Colosseum opens

    Titus opened the great amphitheater in Rome, built partly with spoils from the Jewish war. Suetonius, Titus 7.3Cassius Dio, Roman History 66.25

  9. c. AD 81-96
    The churchJude's grandsons before Domitian

    An early church historian records that Domitian summoned two grandsons of Jude, "the brother of the Lord," as descendants of David. Finding them poor farmers with hard hands, he let them go. Eusebius, Church History 3.19-20 (citing Hegesippus)

The full picture: places, culture and daily life. Scripture first, then ancient writers on these years (Josephus, Tacitus, Suetonius, Eusebius) and on the Jewish writings Jude draws on. Drafted by Claude and not yet reviewed by a person.

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
you yourselvesὑμεῖςhumeisG4771
you

σέ (se) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

however,δέ,deG1161
then

δέ (de) δέ (before vowels δ᾽; on the general neglect of the elision in NT, see WH, App., 146; Tdf., Pr., 96), post-positive conjunctive particle; 1. copulative, but, in the next place, and, now (Abbott, JG, 104): Mat.1:2ff., 2Co.6:15, 16, 2Pe.1:5-7; in repetition for emphasis, Rom.3:21, 22, 9:30, 1Co.2:6, Gal.2:2, Php.2:8; in transition to something new, Mat.1:18, 2:19, Luk.13:1, Jhn.7:14, Act.6:1, Rom.8:28, 1Co.7:1 8:1, al.; in explanatory parenthesis or addition, Jhn.3:19, Rom.5:8, 1Co.1:12, Eph.2:4, 5:32, al.; ὡς δέ, Jhn.2:9; καὶ . . . δέ, but also, Mat.10:18, Luk.1:76, Jhn.6:51, Rom.11:23, al.; …

beloved,ἀγαπητοί,agapētoiG0027
beloved

ἀγαπητός (agapētos) ἀγαπητός, -ή, -όν (ἀγαπάω), [in LXX chiefly for יָתִיד, יָדִיד ;] beloved (see M, Pr., 221); (a) by God: of Christ, Mat.3:17; of men, Rom.1:7; (b) by Christians, of one another: 1Co.4:14; frequently as form of address, ib. 10:14; opposite to ἐχθρός, Rom.11:28 (see AR, Eph., 229; Cremer, 17; MM, VGT, see word). (AS)

building upἐποικοδομοῦντεςepoikodomountesG2026
to build up/upon

ἐποικοδομέω (epoikodomeō) ἐπ-οικοδομέω, -ῶ in NT, always metaphorically, of the spiritual life regarded as a building (Cremer, 449); 1. to build upon: 1Co.3:10 3:12 3:14; pass., Eph.2:20. 2. to build up: Col.2:7, 1Pe.2:5 (T, οἰκοδ- WH, Rec.), Ju 20.† (AS)

yourselvesἑαυτοὺςhe'autousG1438
/him/herself

αὑτοῦ (ahutou) αὑτοῦ, -ῆς, -οῦ = ἑαυτοῦ (which see), Mat.6:34, Luk.12:17, al. (MM, see word) (AS)

most holyἁγιωτάτῃhagiōtatēG0040G
holy

ἅγιος (hagios) ἅγιος, -α, ον (τό ἅγός, religious awe; ἅζω, to venerate), [in LXX chiefly for קֹ֫דֶשׁ ;] primarily, dedicated to the gods, sacred (Hdt.; rare in Att., never in Hom., Hes. and Trag., who use ἁγνός), hence, holy, characteristic of God, separated to God, worthy of veneration. 1. Its highest application is to God himself, in his purity, majesty, and glory: Luk.1:49, Jhn.17:11, Rev.4:8. Hence (a) of things and places which have a claim to reverence as sacred to God, e.g. the Temple: Mat.24:15, Heb.9:1; (b) of persons employed by him, as angels: 1Th.3:13; prophets, Luk.1:70; apostles, Eph.3:5. …

of youὑμῶνhumōnG4771
you

σέ (se) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

faithπίστει,pisteiG4102G
faith

πίστις (pistis) πίστις, -εως, ἡ (πείθω), [in LXX chiefly for אֱמוּנָה ;] 1. in active sense, faith, belief, trust, confidence, in NT always of religious faith in God or Christ or spiritual things: Mat.8:10, Luk.5:20, Act.14:9, Rom.1:8, 1Co.2:5, 2Co.1:24, 1Ti.1:5, al.; with genitive obj., Mrk.11:22, Act.3:16, Rom.3:22, Gal.2:16, Eph.3:12, Jas.2:1, al.; with prep., ἐν, Rom.3:25, Gal.3:26, Eph.1:15, Col.1:24, 1Ti.1:14 3:13, 2Ti.1:13 3:15, 2Pe.1:1; εἰς, Act.20:21 24:24 26:18, Col.2:5, 1Pe.1:21; πρός, 1Th.1:8, Phm 5; ἐπί, with accusative Heb.6:1; ἐν τῇ π. στήκειν (εἶναι, μένειν), 1Co.16:13, 1Co.13:5, 1Ti.2:15; ὑ …

inἐνenG1722
in/on/among

ἐν (en) ἐν, prep, (the most frequently of all in NT), with dative (= Heb. בְּ, Lat. in, with abl.). I. Of place, with dative of thing(s), of person(s), in, within, on, at, by, among: ἐν τ. πόλει, Luk.7:37; τ. οφθαλμῷ, Mat.7:3; τ. κοιλίᾳ, Mat.12:40; τ. ὄρει, 2Pe.1:18; τ. θρόνῳ, Rev.3:21; τ. δεξιᾷ τ. θεοῦ, Rom.8:34; ἐν ἡμῖν Abbott-Smith has ὑμῖν., Luk.1:1; of books, ἐν τ. βιβλίῳ, Gal.3:10; τ. νόμῳ, Mat.12:5, al.; ἐν τοῖς τ. Πατρός, in my Father's house (RV; cf. M, Pr., 103), Luk.2:49; trop., of the region of thought or feeling, ἐν τ. καρδίᾳ (-αις), Mat.5:28, 2Co.4:6, al.; τ. συνειδήσεσιν, 2Co.5:11; af …

[the] SpiritπνεύματιpneumatiG4151G
spirit/breath: spirit

πνεῦμα (pneuma) πνεῦμα, -τος, τό, [in LXX chiefly and very frequently for רוּחַ ;] 1. of air in motion; (a) wind: Jhn.3:8; pl., Heb.1:7 (LXX); (b) breath: π. ζωῆς, Rev.11:11; π. τοῦ στόματος, figuratively, 2Th.2:8 (cf. Ps 32 (33)6). …

HolyἁγίῳhagiōG0040G
holy

ἅγιος (hagios) ἅγιος, -α, ον (τό ἅγός, religious awe; ἅζω, to venerate), [in LXX chiefly for קֹ֫דֶשׁ ;] primarily, dedicated to the gods, sacred (Hdt.; rare in Att., never in Hom., Hes. and Trag., who use ἁγνός), hence, holy, characteristic of God, separated to God, worthy of veneration. 1. Its highest application is to God himself, in his purity, majesty, and glory: Luk.1:49, Jhn.17:11, Rev.4:8. Hence (a) of things and places which have a claim to reverence as sacred to God, e.g. the Temple: Mat.24:15, Heb.9:1; (b) of persons employed by him, as angels: 1Th.3:13; prophets, Luk.1:70; apostles, Eph.3:5. …

praying,προσευχόμενοι,proseuchomenoiG4336
to pray

προσεύχομαι (proseuchomai) προσ-εύχομαι [in LXX chiefly for פָּלַל hith. ;] to pray (always of prayer to God, or in cl., to gods): absol., Mat.6:5-7, 9 14:23 19:13 26:36, 39 26:41, 44, Mrk.1:35 6:46 11:24-25 13:33 (WH, E, txt., om.) Mrk.14:32, 38-39 Luk.1:10 3:21 5:16 6:12 9:18, 28-29 11:1-2 18:1, 10 22:44 (WH, E, mg., om.), Act.1:24 6:6 9:11 10:9, 30 11:5 12:12 13:3 14:23 16:25 20:36 21:5 22:17 28:8, 1Co.11:4-5 14:14, 1Th.5:17, 1Ti.2:8, Jas.5:13, 18; before λέγων, Mat.26:39, 42, Luk.22:41; with dative instr., 1Co.11:5 14:14-15; μακρά, Mat.23:14 (WH, R, txt., om.), Mrk.12:40, Luk.20:47; ἐν πνεύματι (ἁγίῳ), Eph.6:18, J …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.