The General Epistle Of Jude
Greeting
Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James,
To those who are called, having been sanctified by God the Father, and having been kept in Jesus Christ:
Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.
Contend for the Faith
Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you about our common salvation, it became necessary to write to you exhorting you to earnestly contend for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unawares, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, changing the grace of our God into licentiousness and denying the only Master God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Old and New Apostates
Now I want to remind you, although you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not keep their own domain, but rather having left their own habitation, He has kept with everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to fornication and having gone after other flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Likewise indeed even these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme glories. Yet Michael the archangel, when taking issue with the devil, was arguing about the body of Moses, dared not to bring a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke you! But these speak blasphemously of those things which they do not know; but what they do know naturally, like unreasoning animals, they are destroyed by these things. Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, and in the error of Balaam they have rushed for profit, and have perished in the rebellion of Korah.
Apostates Depraved and Doomed
These are stains in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves, they are waterless clouds being carried along by winds; late autumn trees unfruitful, twice having died, having been uprooted, raging waves on the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars for whom the darkness of the netherworld has been reserved forever.
Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men, saying, Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment against all, and to convict all the ungodly among them about all their ungodly deeds which they have committed impiously, and about all the harsh words which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.
Apostates Predicted
These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaks puffed up words, flattering people to gain advantage. But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, how they told you that in the last time there would be mockers, walking according to their own ungodly lusts. These are those who cause divisions, worldly, devoid of the Spirit.
But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, anticipating the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.
And have mercy on some, making a distinction; but others save with fear, snatching them out of the fire, hating even the garment having been stained by the flesh.
Doxology
Now to Him who is able to keep them from stumbling, and to make you stand before His glory, blameless with exultation, To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.
The Second Epistle Of Paul To The Thessalonians
Greeting
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,
To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
God's Final Judgment and Glory
We are obligated to give thanks to God always for you, brothers, and rightfully so, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all increases towards one another, so that we ourselves are boasting in you among the churches of God about your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, which is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, so that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, on behalf of which you also suffer. Since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give you who are being afflicted rest along with us at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall pay a penaltyeternal destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His might, whenever He comes, in that Day, to be glorified among His saints and to be marveled among all those who have believed, because our testimony among you was believed.
Therefore we also pray always concerning you that our God may count you worthy of this calling, and may fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, in order that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Great Falling Away and the Man of Sin
Now, brothers, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we beseech you, not to be quickly shaken from your mind, nor be disturbed, neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ has come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is unveiled, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or every object of worship, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? And now you know that which is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will continue until one arises from out of the midst. And then the lawless one will be unveiled, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth, and will destroy by the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all deceit of unrighteousness among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And because of this, God will send them a strong delusion, in order for them to believe the lie, so that they all might be damned who did not believe the truth, but delighted in unrighteousness.
Stand Firm
But we are obligated to give thanks to God always for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you through our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand fast and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our letter. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and a good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.
Pray for Us
Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run and be glorified, just as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from evil and wicked men; for not all have faith.
