12–13

In these two verses, Jude illustrated the wickedness of the fake Christians by comparing them to objects from nature.

12a

These men: Jude referred here to the same fake Christians whom he mentioned in verses 4, 8a, and 10–11. The Greek pronoun that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as These men did not necessarily refer only to males. Many English versions use a more general expression. For example:

These people… (Revised English Bible)
-or-
They… (New Century Version)

Other notes that discuss this matter are “certain men” in 4a and “these men” in 10a.

are hidden reefs: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as hidden reefs is used here as a figure of speech. Scholars have interpreted the word in two different ways in this context:

(1) It means dangerous rocks or reefs. Jude compared the fake Christians to rocks or reefs hidden in the water that are dangerous to ships that might come too close and hit them. For example:

These men are dangerous reefs at your love feasts. (NET Bible)

(Berean Standard Bible, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, New American Standard Bible, NET Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New Living Translation (2004 Revision), Revised English Bible)

(2) It refers to dirty spots or stains. Jude indicated that the behavior of the fake Christians at the love feasts disgraced or dishonored the true Christians. For example:

With their shameless carousing they are like dirty spots in your fellowship meals. (Good News Translation)

(Contemporary English Version, God’s Word, King James Version, New Century Version, New International Version (2011 Revision), New Revised Standard Version, Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation)

Both interpretations are possible. You may want to use the same interpretation that the Bible of the major language in your area uses. It is recommended that you place the other interpretation in a footnote.

hidden reefs: In some cultures, where people live far from the sea, they may not understand clearly how rocks in the sea would be dangerous. If this illustration would not be clear to your readers, here are other options:

• Use a different figure of speech that readers in your culture will understand to mean dangerous.

• Translate without using a figure of speech. For example:

They are a dangerous hazard. (New Jerusalem Bible)

love feasts: Early in the history of the church, Christians gathered together often and had a meal. At these meals they celebrated the Lord’s Supper (Some passages in the New Testament that speak about the Lord’s Supper are: Matthew 26:26–30, Mark 14:22–26, Luke 22:19–20, I Corinthians 10:15–16, I Corinthians 11:23–26.) (sometimes referred to as the Eucharist or Communion). They called these meals love feasts. Other ways to say this include:

fellowship meals (New Living Translation (2004 Revision), Good News Translation)
-or-
special Christian meals you share (New Century Version)

12b

shamelessly feasting with you: This refers to the attitude of the fake Christians. In this context, the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as shamelessly expresses two aspects of their attitude:

(a) They were not ashamed, even though they should have felt ashamed.

(b) They were without fear. They were bold, even though they should have felt afraid.

Scholars have different opinions about how this Greek word relates to the other parts of this verse. There are two possibilities:

(1) It is connected to the first part of 12b, feasting with you. For example:

They eat with you and don’t feel ashamed. (God’s Word)
-or-
they eat in your company without a qualm. (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

(Berean Standard Bible, God’s Word, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, New American Standard Bible, New Century Version, NET Bible, New International Version (2011 Revision), New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, Good News Translation)

(2) It is connected to 12c, “shepherds who are shepherding only themselves.” For example:

12b…and quite shamelessly 12c only looking after themselves. (New Jerusalem Bible)

(King James Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), as most English versions do. The fake Christians behaved badly at the fellowship meals. They should have felt ashamed of how they acted, but they did not feel ashamed. Their behavior showed that they did not respect the love feasts as a time of fellowship. It also showed that they did not respect the real Christians with whom they ate, or God.

12c

but shepherding only themselves: Leaders of the Christian church were often called “shepherds.” Jude implied that the fake Christians were leaders in the church to which Jude wrote. Instead of shepherding the real believers by teaching them the truth from God’s word, they were only interested in gaining benefit for themselves. This description of the fake Christians is similar to Ezekiel 34:2 where God said:

Disaster is in store for the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Are not shepherds meant to feed a flock? (New Jerusalem Bible)

“Shepherds” is a figure of speech that is commonly used in the Bible, so you will want to use it in your translation. In this context it is used as a metaphor. You may need to look for ways to make this metaphor clearer in your language: Here are some possibilities:

• Keep the shepherd metaphor, but use a verb like “look after” or “take care of,” instead of shepherding. For example:

They are shepherds who only take care only of themselves. (Revised English Bible)

• Use a simile instead of a metaphor. For example:

They are like shepherds who only take care of themselves.

• Add implied information to indicate the specific way in which these people were like the selfish shepherds. For example:

Like shepherds who only feed themselves but do not feed their sheep, these people only help themselves, not other people.

12d

clouds without water, carried along by the wind: The area of the world in which Jude’s readers lived was dry. People needed rain to grow food and to have water for them and their animals to drink. Sometimes clouds appeared, but no rain fell. The wind blew the clouds along quickly, and they passed over without any rain falling. Such clouds were useless and disappointing. (Proverbs 25:14 says, “Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of gifts he does not give” (New International Version (2011 Revision)).)

These fake Christians also were useless and disappointing. Jude compared them to clouds without water, because they did nothing to help the real Christians to whom Jude wrote.

In some languages this figure of speech may not express this meaning. In that case, it may be necessary to indicate the meaning by adding implied information. For example:

They are like clouds which the wind blows over dry land without rain falling. They promise much but produce/give nothing.

12e

fruitless trees in autumn: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as autumn probably referred to late autumn. (This is the only place that this Greek word is found in the New Testament.) This is the time of year when trees would be expected to have fruit ready to pick. (There is another way to interpret this metaphor: Late autumn was after the harvest was over, and the trees had lost their leaves. A tree like that cannot have “fruit.” Therefore, according to this interpretation, the meaning of this expression is “ trees that can have no “fruit” because harvest time is over.” Like “fruit trees” cannot have “fruit” after the harvest is over and their leaves have fallen off, these fake Christians cannot do anything good. Some English versions have translated according to this interpretation without mentioning late autumn. Instead they mention the condition of the “trees” at that time. For example:They are like leafless trees…unable to produce fruit (Contemporary English Version).-or-they are withered…without any fruit (God’s Word).)

The meaning of 12e is almost the same as 12d. In both metaphors, Jude illustrated how useless and unhelpful these people were. They are like fruit trees that should have fruit, but have none. Some ways to say this are:

They are like trees that bear no fruit, even in autumn. (Good News Translation)
-or-
They are like fruit trees that have no fruit even at harvest time.

twice dead: Jude described these people as trees that are twice dead. The phrase twice dead meant that they were completely dead. They were useless, totally incapable of producing anything good. (Two other interpretations of twice dead are:(1) They were spiritually dead because of their moral corruption, and were already marked/destined to receive the second death on Judgment Day. The phrase twice dead with this interpretation is similar in meaning to “they have been destroyed” in 11d.(2) They were dead in sin prior to conversion, then were brought to life through conversion and baptism, and now were dead a second time because they had become apostates.) Other ways to say this include:

completely dead (Good News Translation)
-or-
doubly dead (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, New American Standard Bible)
-or-
not only dead but doubly dead. (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

after being uprooted: Jude used the metaphor of uprooted trees to illustrate how completely unable the fake Christian were to do good. They were as useless as uprooted trees that can never give fruit. They could not do anything good to please God or help his people. (Some scholars interpret uprooted here to mean that God would destroy these people, like a farmer would uproot a fruit tree that never bears fruit. However, Jude did not make this meaning explicit, and there are other reasonable interpretations. It is recommended that you do not follow the interpretation that uprooted means that God would destroy these fake Christians.)

© 2007 by SIL International®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

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.

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®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

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.

2

Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you: This is a typical blessing at the beginning of a Greek letter. It is like a prayer that God will provide the readers with mercy, peace, and love. Languages have different ways to express this type of prayer. For example:

I pray that God will greatly bless you with kindness, peace, and love! (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
May you receive more and more of God’s mercy, peace, and love. (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

Mercy: In this context Mercy refers to the compassion and kindness that God shows toward those who need help. It also implies that he gives them the help that they need.

peace: The word peace in both Greek and English can refer to two different ideas:

(a) It can indicate an inner contentment and serenity. In this context, Jude’s readers could have peace because they knew that God had saved them and that he loved them.

(b) It can indicate peaceful relations with other people or with God.

Here Jude probably intended the first of these, inner peace.

love: This is the same kind of love as was mentioned in the note above at 1e.

be multiplied to you: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally here as be multiplied to you may be expressed in English as:

abundantly
-or-
greatly
-or-
richly
-or-
more and more

Here are some options for translating this idea in the context of the whole verse:

• You may be able to translate “mercy,” “peace,” and “love” as nouns in your language. For example:

May mercy, peace and love from God be yours abundantly.
-or-
I pray that you will experience more and more of God’s mercy, peace and love.

• You may need to express “mercy,” “peace,” and “love” as verbal ideas. For example:

I pray that more and more God will be merciful to you, make you increasingly peaceful, and cause you to experience more deeply that he loves you.

© 2007 by SIL International®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

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.

13

In 12d–e, Jude described these fake Christians as useless. Here in verse 13, he used illustrations to show that they were worse than just useless, they were harmful.

13a

wild waves of the sea: Jude further described the fake Christians with the metaphor of wild waves in the sea. Like wild waves, they lived in an uncontrolled manner. They acted without concern for what is right.

In some languages this metaphor may not express the meaning clearly. If that is true in your language, here are other options:

• Use a simile. For example:

They are like wild waves of the sea. (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

• Make explicit the similarity between the wild waves and these people. (Some other ways to state how the fake Christians are similar to wild waves are:They act/behave wildly.-or-They are out of control.) For example:

They are without control, like wild waves of the sea.

13b

foaming up their own shame: Here Jude continued the metaphor that he used in 13a. Just as waves of the sea produce dirty foam, so these fake Christians (Jude may have had either of two pictures in his mind.(1) The foam produced by the waves remained on the surface of the sea.(2) The waves deposited the dirty foam on the beach.Either of these options may be correct. However, it is recommended that you follow the example of the English versions and not mention a “beach” or “the shore.”) produce shameful actions.

If this metaphor is not clear, you may translate it as a simile. For example:

and like such waves produce dirty foam, what they do/produce is shameful.

General Comment on 13a–b

The metaphor that Jude used here is similar to the one in Isaiah 57:20: “the tossing sea…whose waves cast up mire and mud.”

If the sea and waves are unfamiliar to your readers, you may be able to state the meaning plainly, without the figure of “wild foaming waves.” For example:

^13aThey are wild, not caring about what is right. ^13bTheir actions are disgusting!
-or-
^13aTheir uncontrolled actions ^13bare shameful.

13c

wandering stars: In past times, many people used the stars to determine their direction at night. (It is likely that the wandering stars that Jude used in this metaphor were the planets. Compared to other stars, the planets seemed to wander across the sky, and so they were unreliable guides for navigation. If Jude’s readers understood the wandering stars to be the planets, they might also have seen a comparison to the Roman and Greek gods who shared names with the planets. Whole societies had been misled by believing in these false gods.) They could do this because stars moved in a way that they could predict. The Greek expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates as wandering stars refers to other lights in the sky. Some scholars believe that this refers to the planets. Compared to the stars, these lights seemed to wander across the sky. This made them useless for indicating direction.

The fake Christians misled people. Like the wandering stars, they were not reliable as guides, and people should not follow (imitate) them.

If this metaphor is not clear, you may use a simile. You may also make explicit the similarity between the wandering stars and the fake Christians. For example:

They are unfit guides, like stars that wander unpredictably in the sky.

13d

In this part of the verse Jude indicated that the Lord was keeping a place of eternal darkness for the fake Christians. They would be sent there because they did not really believe in Jesus, and when they joined the church, they planned to do evil. This eternal darkness is one description of the place of eternal punishment, which other biblical writers have called “hell.”

for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever: Here Jude used irony to emphasize the punishment of the fake Christians. In 13c, he used the metaphor of “wandering stars.” The irony is that though Jude described the fake Christians as lights in the sky, they would have to stay in the blackest darkness forever.

for whom: The Greek pronoun that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as for whom can refer to either the fake Christians or the wandering stars. Either way, Jude was referring to the fake Christians, because the stars were a metaphor that he had used to describe them.

blackest darkness: The Bible sometimes refers to the place of eternal punishment as darkness (for example, Matthew 8:12, 22:13, 25:30). The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as blackest is the same word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as darkness in 6c. It can also be translated as “gloom.” Other ways to translate this include:

the utter depths of…darkness (NET Bible)
-or-
the deepest darkness (New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation)
-or-
gloomy darkness (God’s Word)

has been reserved:

Jude frequently used the Greek verb, tēreō, which the Berean Standard Bible has translated as “kept” or “stay.” He used a form of tēreō in 1f, 6a, 6c, here in 13d (where the Berean Standard Bible uses the verb “reserved”), and “kept” in 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.) If it is more natural in your language to use active verbs, you may need to say who it was who reserved the darkness. (The New Living Translation (2004 Revision) makes the verb active without saying who reserved the darkness. The New Living Translation (2004 Revision) did this by referring to the darkness as the destination that the fake Christians were “heading” for, rather than as something waiting for them. It says: “They are…heading for everlasting gloom and darkness.”) For example:

The Lord has reserved a place for them….

forever: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as forever can be translated literally as “for eternity.” Jude meant that the fake Christians would have to stay in the darkness forever.

© 2007 by SIL International®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

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.

Section 24–25

Jude praised God

Jude ended his letter by praising God. (The Apostle Paul ended his letter to the Romans in a similar way (Romans 16:25–27).) First, Jude assured his readers that God was able to protect them from falling away from their faith into a life of sin (24a). Despite the danger from the false teaching and sinful living of the fake Christians, Jude declared that God was able to keep them from sinning in that way, so that after they died, they would be with God. With God they would experience great joy and have no sin (24b). Jude praised God for who he is (He is the only God.) and for what he has done (He has saved us through our Lord, Jesus Christ.) (25a–b). He listed some attributes of God: glory, majesty, power, and authority. Jude ascribed these attributes to God for all times: past, present, and in the future.

24–25

Now to Him…to the only God our Savior be glory…Amen: In these verses Jude praised God using a special form called a “doxology.” The words to Him and to the only God our Savior are part of this special form of praise. In the Bible, authors often concluded a book, letter, or section of a letter with a doxology. If possible, you should be consistent in the way you translate doxologies throughout the Bible.

24

In this verse, Jude spoke of God as the one who could protect his readers from sin and cause them to be with him forever.

24a

Now to Him who is able: The Greek expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates as to Him who is able describes God. It is literally “to the being-able-(one).” It is linked closely to the phrase “to the only God” in verse 25. God is the only one who can do the things that this verse mentions. Jude’s readers could not do those things to save themselves.

In some languages it may be more natural to use the word for “God” here in 24a. For example:

God can guard you so that you don’t fall. (God’s Word)
-or-
God is strong and can help you not to fall. (New Century Version)

to keep you: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as keep is different from the verb that Jude used (In this letter, the Berean Standard Bible translates this Greek verb in different ways: “kept” (1f, 6c), “stay” (6a) “keep” (21a), and “reserved” (13d).) in 1f, 6a, 6c, 13d (See the first footnote under the note for “reserved.”), and 21a. In this context, it means:

guard
-or-
defend
-or-
protect

Jude indicated that God was able to protect his readers from the bad influence of the fake Christians. In English the words “keep from” have the same meaning. Look for the most natural way in your language to make the meaning clear.

you: Although you refers to Jude’s readers, what Jude said in this verse is true for everyone who trusts in God and in Jesus Christ.

from stumbling: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as from stumbling is literally “without stumbling.” In this context it is used as a figure of speech. It may refer to stumbling from faith into a life of sin. Specifically, it may imply being deceived by the sinful living and false teaching of the fake Christians. God was able to protect Jude’s readers from this type of stumbling and falling. (Many scholars understand stumbling to refer to not attaining salvation at the final judgment.)

In some languages it may be necessary to make the meaning more explicit. For example:

God is able to protect/defend you so that sin/evil will not trip you.
-or-
God is the one who can protect you from falling away from him into a sinful life.

24b

to present you unblemished in His glorious presence: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as to present is literally “to set/place/put.” It is God who would cause Jude’s readers to be in His glorious presence.

unblemished: God was able to protect Jude’s readers from falling away from him because of sin (24a), and also to remove from them all the guilt of their sins. Then it would be as if these Christians had never sinned at all. They would appear before God unblemished or without fault. There would be nothing for which God would blame them. A positive way to state this is:

so that you will be innocent….

in His glorious presence: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as His glorious presence is literally “the glory of him” or “his glory.” It refers here to being in the presence of God, that is, with God. The Berean Standard Bible supplies the word presence. It is natural in English to use the word presence when referring to someone very great, such as God, a king, or a person of high status. Another way to say this is:

with God himself in his glory
-or-
with him where you will see his glory

glorious: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as glorious are literally “the glory.” In this context this expression refers to the excellence of God’s divine qualities. Everything about God is the best. God is so splendid and great that nothing can even be compared to him. Sometimes the visible sign of his splendor is described as very bright light. (The Bible indicates that bright light is part of God’s splendor. (See, for example, Exodus 24:17 and Revelation 21:23.)). Another way to translate this is:

before him, where his splendor shines.

with great joy: Jude also wanted his readers to know that they would be very joyful when they came to God. Because they would be “unblemished” or without fault, they would not have to be afraid that God would punish them. Their joy would not be diminished by sin or fear. Other ways to translate this include:

extremely happy
-or-
full of joy (God’s Word)
-or-
rejoicing (NET Bible)
-or-
jubilant (Revised English Bible)

General Comment on 24b

In some languages it may be more natural to reorder the phrases in 24b. For example:

He is also able to remove all your sins so that you will be innocent when he brings you into his glorious presence. This will be a time of great joy for you.

© 2007 by SIL International®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

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.

Section 3–4

Jude urged believers to defend the true teaching that they believed

In this section Jude expressed his reason for writing this particular letter. Because ungodly people had come into their church, the Christians to whom Jude was writing had to defend what they believed. These ungodly people were especially dangerous because the true believers had not recognized that the ungodly people were not really Christians. They were “fake” Christians.

3a

Beloved: Jude used this word to address his readers whom he loved. He used it in this way three times—in 3a, 17a and 20a. (Most recent English versions translate it as something similar to “Dear friends.” (New International Version (2011 Revision), Contemporary English Version, God’s Word, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, New Century Version, New English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New Living Translation (2004 Revision), Revised English Bible, Good News Translation).)

Languages may have different types of direct address that would be natural in this context. For example:

Dearly loved friends (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

Look for the most natural way in your language to express the idea.

Languages differ in the most natural placement for a direct address. In some languages it may be most natural to begin the sentence with a direct address like this. In other languages, it is natural to put the direct address after the verb. In your translation, look for the position that is most natural for your language.

3b

I made every effort to write to you: This clause probably indicates that Jude had been planning to write another letter, but that he had not yet started it. (The Good News Translation seems to favor the interpretation that Jude had actually started writing the other letter, but then he changed his mind and wrote this letter instead.) Some ways to say this are:

I very much wanted to write to you.
-or-
I had been eagerly planning to write to you.
-or-
I earnestly intended to write to you.

3c

about the salvation we share: The Greek expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates as about the salvation we share is literally, “about our common salvation.” Jude’s readers had salvation in common, that is, each person had experienced the same salvation. Jude implied that he could have written a letter about the way that God had saved them and what this salvation meant for them.

In some languages it may not be natural to say that people share something like salvation. If that is true in your language, it may be helpful to express this idea in a different way. For example:

about what we(incl) have in common, which is that God saved us(incl)
-or-
about the salvation that unites us(incl)

salvation: Through the sacrifice of his son, Jesus Christ (25a, 25c), God had saved Jude and his readers from sin and death and had given them new life.

3d

I felt it necessary to write: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as I felt it necessary to is literally, “I had a necessity to.” Jude felt that he must write a different letter than he had first planned to write (3b–c). Some ways to translate this phrase are:

I felt compelled to write
-or-
I realized that I must write
-or-
I realized that it was/is necessary for me to write

3e

and urge you to contend earnestly for the faith: Jude encouraged his readers to contend…for the faith. The word faith here does not refer to the act of believing, but to what Jude and his readers believed. Jude meant that they were to struggle hard to defend from error the true Christian teaching that they had been taught and had believed. He also meant they were to promote the faith by living according to what it taught them (see verses 20–23).

urge you: Jude told the readers what he wanted them to do in a polite way. He was encouraging them to follow his advice. For example:

to encourage you (New Century Version)
-or-
encouraging you (New Jerusalem Bible)

You may be able to translate this as a request. For example:

and ask you (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
to appeal to you

you: In Greek there is no pronoun (you) after the verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates here in 3e as “urge.” In the Greek text, the pronoun (literally “to you”) occurs after the verb “write” in 3d. Literally, it is “write to you.” However, the Berean Standard Bible chose to place the pronoun after the verb “urge” in 3e. You should place the pronoun where it is most natural in your language. It may be necessary to use a pronoun with both “write” and “urge.”

to contend earnestly: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as to contend is translated by many English versions as “fight.” (Modern English versions with a form of “fight” are God’s Word, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, New Century Version, New Jerusalem Bible, and Good News Translation.) For example:

to fight hard (New Jerusalem Bible)

However, Jude did not mean that his readers should fight physically. He was urging them to use all their strength and ability to resist, counteract, and defeat false teaching. Specifically, Jude wanted them to resist the false teaching of the ungodly people whom he would write about in verse 4. He did not want his readers to be harmed by participating in the sinful actions of those ungodly people.

the faith: Here Jude referred to the true Christian teaching as the faith. He called it the faith, because it is what Jude and his readers believed.

3f

entrusted once for all to the saints: This part of the verse further describes the “faith,” which Jude mentioned in 3e.

once for all: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as once for all may also be translated as “one time for all times” (see Jude 1:3 in UBS Handbook). It indicates that “the faith” is unique and that it does not change. (Someone might try to change the faith, the true teaching. The Contemporary English Version and New Living Translation (2004 Revision) imply this when they use “to defend” to translate the Greek word which the Berean Standard Bible translates as “contend.” (See the note above for “contend.”) ) No one is allowed to change it.

To translate once for all, you may be able to find a word or phrase that communicates the three parts of its meaning:

(a) God only had to give this faith to the believers one time.

(b) Its teachings would never change throughout the rest of time.

(c) They were adequate for all times.

Other ways to say this are:

once to last forever
-or-
unique and unchangeable throughout all time

entrusted: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible (Other versions that translate this as “entrusted” are New International Version (2011 Revision), God’s Word, NET Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New Revised Standard Version and Revised English Bible.) translates as entrusted can also be translated as:

delivered (Revised Standard Version)

committed (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

given (Good News Translation)

The verb implies that the first Christians received the true teachings, and they had the responsibility pass these true teachings faithfully to other people. The text does not say who entrusted the teachings to the first Christians. It could have been God or Jesus or the apostles. If you need to specify who entrusted the teachings to the Christians, it is recommended that you say God.

the saints: The Greek expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the saints is literally “the holy (ones)” and means “the holy people.” This expression was used by many New Testament authors to refer to Christians, the people who believe in Jesus Christ. When used in this way, it refers to all Christians, including Jude and his readers. Some ways to translate this phrase are:

God’s holy people.
-or-
those who believe/trust in Jesus Christ.
-or-
people dedicated to God.

© 2007 by SIL International®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

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.

Paragraph 14–16

In this paragraph, Jude quoted a prophecy made by a man named Enoch. Enoch lived in the Old Testament period, before the great flood. Genesis 5:18–24 indicates that Enoch had a special relationship with God, and that he never died.

Enoch prophesied that the Lord would condemn people like these fake Christians. Jude did not learn this prophecy from the Bible, but from some other reliable source.

Jude presented the information about Enoch in an order that is unusual for some languages, including English. A general comment at the end of the notes for 15d shows a way to reorder 14–15.

14a

Enoch, the seventh from Adam: Jude identified Enoch as the seventh from Adam. The list of his ancestors recorded in Genesis chapter 5 begins with Adam, the first person whom God created. The order in Genesis 5 is:

(a) Adam

(b) Seth

(c) Enosh

(d) Kenan

(e) Mahalalel

(f) Jared

(g) Enoch

According to the way that Jude and his readers counted generations, Enoch was the seventh from Adam. They counted Adam as the first generation. According to the way that some other people groups normally count generations today, Enoch was the sixth generation from Adam.

Because the number seven is an important number in the Bible, (The number seven can symbolize completeness.) it is recommended that you use seventh in your translation, instead of “sixth.” You may be able to say something like:

Enoch was the seventh generation from Adam, who was the first.

If your language requires you to say something other than seventh, it is recommended that you include a footnote explaining that Jude wrote seventh. For example:

This numbering includes both the first and the last in the series of seven names from Adam to Enoch. (Good News Translation)

14b

prophesied:

Enoch’s prophecy is not recorded in the Old Testament. However, a similar statement was written in the non-biblical Jewish book of 1 Enoch.
) The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as prophesied can also be translated as:

foretold
-or-
told what would happen
-or-
was inspired by God to foretell…

about them:

The Greek pronoun
toutois is in the dative case. In a note, the NET Bible interprets this as a dative of disadvantage, meaning that Enoch prophesied “against them.”) The Greek expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates as about them can also be translated as:

about these men (New International Version (2011 Revision))
-or-
about these people (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
against them (Revised English Bible)

them: The Greek pronoun that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as them refers to the fake Christians whom Jude mentioned in verses 4, 8, and 10–13. Some English versions use a general expression like “these people.” Other notes that refer to this issue are “certain men” in 4a, and “these men” in 12a and in 10a.

General Comment on 14 a-b

The third word in the Greek text of Jude 14 is kai, which is often translated “and.” Here it probably means “also” as in 14b of the Berean Standard Bible and indicates that the fake Christians were also included in what Enoch prophesied. Consider a natural way in your language to express this. For example:

It was of these also that Enoch in the seventh generation from Adam prophesied. (Revised Standard Version)

In some languages, it may be more natural to leave this kai untranslated.

14c

The Greek text of this verse contains the verb legōn, which can be translated literally as “saying.” For example:

It was of these also that Enoch…prophesied, saying, (Revised Standard Version)

This verb introduces Enoch’s prophecy. In 14c through the end of 15, Jude quoted Enoch’s words. Introduce this quote in a natural way in your language.

Behold: The Greek word idou that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Behold is used here to focus the attention of the reader on what Jude was about to say. Other ways to translate this word include:

Look!
-or-
Listen to this!
-or-
I tell you

Consider how to focus the readers’ attention in a natural way in your language. If your language would not use an expression like idou here, you may need to omit it, as some English versions have done. For example:

The Lord will come with many thousands of his holy angels… (Good News Translation)

the Lord: The phrase the Lord refers here to Jesus Christ. Jude referred to him as Lord in this verse, even though Lord was not in Enoch’s original prophecy. (1 Enoch 1:9 says, “And behold! He cometh with ten thousands of His holy ones…”)

is coming: The form of the Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as is coming is past tense (“came”). Enoch’s prophecy concerned future events. However, Jude quoted Enoch as if he were speaking about past events. (The past tense may indicate that the prophet had actually seen the events of the prophecy in a vision or in his mind. For example, the Revised English Bible says: “I saw the Lord come with his myriads of angels….”) It was common for prophets to speak like this to indicate that the prophecy would certainly happen. (Another way to think about this certainty is that, by using the past tense, the prophet indicated that what he prophesied was as certain as if it had already happened.)

You may use the verb form that is most appropriate in your language to communicate a prophecy (whether past, present, future, or another form). In some languages it will be helpful to include a word like “certainly” to emphasize that the prophecy was certain to happen. For example,

The Lord will certainly come…

myriads: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as myriads is the plural form of “ten thousand.” The word is used in a general way to mean “a very large number.” It does not refer to any precise number. Ways to translate this include:

many thousands

countless

very many

of His holy ones: Most scholars think that His holy ones refers to his angels. You may use your key term for angels here. For example:

of his angels

of his holy angels

© 2007 by SIL International®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

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.

25a

to the only God our Savior: Here Jude affirmed that there is only one God, that he is the only true God, and that God is our Savior.

our Savior: It was common in the Old Testament to speak about God as Savior. God saves (rescues) his people from many types of danger or harm.

In the New Testament this word usually refers to the salvation which God provided through Jesus. This is the way that Jude used it in this verse. Through Jesus Christ, God saved people from being slaves to their sins and from eternal punishment and separation from God. Other ways to say this are:

our rescuer
-or-
our deliverer

Savior: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Savior has the same root as the one that was translated “salvation” in 3c. This is the same Greek word that the Bible often uses to talk about Jesus.

25b

be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority: The Greek text of Jude 25 has no verb. However, in English and some other languages, it is necessary to supply a verb. There are two ways to interpret the meaning of the Greek text here:

(1) Jude was giving praise to God by stating what God is like. So, glory, majesty, dominion, and authority are attributes of God. In English, this idea can be expressed by a verb like “belong” or “are.” For example:

glory, majesty, power, and authority belong to him. (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

(2) Jude was expressing as a type of prayer or desire for God to receive glory, majesty, dominion, and authority. For example:

To him be glory, greatness, power, and authority. (New Century Version)

It is difficult to determine which interpretation English versions follow only by the verb that is used. It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Jude was praising God by describing what he is like.

glory: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as glory is another form of the word that was translated as “glorious” in 24b. In both places it refers to God’s splendor and excellence. Everything about God is the best. He is so splendid and great that nothing can even be compared to him. Sometimes the glory of God is described as the bright light that is part of his splendor.

majesty: This refers to God’s greatness as the king. There is no greater ruler. If your language has a word or phrase that describes the splendor or greatness of an earthly king or chief, you may be able to use it here.

dominion: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as dominion refers to the fact that God is able to do whatever he wants. God is able to accomplish all his perfect plans. In this context, the word does not refer to physical power or strength.

authority: The meaning of the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as authority is related to the word translated “dominion.” Here, authority refers to God’s right to rule as the absolute sovereign. He is the rightful ruler of everyone and everything.

25c

through Jesus Christ our Lord: Scholars have different opinions concerning how this phrase relates to the other parts of this verse. Two possibilities are:

(1) It connects with “our Savior” in 25a. Jesus Christ is the agent/person through whom God saved us. God is our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. For example:

^25ato the only God, our Savior ^25cthrough Jesus Christ our Lord, (Revised Standard Version)

(2) It connects with the list of God’s attributes in 25b, that is, “glory, majesty, dominion, and authority.” For example:

^25ato the only God our Saviour, ^25b…glory and majesty, power and authority, ^25cthrough Jesus Christ our Lord, (Revised English Bible)

Many English versions are ambiguous on this issue. It is impossible to determine which interpretation they follow, based only on the order of phrases. It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), which fits best with the meaning of each part of the doxology.

Jesus Christ our Lord: This has the same meaning as the similar phrase “our Lord Jesus Christ.” See the notes on 17b and 21b–c.

25d

In the Greek text of Jude 25, this verse part follows 25b. The attributes of God listed there, “glory, majesty, dominion, and authority,” belonged to God for all time. They were his “before all time,” and they belong to him “now, and for all eternity.”

before all time, and now, and for all eternity: The Greek expressions that the Berean Standard Bible translates as before all time, and now, and for all eternity refer to time. They work together to communicate one idea: The attributes in 25b always have belonged to God and always will.

In the notes below, definitions are given for each of these expressions of time. However, in many languages it is not necessary to translate each expression separately to communicate the idea. Look for the most natural way in your language to communicate the meaning. Your translation does not have to follow the form of the Greek text. Examples include:

from the start of time until today and until the end of time
-or-
from the very beginning to the very end
-or-
It has always been so, and it always will be so.
-or-
always and forever

before all time: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as before all time is literally “before all the time/eternity.” This means before time even began. Some ways to say this include:

before all ages
-or-
before time began/was
-or-
before God created anything

now: This means more than just “today.” It refers to the passing of time in this present age, including the time now.

for all eternity: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as for all eternity is literally “into all the ages,” and it means “forevermore, never to end.”

Amen: This word occurs over one hundred times in the New Testament, so you have probably seen it before. It may be familiar to your readers from the Bible version in your national language, or your people may use it to end prayers. If this is so, it is recommended that you use that familiar term here.

However, you may decide to use an expression from your own language to translate the meaning. Some ways to express the meaning in English are:

Truly!
-or-
Indeed!
-or-
So it shall be.

General Comment on 24–25

In some languages, it may be necessary or more natural to identify God as “the only God” at the beginning of this paragraph. In addition, it may be clearer if you reorder other parts of this paragraph. For example:

^25aThe only God ^24ais the one who is able to keep you from falling, ^24band he is able to make you innocent and joyful when he brings you to stand before him in his glory. ^25aHe has saved us ^25cthrough our Lord, Jesus Christ. ^25bGlory, majesty, power, and authority were his ^25dsince before time began, are still his now, and will be his forever. Amen.

1:1a

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ: In an ancient Greek letter, it was normal for the writer to mention his own name first. So James began this letter with his own name. However, in some languages, starting with James’ name will not make it clear that James was the writer of the letter. It may be necessary to say this explicitly. For example:

This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

In some languages, it is not usual for a person to talk about himself in the third person. In these languages, it may be necessary to say:

I, James, am writing this letter. I am a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.
-or-
I am James. I am writing this letter to you. I am a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.

James: James was one of Jesus’ younger brothers. He was also one of the leaders of the church in Jerusalem. He is mentioned in Matthew 13:55, Mark 6:3, and various other places in the NT. It is important to spell the name James the same way here as you did in those passages.

For more information about James, see the section called “The person who wrote the letter” in the Introduction.

a servant of God: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as servant also means “slave.” This normally refers to someone who was owned by another person. He worked for his owner without receiving pay.

The phrase servant of God (or more often “servant of the Lord”) is often used figuratively in the Old Testament to describe the relationship that God’s people have to him, their master. It refers to someone who submits to God, serves God, and is devoted and loyal to God.

People often despised servants or slaves. But when someone called himself a servant of God, as James did here, he was not ashamed of it. If you have more than one word to describe servants or slaves, choose the one that is most appropriate to be used in this positive sense that describes a believer’s relationship to God.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

a slave of God (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))
-or-
a worker of/for God

In some languages, it will be best to translate the word servant as a verb. For example:

I serve God
-or-
belong to God
-or-
submit to God

and of the Lord Jesus Christ: James also called himself a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Lord: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Lord means someone who has authority over someone or something. Here it is a title that identifies Jesus as God, the one who has supreme authority.

Some other ways to translate Lord are:

Master
-or-
Owner
-or-
supreme Chief/Leader

In some languages, it may be necessary to add a word like “our” before Lord. For example:

our Master/Chief

Christ: The word Christ is sometimes used as a title and sometimes as a name. Even when it is used as a name, it has the same meaning that it has as a title. Here in James, the word Christ probably functions as a title more than as a name. (This is based on the position taken in these Notes that James addressed this letter to Jewish Christians for whom the title “Christ” (or “Messiah”) would have had significant meaning. It is also based on an assumed early date for the book of James (sometime between AD 50 and AD 62), a time before “Christ” came to be established as a name. See, for example, McCartney, page 79, and the Translator’s Handbook, page 8, (which agrees that “Christ” would have been a title to early Christians of Jewish background though the Handbook takes the position that James wrote to Christians in general, Jewish and Gentile alike).)

The title Christ is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word “Messiah.” The Jews used this title to refer to the person whom God had appointed and promised to send as king and savior.

Some ways to translate Christ are:

• Use a title or a descriptive phrase in your language that has the same meaning as Christ. For example:

Messiah
-or-
Promised Deliverer
-or-
the Rescuer-King whom God appointed

• Transliterate Christ and include a phrase that explains the meaning. For example:

Christ, the appointed one
-or-
Cristo, the Savior whom God promised to send
-or-
the Christ, he comes from God

• Transliterate Christ and indicate in some way that it is a title. For example:

the Christ
-or-
the Kirisita

If you do not indicate the meaning of Christ in the text, you may want to include a footnote to explain it. Or you may want to explain the meaning in a glossary. For example:

The word/title “Christ” refers to the one whom God had promised to send. He would be both king and savior.

1:1b

To the twelve tribes of the Dispersion: Greetings: In some languages, it may be natural to place the word Greetings before the phrase saying whom James was greeting. For example:

Greetings to the twelve tribes scattered all over the world. (Contemporary English Version)

It may also be necessary to use a verb that means “greets” rather than the noun Greetings. For example:

I greet the twelve tribes scattered among the nations
-or-
I say “hello” to you twelve tribes scattered among the nations

To the twelve tribes of the Dispersion: Most scholars interpret the phrase the twelve tribes to refer to Christians. (A small group of scholars say that James was writing to all Jews. For more information, see the section called “The people to whom James wrote” in the Introduction.) However, there are two ways to interpret which Christians this phrase refers to:

(1) It refers to Jewish Christians who were scattered in other countries. The twelve tribes was a common way to refer to the Jews. Here it refers to Jews who were Christians. For example, the New Living Translation (2004 Revision) says:

I am writing to the “twelve tribes”—Jewish believers scattered abroad.

(New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

(2) It refers to both Jewish and Gentile Christians. Certain passages describe Christians as true or spiritual Israel. (See, for example, Galatians 3:7 and Galatians 3:29). Christians are of the Dispersion in the sense that they do not live in heaven which is their true homeland. For example, the Good News Translation says:

to all God’s people scattered over the whole world

(Good News Translation, New Century Version, God’s Word)

Most English versions translate this phrase literally and do not make it clear to whom the phrase refers. It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) (We are following a majority of Bible scholars, though opinion is split on this issue.) and make this interpretation clear either in the text or in a footnote.

Some ways to translate this phrase are:

• Make it explicit that the phrase the twelve tribes refers to the twelve tribes “of Israel.” For example:

to the twelve tribes/clans of Israel who are scattered among the nations
-or-
to the people of Israel who are scattered among the nations

If you do this, you should include a footnote to explain that the twelve tribes refers to Jewish Christians.

• Make it explicit that the phrase the twelve tribes refers to Jewish Christians. For example:

to Jewish believers who are scattered among the nations

the twelve tribes: The phrase the twelve tribes refers to the descendants of Jacob’s twelve sons, whom God renamed as Israel. These people all spoke the same language and all considered themselves to belong to the same ethnic group.

In some languages it is more natural to call them:

clans
-or-
sections/divisions

of the Dispersion: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the Dispersion refers to certain times during the Jews’ history, when they had been forced to flee from their country. Many of them still lived in other (non-Jewish) countries. These are the people who would normally be referred to as the Dispersion.

However, James was probably writing to Jewish Christians. So he might also have meant the Jewish believers who had been forced to leave Jerusalem because they had been persecuted for their faith. See Acts 11:19 for an example.

The word Dispersion means that these people were living outside of their country or home areas. It does not mean that these people were living far apart from each other.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

dispersed throughout the world (Revised English Bible)
-or-
spread outside of their homeland
-or-
living in other countries

© 2012 by SIL International®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

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.