In New Testament times the common way to begin a letter was to put the writer’s name first, then to mention something about the people who would receive the letter. After that, the writer included a prayer or blessing for their well-being. Jude followed this pattern.

Although Jude did not say where his readers lived, he did say three things about them. These three things are true of all believers:

(a) God had called them,

(b) God the Father loved them,

(c) God would keep them safe for the time when Jesus Christ would return.

In these two verses Jude identified himself as the author of the letter and identified his readers by some of the things that God had done for them. Then he prayed that God would bless them. Jude chose a blessing which related well to the rest of the letter.

1a

Jude: The Berean Standard Bible, like the Greek text, begins with the name of the writer and does not follow it with a verb. This was the common way to start a letter in New Testament times. In many languages today, including English, the writer’s name does not appear until the end of the letter. However, even if this is also true in your language, you should still include Jude’s name in this first verse. You may need to add a verb. For example:

Jude writes this letter to you.

In some languages, like Greek, it is acceptable for a writer to identify himself in the third person, as Jude did here. If this is not natural in your language, you could add a first person pronoun. For example,

It is I, Jude, who write this letter to you.

1b

a servant of Jesus Christ: Even though Jude was the brother of Jesus, he described himself as a servant of Jesus Christ. His brother James wrote the same thing about himself (James 1:1). This was a common way for followers of Jesus to describe themselves. It is often found at the beginning of the letters in the New Testament. (Philippians 1:1; Titus 1:1; James 1:1; 2 Peter 1:1.)

servant: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as servant is doulos. This word may also be translated as “slave.” If your language does not have a noun for servant, you may use a verb instead. For example:

I serve Jesus Christ.
-or-
who works for Jesus Christ.

Christ: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as Christ may be translated as part of the name, Jesus Christ.

1c

and a brother of James: We do not know which of the brothers was older, James (In these Notes, James refers to an important leader of the church at Jerusalem (Acts 12:17), the James who was the brother of Jesus (as Paul says in Galatians 2:19). Jude was another brother of Jesus.) or Jude. If your language requires that you say which brother was older, you may say that Jude is the younger brother of James. It is likely that James was older, because he was an important leader of the Christians in Jerusalem.

brother: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as brother can be used for different relationships. In some languages it is necessary to use a different expression for each of these relationships. James and Jude had the same mother and father.

James: This James was a leader of the church at Jerusalem (Acts 12:17). He was also the brother (Some Christians believe that Jude and James were children born to both Joseph and Mary. Jesus would then be their older half-brother, since Joseph was not Jesus’ biological father. Others believe that Jude and James were the children of Joseph by a wife who had died before he married Mary. This would make Jesus their younger stepbrother. Still others believe that the “brother” relationship was by adoption or as part of an extended family. Those who believe in the perpetual virginity of Mary do not believe that Jude and James were born to Mary.) of Jesus (as Paul says in Galatians 1:19). Jude was another brother of Jesus. In some languages it may be helpful to include this information in a footnote in your translation.

1d

To those who are called: Here Jude began to say something about the people to whom he was writing. In some languages it may be necessary to introduce this clause by a phrase like:

I write to you, those who….

called: Jude used the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as called to refer to the Christian people to whom he was writing. He described them as called, because God had called them to believe in him. This can be translated as:

To those people who have been called by God to believe in him
-or-
To you people whom God has called to believe in him.

See the general comment at the end of the notes for 1f for other suggestions on using active verbs to translate the ideas in this verse.

1e

loved by God the Father: A literal translation of the Greek text here is “having been loved in (en) God the Father.” This phrase includes two ideas:

(a) God the Father loved these Christians.

(b) These Christians experienced God’s love in their relationship to him, united with him. (John 17 has other examples where “in” has this meaning.) Jude expressed the same idea again in 21a where he encouraged his readers “to keep yourselves in the love of God.”

If possible, it is best to include both ideas in your translation. For example:

who live in the love of God the Father (Good News Translation)
-or-
You are united with God the Father because you have been loved by him.
-or-
God the Father loves you with the result that you are united with him.

loved:

Copies of the Greek text are slightly different from each other. The King James Version has “sanctified” instead of “loved,” because it followed different copies than most other English versions followed. The best evidence supports “loved,” so it is recommended that you use the idea “loved” in your translation.

However, if the major language version in your area uses “sanctified,” you may include a footnote to say that “sanctified” can be found in some Greek copies, but that the best evidence supports “loved.”

1f

kept in Jesus Christ: In this context there are two ways to interpret the Greek expression (Differences in interpretation arise, in part, because the Greek text has no preposition. In English, a preposition is required.) that the Berean Standard Bible translates as kept in Jesus Christ:

(1) It means kept for Jesus Christ. For example:

kept safe for Jesus Christ (New Jerusalem Bible)

(God’s Word, New American Standard Bible, NET Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, Revised Standard Version)

(2) It means kept by Jesus Christ. For example:

kept safe by Jesus Christ (Contemporary English Version)

(Contemporary English Version, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, New International Version (2011 Revision), Good News Translation)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). (Similar ideas are expressed in John chapter 17, especially in John 17:9 and John 17:15.) It is likely that Jude meant that God was the one who was keeping the readers for Jesus Christ. Jude may be implying “for Jesus Christ when he returns.” Here is an example of how to make this explicit:

are kept safe for the coming of Jesus Christ.(Revised English Bible)

Jude may also imply: who are kept safe by God to give/present to Jesus Christ at his return.

kept: Jude frequently used the Greek verb, tēreō, which the Berean Standard Bible translates here as kept. He used a form of tēreō in 1f, 6a, 6c, 13d (where the Berean Standard Bible uses the verb “reserved”), and 21a. Though it was possible for Jude to use one verb in all these places, the meanings translated into natural English require the use of more than one English verb.

General Comment on 1d–f

In some languages it may be necessary to use more active verbs to translate 1d–f. For example:

God has called you to believe in him. You are united with God the Father because he loves you. God keeps you safe to present you to Jesus Christ when he returns.

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