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Jude 1:11

in Jude 1

Woe to them! They have traveled the path of Cain; they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam; they have perished in Korah’s rebellion.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

Woe unto them! for they went in the way of Cain, and ran riotously in the error of Balaam for hire, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah.

KJV

Woe 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.

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This verse in Jude 1

Commentary

11 notes on this verse
Woe unto them,.... This may be considered as a commiseration of their case, or as a denunciation of deserved punishment, or as a prediction of what would befall them.

This site's exposition

the path of Cain

on Jude 1:11-13

The woe names three roads: the path of Cain, the error of Balaam, which 2 Peter 2:15 and Revelation 2:14 also name, and Korah’s rebellion. Then come clouds without water, fruitless trees, wild waves and wandering stars, planetai asteres, Enoch's image for disobedient lights.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers3 voices

A commentator

Oecumenius

Commentary on Jude · Written before 550.

proposed

Woe to them, for they have gone the way of Cain, and for profit they have abandoned themselves to the error of Balaam, and in the contradiction of Korah they perished. "The way of Cain": this is, through the murder of a brother: for those …

A commentator

Clement of Alexandria

From the Latin Translation of Cassiodorus · Written before 215.

proposed

"Woe unto them!" he says, "for they have gone in the way of Cain." For so also we lie under Adam's sin through similarity of sin.

A commentator

Didymus the Blind

COMMENTARY ON JUDE · Written before 398.

proposed

Since it has been declared that heretics have completely deserted the word of truth, Jude shows how they are subjected to different kinds of evil.

The Medieval Church2 voices

A commentator

Andreas of Caesarea

CATENA · Written before 614.

proposed

These people are even fratricides, because what they teach kills the souls of those who are deceived by them. Look how he describes their outrageous ungodliness. He is not content to compare them with Cain but adds Ba-laam and Korah as well. Cain we understand …

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on the Catholic Epistles · Written before 735.

proposed

Woe to them who have gone in the way of Cain, etc. They go in the way of Cain, who assume for themselves the name of learned men out of envy for their betters to be honored. And they pour themselves out in the error …
4 more voices on this verse

The Medieval Church1 voice

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on Jude · Written before 1107.

proposed

Woe to them, because they went in the way of "Cain" through fratricide; for, teaching impious doctrine to brethren, that is, to fellow men, they kill them with their evil teachings, or: by devouring the seed, they kill their brethren in potentiality, that is, those …

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

Woe unto them! - See Mat 11:21. For they have gone in the way of Cain - Gen 4:5-12. That is, they have evinced disobedience and rebellion as he did; they have shown that they are proud, corrupt, and wicked. The apostle does not specify the points in which they had imitated the example of Cain, but it was probably in such things as these - pride, haughtiness, the hatred of religion, restlessness under the restraints of virtue, envy that others were more favored, and a spirit of hatred of the brethren (compare 1Jn 3:15) which would lead to murder.

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

Woe--See on 2Pe 2:14, "cursed children." Cain--the murderer: the root of whose sin was hatred and envy of the godly, as it is the sin of these seducers. ran greedily--literally, "have been poured forth" like a torrent that has burst its banks.

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

They have gone in the way of Cain - They are haters of their brethren, and they that are such are murderers; and by their false doctrine they corrupt and destroy the souls of the people. The error of Balaam - For the sake of gain they corrupt the word of God and refine away its meaning, and let it down so as to suit the passions of the profligate. This was literally true of the Nicolaitans, who taught most impure doctrines, and followed the most lascivious practices. Gainsaying of Core - See the account of the rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, and their company, in Num. 22. It appears that these persons opposed the authority of the apostles of our Lord, as Korah and his associates did that of Moses and Aaron; and St. Jude predicts them a similar punishment. In this verse he accuses them of murder, covetousness, and rebellion against the authority of God.

The words behind it

21 Greek words

Every 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.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

2 Peter 2:15They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness.21 works1 John 3:12Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did Cain slay him? Because his own deeds were evil, while those of his brother were righteous.14 worksRevelation 2:14But I have a few things against you, because some of you hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block before the Israelites so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality.14 worksGenesis 4:3–14So in the course of time, Cain brought some of the fruit of the soil as an offering to the LORD,12 works1 Timothy 6:10For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.11 worksGenesis 4:8Then Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.11 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Hebrews 11:4By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous when God gave approval to his gifts. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.10 worksNumbers 16:1Now Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath son of Levi, along with some Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—conducted10 worksNumbers 26:9–10and the sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. It was Dathan and Abiram, chosen by the congregation, who fought against Moses and Aaron with the followers of Korah who rebelled against the LORD.8 worksNumbers 31:16“Look, these women caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to turn unfaithfully against the LORD at Peor, so that the plague struck the congregation of the LORD.6 worksDeuteronomy 23:4For they did not meet you with food and water on your way out of Egypt, and they hired Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram-naharaim to curse you.6 worksJoshua 24:9–11Then Balak son of Zippor, the king of Moab, set out to fight against Israel. He sent for Balaam son of Beor to curse you,6 worksMicah 6:5My people, remember what Balak king of Moab counseled and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, so that you may acknowledge the righteousness of the LORD.’”6 works1 Timothy 6:9Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.6 worksNumbers 24:17I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come forth from Jacob, and a scepter will arise from Israel. He will crush the skulls of Moab and strike down all the sons of Sheth.6 worksHebrews 13:5Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.”6 worksMatthew 11:21“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.5 worksIsaiah 3:11Woe to the wicked; disaster is upon them! For they will be repaid with what their hands have done.5 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    Revelation 2:14

    But I have a few things against you, because some of you hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block before the Israelites so they would eat food…

    it leads to

    • Numbers 31:16

      “Look, these women caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to turn unfaithfully against the LORD at Peor, so that the plague struck the congregation of the LORD.

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • 2 Peter 2:15

      They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness.

    • Revelation 2:20

      But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads My servants to be sexually immoral and to eat food sacrificed to idols.

  • Through

    1 John 3:12

    Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did Cain slay him? Because his own deeds were evil, while those of his brother were righteous.

    it leads to

    • Hebrews 11:4

      By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous when God gave approval to his gifts. And by faith he still speaks, even though he…

    • Genesis 4:4–15

      while Abel brought the best portions of the firstborn of his flock. And the LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,

  • Through

    Hebrews 11:4

    By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous when God gave approval to his gifts. And by faith he still speaks, even though he…

    it leads to

    • Genesis 4:3–5

      So in the course of time, Cain brought some of the fruit of the soil as an offering to the LORD,

    • Hebrews 12:24

      to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

    • 1 John 3:11–12

      This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another.

Where this verse is studied

About Jude

The Fall of the Rebel Angels, Pieter Brueghel the Elder, 1562. Public domain.
The Fall of the Rebel Angels, Pieter Brueghel the Elder, 1562. Public domain.
Jude: the study guide →Read Jude 1 →
This page draws on 12 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; 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 Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Jude and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Jude.

Read on in Jude 1 →