Jude 1:4
in Jude 1For certain men have crept in among you unnoticed—ungodly ones who were designated long ago for condemnation. They turn the grace of our God into a license for immorality, and they deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For there are certain men crept in privily, even they who were of old written of beforehand unto this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
KJV
For 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.
⋯
This verse in Jude 1
Commentary
16 notes on this verseThese words were written about those who, after attributing the glory of sonship only to the Word begotten of God the Father, say that another son of the seed of David and Jesse has been united with him and been given a share in the sonship and in the glory proper to God.
This site's exposition
earnestly contend for the faith
on Jude 1:3-4
Jude meant to write of the common salvation and was compelled instead to sound an alarm: earnestly contend, epagonizesthai, the athlete's agonized struggle, for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints, hapax, once for all, a completed deposit admitting no supplement. The occasion is infiltration, certain men crept in unawares, pareisedusan, slipped in by a side door, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, license wearing grace's name, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. Of old ordained to this condemnation means their sentence was written long ago, in the very examples the letter is about to read out.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
My dearest, I have had such a strong desire to write to you about our common salvation that I could not cease from writing to you: urging you to contend again for the faith once delivered to the saints. For certain ungodly men have secretly …
There are some godless men who twist Scripture wickedly and who have come into the church, pretending to preach the gospel. Their judgment was decreed long ago, and they have condemned themselves by their actions. As a result, they have been handed over to their …
A commentator
Clement of AlexandriaFrom the Latin Translation of Cassiodorus · Written before 215.
proposed
For certain men have entered unawares, ungodly men, who had been of old ordained and predestined to the judgment of our God;" not that they might become impious, but that, being now impious, they were ordained to judgment.
The Medieval Church2 voices
Jude means that their condemnation was predestined, for even the betrayal of Judas had been foretold. Here he is talking about the Simonians, for they are gluttonous and intemperate, pretending to teach godliness so that they can worm their way into people's houses.
Certain men have crept in, etc. He means into this judgment, into this condemnation, which the impious deserve by their actions. Hence the Lord says: And they shall come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life; and those who have done …
9 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church3 voices
Perverting the grace of our Lord into licentiousness. The grace of our Lord has softened the hardness of the law, because when it said, If anyone does this or that, let them be stoned; if anyone does this or that, let them be burned with …
And denying the only Sovereign and Lord, our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the only Sovereign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, just as the Father is the only Sovereign with the Son and the Holy Spirit, and just as the …
He exhorts those who once acknowledged our Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and believed in Him, to contend for the faith. For if we have accepted the incarnate Word and yet say that He Who is from the Father before the ages is one, and …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
There are certain men crept in, who were of old described before - Even as early as Enoch; of whom it was foretold, that by their wilful sins they would incur this condemnation. Turning the grace of God - Revealed in the gospel.
For there are certain men crept in unawares,....
A caution against hearkening to and following after such, from the severity of God towards the unbelieving murmuring Israelites at their coming out of Egypt, the angels that fell, the sin and punishment of Sodom and Gomorrah,
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
For there are certain men crept in unawares - Παρεισεδυσαν· They had got into the Church under specious pretences; and, when in, began to sow their bad seed. Before of old ordained - Οἱ παλαι προγεγραμμενοι Such as were long ago proscribed, and condemned in the most public manner; this is the import of the word προγραφειν in this place, and there are many examples of this use of it in the Greek writers. See Kypke. To this condemnation - To a similar punishment to that immediately about to be mentioned.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Translate as the Greek, "the only Master"; here used of Jesus Christ, who is at once Master and "Lord" (a different Greek word). By virtue of Christ's perfect oneness with the Father, He, as well as the Father, is termed "the ONLY" God and "MASTER." Greek, "Master," implies God's absolute ownership to dispose of His creatures as He likes.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
For there are certain men crept in unawares - The apostle now gives “reason” for thus defending the truth, to wit, that there were artful and wicked men who had crept into the church, pretending to be religious teachers, but whose doctrines tended to sap the very foundations of truth. The apostle Peter, describing these same persons, says, “who privily shall bring in damnable heresies.” See the notes, 2Pe 2:1. Substantially the same idea is expressed here by saying that they “had crept in unawares;” that is, they had come in “by stealth;” they had not come by a bold and open avowal of their real sentiments. They professed to teach the Christian religion, when in fact they denied some of its fundamental doctrines; they professed to be holy, when in fact they were living most scandalous lives. In all ages there have been men who were willing to do this for base purposes. Who were before of old ordained to this condemnation - That is, to the condemnation (κρίμα krima) which he proceeds to specify. The statements in the subsequent part of the Epistle show that by the word used here he refers to the wrath that shall come upon the ungodly in the future world. See Jud 1:5-7, Jud 1:15. The meaning clearly is, that the punishment which befell the unbelieving Israelites Jud 1:5; the rebel angels Jud 1:6; the inhabitants of Sodom Jud 1:7; and of which Enoch prophesied Jud 1:15, awaited those persons. The phrase “of old” - πάλαι palai - means “long ago,” implying that a considerable time had elapsed, though without determining how much. […]
The words behind it
30 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| παρεισέδυσαν | pareisedusan | Came in stealthily | G3921 → | |
| γάρ | gar | for | G1063 → | |
| τινες | tines | certain | G5100 → | |
| ἄνθρωποι, | anthropoi | men, | G444 → | |
| οἱ | hoi | those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πάλαι | palai | long ago | G3819 → | |
| προγεγραμμένοι | progegrammenoi | designated | G4270 → | |
| εἰς | eis | unto | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τοῦτο | touto | this | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| τὸ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κρίμα, | krima | condemnation, | G2917 → | |
| ἀσεβεῖς, | asebeis | ungodly [ones], | G765 → | |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεοῦ | theou | God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| ἡμῶν | hemon | of us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| χάριτα | charita | grace | G5485 → | |
| μετατιθέντες | metatithentes | changing | G3346 → | |
| εἰς | eis | into | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| ἀσέλγειαν | aselgeian | sensuality | G766 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μόνον | monon | only | G3441 → | |
| δεσπότην | despoten | master | G1203 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| κύριον | kurion | Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| ἡμῶν | hemon | of us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| Ἰησοῦν | iesoun | Jesus | G2424 → | 908 times |
| Χριστὸν | christon | Christ | G5547 → | 523 times |
| ἀρνούμενοι.¶ | arnoumenoi | denying. | G720 → |
παρεισέδυσανCame in stealthily
pareisedusanG3921 →
γάρfor
garG1063 →
τινεςcertain
tinesG5100 →
ἄνθρωποι,men,
anthropoiG444 →
οἱthose
hoiG3588 →19766 times
πάλαιlong ago
palaiG3819 →
προγεγραμμένοιdesignated
progegrammenoiG4270 →
εἰςunto
eisG1519 →1755 times
τοῦτοthis
toutoG3778 →1381 times
τὸ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
κρίμα,condemnation,
krimaG2917 →
ἀσεβεῖς,ungodly [ones],
asebeisG765 →
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
θεοῦGod
theouG2316 →1312 times
ἡμῶνof us
hemonG3165 →1936 times
χάριταgrace
charitaG5485 →
μετατιθέντεςchanging
metatithentesG3346 →
εἰςinto
eisG1519 →1755 times
ἀσέλγειανsensuality
aselgeianG766 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
μόνονonly
mononG3441 →
δεσπότηνmaster
despotenG1203 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
κύριονLord
kurionG2962 →711 times
ἡμῶνof us
hemonG3165 →1936 times
ἸησοῦνJesus
iesounG2424 →908 times
ΧριστὸνChrist
christonG5547 →523 times
ἀρνούμενοι.¶denying.
arnoumenoiG720 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Peter 2:16Live in freedom, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.
it leads to
- Galatians 5:13
For you, brothers, were called to freedom; but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Rather, serve one another in love.
- Romans 6:22
But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the fruit you reap leads to holiness, and the outcome is eternal life.
- 1 Corinthians 7:22
For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord’s freedman. Conversely, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ’s slave.
- Romans 6:18
You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
- Galatians 5:13
Through
Galatians 2:4This issue arose because some false brothers had come in under false pretenses to spy on our freedom in Christ Jesus, in order to enslave us.
it leads to
- Galatians 5:1
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.
- Galatians 5:1
Through
2 Peter 2:10Such punishment is specially reserved for those who indulge the corrupt desires of the flesh and despise authority. Bold and self-willed, they are unafraid to slander glorious beings.
it leads to
- Jude 1:16
These men are discontented grumblers, following after their own lusts; their mouths spew arrogance; they flatter others for their own advantage.
- Jude 1:10
These men, however, slander what they do not understand, and like irrational animals, they will be destroyed by the things they do instinctively.
- Jude 1:16
Where this verse is studied
By subject
Grace35 verses
On this page
About Jude
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Andreas of Caesarea, CATENA; Bede, Commentary on the Catholic Epistles; Clement of Alexandria, From the Latin Translation of Cassiodorus; Cyril of Alexandria, LETTERS 55.41; Didymus the Blind, COMMENTARY ON JUDE; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Jude and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Jude.
