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Judas the servant of Jesus Christ, the
brother of James. To them which are called and sanctified in God the
father, and preserved in *Jesu Christ. Mercy unto you and peace and
love be multiplied.
Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the
common salvation it was needful for me to write unto you, to exhort
you, that you should continually labour in the faith which was once
given unto the saints. For there are certain craftily crept in, of
which it was written a fore time unto such judgement. They are
ungodly and turn the grace of our God unto wantonness, and deny God
the only Lord, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
My mind is therefore to put you in remembrance, for as much as
you once know this how that the Lord (after that he had delivered
the people out of Egypt) destroyed them which afterward believed
not. The angels also which kept not their first estate: but left
their own habitation: he has reserved in everlasting chains under
darkness unto the judgment of the great day: even as Sodom and Gomor,
and the cities about them (which in like manner defiled them selves
with fornication, and followed strange flesh) are set forth for an
example, and suffer the vengeance of eternal fire. Likewise these
dreamers defile the flesh, despise rulers and speak evil of them
that are in authority.
Michael the archangel when he strove against the devil, and
disputed the body of Moses, durst not give railing sentence, but
said: the Lord rebuke you. But these speak evil of those things
which they know not: and what things they know naturally, as beasts
which are without reason, in those things they corrupt themselves.
Woe be unto them, for they have followed the way of Cain and are
utterly given to the error of Balaam for *lucres sake, and in the
treason of Core.
These are spots which of your kindness feast together, without
fear, feeding themselves. Clouds they are without water, carried
about of winds, and trees with out fruit at gathering time, twice
dead and plucked up by the roots. They are raging waves of the sea,
foaming out their own shame. They are wandering stars to whom is
reserved the mist of darkness for ever.
Enoch the seventh from Adam prophesied before of such, saying.
Behold, the Lord shall come with thousands of saints, to give
judgement against all men, and to rebuke all that are ungodly among
them of all their ungodly deeds, which they have ungodly committed,
and of all their cruel speakings, which ungodly sinners have spoken
against him.
These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own
lusts, whose mouths speak proud things. They have men in great
reverence because of advantage. But you beloved, remember the words
which were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ,
how that they told you that there should be beguilers in the last
time which should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These are
makers of sects, fleshly, having no spirit.
But you dearly beloved, edify your selves in your most holy
faith, praying in the holy ghost, and keep yourselves in the love of
God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, unto eternal
life. And have compassion on some, separating them: and other save
with fear, pulling them out of the fire, and hate the filthy vesture
of the flesh.
Unto him that is able to keep you, that you fall not, and to
present you faultless before the presence of his glory with joy,
that is to say, to God our saviour which only is wise, be glory,
majesty, dominion, and power, now and for ever. Amen.
Here ends the
epistle of Judas
*Jesu: Hebrew for Jesus. *lucres:
shameful gain |
