23a
save others by snatching them from the fire: In 23a, save others is the main idea. The phrase by snatching them from the fire expresses the way by which Jude’s readers should save these other people. (English versions that translate this way include: Berean Standard Bible, God’s Word, NET Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New Living Translation (2004 Revision), New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation. Others may also be understood this way, especially the Contemporary English Version and New American Standard Bible.)
others: The others here refers to the second type of people whom the fake Christians had influenced. Jude wanted his readers to help them, too. Because the fake Christians had more influence on this second group of people than on the first group in verse 22, they were in even greater spiritual danger. They seem to have believed the lies that the fake Christians had told them.
snatching them from the fire:
Amos 4:11 and Zechariah 3:2 use similar figures of speech. These two passages use the image of a stick being snatched from the fire to describe how the Lord rescued people from danger.
) The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as snatching means to pull or remove something quickly. The phrase snatching…from the fire refers to pulling people away from the fire. Jude’s readers were not literally snatching or pulling people from the fire of God’s judgment. However, they could help people to repent and escape it. The Greek text has expressed this idea in a vivid way. Use an appropriate expression in your language to communicate this meaning.
from the fire: Scholars have different opinions about what the fire represents in this verse. Two different interpretations are:
(1) The phrase the fire here is the eternal fire, also mentioned in verse 7. It refers to hell (or God’s judgment of sinners). For example:
the fire of hell (God’s Word)
-or-
the flames of judgment (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))
(2) The phrase the fire here is a metaphor that represents some other unspecified danger. (For example, the fire could represent their lifestyle of following the fake Christians.)
It is most likely that the fire refers to hell or God’s judgment, as interpretation (1) indicates. However, most English versions, including the Berean Standard Bible, do not make that idea explicit. If you must include this information, see the examples above and the Display for suggestions.
23b
and to still others: Here others refers to the third type of people whom the fake Christians had influenced. Their influence on this third type was even worse than it was on the first two types (verse 22–23a). The people of this third group believed the wrong teaching of the fake Christians and committed the same sins.
show mercy: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as show mercy is the same word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as “have mercy” in verse 22. (See the note on verse 22.) It means to be kind and compassionate to people by helping them. Jude wanted his readers to do this for the people mentioned in verse 22, and also for this third group of people (23b–c).
tempered with fear: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as tempered with fear is literally with fear. Scholars have different opinions about who or what it was that Jude wanted his readers to fear:
(1) Jude was telling his readers to fear becoming involved in the same sins as these people. For example:
23bThere are still others to whom you need to show mercy, but be careful 23cthat you aren’t contaminated by their sins. (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))
(Contemporary English Version, God’s Word, New Jerusalem Bible, New Living Translation (2004 Revision))
(2) Jude was telling his readers to fear God, to revere and respect him. For example:
have mercy on others, coupled with a fear of God. (NET Bible)
(NET Bible)
Most English versions are ambiguous. It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). It fits the context better, and it has more support in commentaries. Although Jude wanted his readers to help these people, he cautioned them to be careful, lest contact with them lead his readers to sin.
23c
hating even the clothing stained by the flesh: Jude further explained here what he meant by “with fear” in 23b by using a figure of speech. He mentioned that people stained their clothes as a result of sin. They could do this by an emission from their bodies. For example, someone who drank too much alcohol might soil his clothes with vomit or urine, or people might soil their clothes through sinful sexual acts.
Jude used the stained clothes as a figure of speech to emphasize that his readers must be very careful to avoid those sins. The people’s soiled clothing represented their sinful actions. Jude was not afraid that his readers might literally touch the soiled clothing. He did not want them to have anything to do with those sins in any way.
In some languages this figure of speech may not express the right meaning. If that is true in your language, it may be best to use a more general expression. For example, some English versions do not mention clothes:
…afraid that you might be stained by their sinful lives. (God’s Word)
-or-
but be careful that you aren’t contaminated by their sins. (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))
hating: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as hating may be translated in this context as:
avoiding
-or-
detesting
In some languages it may not be natural to use a verb like “hate” for an object like clothes. Look for a verb in your language that fits this context.
even: The Berean Standard Bible and most other English versions translate the Greek word kai here as even. (BGD classifies this use of kai as ascensive (II.2.). The clause it introduces (“hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh”) intensifies what precedes it (“be merciful with fear”). Jude was highlighting the caution his readers were to exercise in their dealings with this third group of people whom they were to help. He intensified the extent to which they were to be cautious by mentioning that they were to hate/detest even the things associated with the sins of these people. The things he chose were the clothes that these people stained through their sinful actions. To highlight and intensify the degree to which they were to avoid moral corruption, he speaks of detesting, and hence being careful around, even things that could cause physical contamination or corruption.What makes this verse part particularly difficult to translate is that a translation, even with implied information made explicit, will usually sound as if Jude was really warning his readers to avoid physical contact with stained clothing. That was not Jude’s concern. Rather, by telling them to detest even the physical clothing, he intensified his real point, that they are to be extremely cautious lest they suffer moral contamination through becoming involved in the sins of the people they were to be helping.) Jude used it to emphasize that his readers should be very careful not to sin. They must fear sinning so much that they would even avoid anything that represented the sins, like the sinners’ soiled clothing.
the clothing: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as clothing refers to an inner garment worn next to the skin, (The New Revised Standard Version calls this garment “the tunic.”) not to the long outer garment that people wore at that time. If you refer to clothing in your translation, here are two options:
• Use a general expression like “clothes,” clothing, or “garments.”
• Use a specific word that refers to a type of clothing that people wear next to their skin. (This is only a concern if your language and culture make a similar distinction between outer and inner garments. If a generic term, like clothing, sounds natural in this context, then you may use it.)
Avoid words that refer to an outer garment, like a coat, that people often remove.
stained: You may need to translate this idea differently. Use a natural expression to refer to the idea in this context.
Other ways that English versions have translated the idea of stained are:
made dirty (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
polluted (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
contaminated (New Living Translation (2004 Revision), Revised English Bible)
-or-
defiled (New Revised Standard Version)
the flesh: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as flesh refers literally to “the body.” However, Jude used the flesh here as a metaphor to refer to the sinful desires and actions (A good case can be made that “the flesh” refers to the body itself that craves for things. An even better case can be made that “the flesh” refers to the sinful nature of these people that led them to sin. Ultimately, however, “the flesh” points to the sins themselves. The sinful nature of these people committed these sins in order to satisfy sinful cravings of the body. The three concepts are so integrally connected, that it is hard to conceive of one without the other two.) of the people. (This refers to the third type/group of people that Jude wanted his readers, the Christians, to help.)
The flesh was a good way for Jude to speak about the people’s sins, because they often sinned to indulge the lusts/desires of their bodies. Examples of these sins are:
(a) eating too much food,
(b) drinking too much alcohol,
(c) having sex outside of marriage.
General Comment on 22–23
In verses 22–23 Jude mentioned three types of people. His readers knew some people of all three types, because such people were members of their church. In some languages, it may be helpful to imply this in some way. For example:
other people you know
-or-
other people in your church/congregation
© 2007 by SIL International®
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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible. BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.