SIL Translator’s Notes on Jude 2007

SIL Translator's Notes on Jude 1:9

Deuteronomy 34:5–6 says that the Lord buried Moses in the land of Moab. Jude referred in verse 9 to a story about this event. The story, called “the Assumption of Moses,” is not in the Bible. We know about it from other sources. (We do not have a copy of the Assumption of Moses. The story has been pieced together from several sources.) Jude’s readers probably knew this story.

Here is a summary of the story:

After Moses died, the Lord told the leading angel, Michael, to bury Moses’ body, but the devil argued with Michael. The devil said that Michael did not have the right to take the body and bury it. The devil argued that he himself could claim the body. (The devil argued that he had a right to claim Moses’ body, because Moses had murdered an Egyptian.) However, Michael refused to give the body to the devil. Michael did not pronounce judgment on the devil, because the Lord alone had the authority to judge. (For a reconstructed outline of this story see Kistemaker, page 386.)

But even: Jude contrasted the evil actions of the fake Christians with the correct action of the archangel Michael.

the archangel Michael: Archangels are angels who lead other angels. Michael is the only archangel mentioned by name in the Bible. Some ways to translate archangel are:

leading angel
-or-
chief angel
-or-
leader of God’s angels

The general comment at the end of the notes for 9d shows a way in which the parts of this verse may be reordered. Putting 9b at the end of the verse may be more natural in some languages.

when he disputed with the devil over the body of Moses: Michael and the devil disputed about which of them had a right to take the body of Moses. For more detail, see the introductory note at the beginning of verse 9.

disputed: The Greek text has two verbs here in 9b that express almost the same idea. The text is literally:

when with the devil disputing, he was arguing about the body of Moses.

The two Greek verbs were often used when talking about legal disputes. They do not simply mean that Michael and Satan quarreled. If your language has terms for a disagreement concerning the law, then it may be appropriate to use them here. The term(s) you select should not imply that Michael and the devil fought physically.

Since the two Greek verbs have almost the same meaning, (English versions that translate each of the two Greek verbs separately include: God’s Word, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, King James Version, New American Standard Bible, NET Bible, New Revised Standard Version, Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation. We can see how close in meaning the two Greek verbs are by comparing how these versions translated each Greek verb.Here are versions which translate the first verb, diakrinomenos, with a form of the following verbs:argue (God’s Word, NET Bible) -or-contend (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, King James Version, New Revised Standard Version, Revised Standard Version)-or-dispute (New American Standard Bible)These versions translate the second Greek verb, dielegeto, with a form of these verbs:argue (God’s Word, New American Standard Bible, Good News Translation)-or-dispute (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, King James Version, New Revised Standard Version, Revised Standard Version)) there are two basic options for translation:

• Translate the two Greek verbs separately. For example:

when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
In his quarrel with the Devil, when they argued about who would have the body of Moses (Good News Translation)

• Use one expression to translate the idea of both Greek verbs, as the Berean Standard Bible and some other English versions have done. (English versions that use one verb to translate the idea of both Greek verbs include: Berean Standard Bible, Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, New International Version (2011 Revision), New Jerusalem Bible, New Living Translation (2004 Revision), Revised English Bible. They used a form of one of the following:argue (Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New Living Translation (2004 Revision)),-or-dispute (Berean Standard Bible, New International Version (2011 Revision), Revised English Bible)) For example:

when the two of them were arguing about the body of Moses. (Contemporary English Version)

Look for the most natural way in your language to translate the idea that these two Greek verbs express. In the Display, only one verb is used.

the devil: Jude referred to Satan, the leader of the fallen angels, as the devil here. The devil is the chief enemy of God and the most evil spiritual being.

did not presume: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as presume means “to be bold enough [to do something].” In this context Michael was not “bold enough” to judge the devil because he knew that only the Lord had that authority.

The text does not imply that Michael would have judged the devil if he were bolder. Nor does the text imply that Michael was afraid of the devil. Rather, it meant that Michael refused to use authority which belonged only to the Lord. Another way to say this is:

did not dare to condemn him…by judging the devil.

to bring a slanderous charge: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as to bring a slanderous charge is literally, “to pronounce a judgment of blasphemy.” Scholars have different opinions about who was blaspheming here and against whom the blasphemy was made. Three ways to interpret this phrase are:

(1) It means that Michael did not dare to judge the devil or condemn him. Only the Lord had that authority. If Michael had done it, that would have been blasphemy against the Lord. For example:

Michael didn’t dare to hand down a judgment against the devil. (God’s Word)
-or-
Not even…Michael…dared to judge the devil guilty. (New Century Version)

(God’s Word, New Century Version, UBS Handbook) (Jude meant that Michael did not dare to condemn the devil, because pronouncing judgment against the devil would be blasphemy against the Lord. For anyone besides the Lord to make this kind of judgment is, by nature, blasphemy. Apparently, that is the reason why the New Century Version and God’s Word make blasphemy implicit in their translations. See also the discussion of Jude 9 in the UBS Handbook Handbook.)

(2) It means that Michael did not dare to slander (“blaspheme”) the devil. (Some scholars reject interpretation (2), because the devil was actually guilty. Therefore, even if Michael had condemned the devil, it would not have been slander against him.) For example:

Michael did not dare condemn the Devil with insulting words…. (Good News Translation)

(Berean Standard Bible, Contemporary English Version, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, King James Version, New American Standard Bible, New International Version (2011 Revision), New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible, Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation)

(3) It implies that the devil had committed slander (“blasphemy”), probably against Moses, (Jude contrasted the fake Christians in verse 8 with the archangel Michael, not the devil. The similar passage, 2 Peter 2:11, uses the adjectival form of the word “blasphemy.” Therefore, it is more likely that 2 Peter speaks of a “blasphemous judgment,” not a “judgment for blasphemy.” If the point of comparison is similar in Jude, this favors interpretation (1) over interpretation (3).) but Michael did not dare to accuse him. For example:

Michael…did not dare accuse Satan of blasphemy. (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

(New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Michael refused to do what the fake Christians were doing (8d), that is, blaspheme against God.

against him: The phrase against him is implied information. It does not translate a particular word or phrase in the Greek text of Jude 9. If it is not necessary in your language, you do not need to make it explicit in your translation.

but said: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as but said introduce what Michael did in contrast to what he would not do (9c). Indicate this contrast in a natural way in your language.

The Lord rebuke you!: Since only God had the authority to judge and punish the devil, Michael left it to The Lord to do it. Although the Greek expression used here is often translated as a wish or request, (Jude probably used the optative to show Michael’s great respect for God. Michael does not even give the impression that he is telling the Lord what to do. It is the Lord’s prerogative alone to decide whom he will condemn and how he will punish him. Another way to translate this is: “Only the Lordmay condemn you.”) Michael did not doubt that The Lord would condemn the devil. The Contemporary English Version makes it clear that Michael was sure that the Lord would do this.

All Michael said was, “The Lord will punish you!”

The Lord: Here, The Lord refers to Jesus Christ. (At the time that Michael and the devil had this debate, the Christ (Messiah) was not yet incarnate.)

rebuke: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as rebuke often means “reprimand.” (“Reprimand” means to speak severely to someone because that person did something wrong.) In this verse it seems to have a harsher meaning, such as “condemn” or “punish.” See the Contemporary English Version example in the note above.

General Comment on 9a–d

In some languages, this verse will sound more natural if the order of the parts is changed. For example:

^9aBut even the archangel Michael ^9cwould not usurp the Lord’s authority by condemning the devil. ^9dInstead Michael said, “The Lord will punish you.” ^9bThis happened when Michael contended with the devil and disputed with him about whether it was right for Michael to bury the body of Moses.

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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.

SIL Translator's Notes on Jude 1:20

Section 20–23

Jude encouraged believers to trust God and to help other people to trust him

In verses 20–21 Jude told his readers to keep experiencing God’s love for them (21a), while waiting for Jesus to give them eternal life (21b–c). They were to do this by depending more and more on the truth that Christians believe (20b), and by praying with the help of the Holy Spirit (20c).

In verses 22–23 Jude told his readers how they were to act toward three types of people. (Jude instructed the Christians to:(a) show mercy to people who were uncertain about what to believe,(b) quickly rescue those who were beginning to follow the fake Christians,(c) while being very careful, show mercy to those who were already following these fake Christians.) The fake Christians were harming these people through their false teaching and the sinful things that they did.

Paragraph 20–21

Jude wanted his readers to continue in fellowship with God, as they waited to experience the eternal life that Jesus had provided for them.

20–21

building yourselves up…praying…keep: The Greek verbs that the Berean Standard Bible translates as building…up (20b) and praying (20c) relate to keep in Jude 21a. Scholars have different views about exactly how these words relate to keep. (Scholars have different opinions concerning the relationship of the participles in verse 20 to the main verb in verse 21, which the Berean Standard Bible translates as “keep.” Some scholars and versions interpret these participles as imperatives, because the main verb is imperative. Others interpret them as attendant circumstance, and still others as means.) The Notes takes the view that they express the means by which Jude’s readers could keep themselves in God’s love. The NET Bible says: (The NET Bible contains the following note for verse 20.“The participles in v. 20 have been variously interpreted. Some treat them imperativally or as attendant circumstance to the imperative in v. 21 (‘maintain’): ‘build yourselves up…pray.’ But they do not follow the normal contours of either the imperatival or attendant circumstance participles, rendering this unlikely. A better option is to treat them as the means by which the readers are to maintain themselves in the love of God. This both makes eminently good sense and fits the structural patterns of instrumental participles elsewhere.”)

²⁰But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith, by praying in the Holy Spirit, ²¹maintain yourselves in the love of God…. (NET Bible)

In some languages, it may be necessary to reorder parts of verses 20 and 21 in order to express means. For example, it may be more natural for the verb keep to come before these two verbs. A general comment on 20–21 at the end of the notes for 21b–c gives examples.

20a

But you, beloved: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as But you, beloved are the same words that begin 17a.

These words begin a new section. They indicate that what Jude said in verses 20–21 was especially important.

But you: The Greek word de that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as But shows that this paragraph contrasts with the paragraph that precedes it.

The pronoun you is emphatic and implies a contrast between the fake Christians and Jude’s readers.

beloved: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as beloved was a normal way for Jude to address Christian friends whom he loved. It is used in the same way in 3a and 17a. See the note on 17a.

20b

by building yourselves up in your most holy faith: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as building…up is literally “building…upon.” (This idiom may have well have been focusing on the foundation that was built upon, rather than on the exact nature of the building that was built upon it. Some versions make the building metaphor more explicit, by adding “foundation.” Their faith was something to build upon, like a foundation. This corresponds well with the case of the noun, pistei, which is dative.) The word can be used in a literal way to refer to constructing a building on a foundation. In this verse it is used in a figurative way. It implies that the Christians should use their holy faith as the foundation or basis for their lives (for their thoughts and actions).

In some languages a literal translation of the figure of speech may not be clear. Other ways to express the idea are:

by building your lives on the foundation of your holy faith.
-or-
use your most holy faith to grow. (God’s Word)
-or-
by depending on your most holy faith as the basis for your lives.

building yourselves up: This was a metaphor. It was based on constructing a building. In the New Testament, this metaphor was commonly used. However, it had been used so much by Jude’s time that the saying probably had a set meaning. (It had become a “dead metaphor.”) In that case, people may have no longer thought of constructing an actual building. In many languages it may be best to express the meaning here without the metaphor of building. For example:

By using your most holy faith to grow…
-or-
By trusting even more the most holy truths that you believe…

building…up: The form of the Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as building…up indicates that the action should be continuing. (The same is true for the other participles and verbs in this paragraph.) It was something that Jude wanted his readers to keep doing; it was not an action that they would do only once. Some ways to indicate this in English are:

continue to build… (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))
-or-
keep building… (Contemporary English Version)

In some languages, as in Greek, there is a verb form that indicates that an action is continuing. Look for the most natural way in your language to express this idea.

As stated in the note on 20–21, in this context building…up expresses a means or way by which Jude’s readers could keep themselves in God’s love (21a).

yourselves: Scholars interpret yourselves in different ways in this context:

(1) Jude meant that each individual Christian should build himself or herself up.

(2) Jude meant that the Christians were to build each other up.

If your language requires you to distinguish between these two interpretations, it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). (While interpretation (1) may have been Jude’s primary meaning here, he certainly would have favored building others up as well.)

in your most holy faith: In some languages, it may be more natural to translate this idea without using a preposition like in or “on.” For example:

by continuing to use your most holy faith to build your lives
-or-
by basing your life/actions/thought more and more on the true teachings that you believe

your…faith: Here, your…faith refers to the true Christian teachings that Jude’s readers had been taught. The Greek form that the Berean Standard Bible translates as your is plural. As Christians, this faith was something that they all believed.

most holy faith: Jude described their faith as most holy, because:

(a) God (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.) is holy, and God had revealed this faith to them.

(b) This faith was about how God saved us by providing a holy sacrifice for our sins, Jesus Christ.

Jude was not comparing their faith to other faiths here. He was expressing the unique holiness of their faith. Other ways to translate most holy faith are:

most sacred faith (Revised English Bible)
-or-
the truth about God that you believe
-or-
the unique beliefs that you received from God

20c

and praying in the Holy Spirit: The note on 20–21 mentioned that the verb praying is related to the verb “keep” in 21a. Praying in the Holy Spirit was a means/way by which Jude’s readers were to keep themselves in God’s love (21a).

Praying in the Holy Spirit implies that they should be praying with the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Two ways to translate this are:

pray with the Holy Spirit helping/directing you.
-or-
praying with the Holy Spirit as your guide.

praying: The form of the Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as praying indicates that the action should be continuing. (The same is true for the other participles and verbs in this paragraph.) Jude meant for his readers to continue to pray. Refer to the note on “building…up” in 20b. For example:

by continuing to pray as you are directed by the Holy Spirit.

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SIL Translator's Notes on Jude 1:10

In this verse, there is a contrast between 10a and 10b–c. (In the Greek text of this verse, there is a men–de relationship between 10a and 10b–c. In English, men–de is often defined as “on the one hand”…“on the other hand.” None of the English versions make this explicit in their translation. This form, when used in English, usually marks some kind of contrast. In this verse, however, both the men and the de reinforce Jude’s point, that is, the sinfulness of the fake Christians. The contrast relates to their response to what (men) they do not understand (10a) and to what (de) they do understand (10b–c). In both cases they act sinfully.) This contrast is between the response of the fake Christians to what they did not understand and their response to what they did understand. Be sure to express this contrast clearly in your translation.

10a

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

But these people… (Good News Translation)

For another note that talks about this matter, see “certain men” in 4a.

however: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as however indicates a contrast between this verse and verse 9. In this verse, Jude contrasted the sinful ways of the fake Christians with Michael (verse 9), who respected the Lord. Jude described these people as being like unthinking animals.

slander: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as slander is literally “blaspheme.” Forms of this word were also used in 8d and 9c, where the Berean Standard Bible translates them as “slander” and “slanderous.” Here in verse 10, the word is used in a general way. It should be translated with a general expression that could apply to either God or people. (In English, “blaspheme” would generally apply to a deity, and “slander” to other personal beings, such as angels, human beings, and possibly Jesus according to his human nature.) For example:

speak against
-or-
speak disrespectfully about
-or-
slight

what they do not understand: Jude was probably not referring here to any one thing in particular that these people did not understand. (English versions that support this interpretation include: Berean Standard Bible, God’s Word, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, New American Standard Bible, New International Version (2011 Revision), New Jerusalem Bible, New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation.) The people spoke against anything that they did not understand. (The Contemporary English Version disagrees. It seems to say that Jude was speaking specifically about the insulting of angels (see also verse 8 in the Contemporary English Version, specifically 8d). Here in 10a, the Contemporary English Version says: “But these people insult powers they don’t know anything about.”) For example, they did not understand the Lord, the gospel message, divine authority, morality, and many other things. (The fake Christians probably claimed to have special knowledge, perhaps from their dreams. Here and later in this verse, Jude disagreed with their claim to have special understanding.) Ways to translate this include:

But these people abuse anything they do not understand (New Jerusalem Bible).
-or-
But these people mock and curse the things they do not understand (New Living Translation (2004 Revision)).
-or-
These people, however, speak disrespectfully against whatever and whomever they do not understand.

10b

like irrational animals: In general, animals do not reason or think about most things. They follow their natural desires. If they are hungry, they eat. If they are tired, they sleep. If it is time to mate, then they mate. Jude was implying that some of the desires that these people followed were sinful desires. They followed these desires without thinking about the consequences of their actions. The note on 10c discusses this further.

Other ways to say this are:

like senseless animals (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
like animals that do not reason

10c

they will be destroyed by the things they do instinctively: Jude indicates that these fake Christians were destroying themselves by doing the things that they knew by instinct. They probably did this by following their instincts in sinful ways, such as by committing sexual sins or gluttony. By such actions, they would cause the Lord to destroy them.

they will be destroyed: There is implied information here about the way that these people would be destroyed. Their sinful actions would cause the Lord to judge and punish them. The destruction would not be only the natural results of their actions, such as troubles or disease. In some languages it may be necessary to make the Lord’s role explicit. For example:

10b–cand when like animals they act on what they do understand by instinct, they cause the Lord to destroy them.

the things they do instinctively: Although there are many things that the fake Christians did not understand (10a), Jude said that they did understand some things. They understood these things instinctively. The things people do instinctively include natural urges like eating, sleeping, and having sexual relations.

instinctively: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as instinctively refers to what people naturally know to do. They understand these things, because doing them is according to their nature.

Some languages may not have a single word for instinctively. If this is true in your language, you may be able to say something like:

without thinking
-or-
according to their natural way(s)

Animals live instinctively, so Jude compared what these fake Christians do to animals, as described in the next note.

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SIL Translator's Notes on Jude 1:21

In this verse, Jude told his readers to maintain/keep themselves in God’s love, using the means that he described in verse 20. They were to continue to do this as they waited for the Lord, Jesus Christ, to return so that they could live forever with him.

21a

keep yourselves in the love of God: This clause means “continue to experience God’s love.” It indicates that Jude’s readers should always remember that God loves them. They should live in such a way that they enjoy that knowledge. They should not do anything that would hinder them from experiencing his love or from receiving his blessings. Some ways to translate this are:

maintain yourselves in God’s love.
-or-
keep experiencing God’s love for you.
-or-
always remain in God’s love for you.

keep: Jude frequently used the Greek verb tēreō, which the Berean Standard Bible translates as keep. He used a form of tēreō in 1f, 6a, 6c, 13d (where the Berean Standard Bible translates it as “reserved”), and here in 21a. It was possible for Jude to use one verb in all these contexts in Greek because tēreō could be used in many different ways.

In other languages, including English, it may not be natural or possible to use the same verb in all these contexts. In each context, you should use a verb that expresses the meaning in a natural way.

the love of God: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as love of God in this context probably refers to God’s love for them, rather than to their love for God. (Some English versions indicate this explicitly, including Contemporary English Version, God’s Word, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, New Century Version, New International Version (2011 Revision), New Jerusalem Bible, and New Living Translation (2004 Revision). English versions which are ambiguous are: Berean Standard Bible, King James Version, New American Standard Bible, NET Bible, New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, Revised Standard Version, and Good News Translation.). Here is another way to translate this verse part:

Live in such a way that God’s love can bless you. (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

The phrase love of God is then parallel in meaning to “the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ” in 21c. These two phrases together are similar in meaning to what Jude wrote in 1e and 1f:

loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ:

21b–c

as you await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you eternal life: A literal translation of 21b–c is: “anticipating the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.” It can be difficult in English to show how the ideas in 21b–c are related to each other, and English versions differ in the ways they translate them. It may be easier to understand the meaning if the ideas are expressed in a different order. For example:

^21cOur Lord Jesus Christ is merciful to you. Because of his mercy, he will give you eternal life. ^21bYou are expecting/waiting-for him to do that.

Below are some ways that English versions have expressed the meaning. Notice that in each version a different idea follows the verb. These ideas are underlined.

as you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ in his mercy to give you eternal life. (Good News Translation)
-or-
as you wait for the eternal life that our Lord Jesus Christ in his mercy is going to give you. (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))
-or-
as you look forward to the day when our Lord Jesus Christ in his mercy will give you eternal life.

These are not different interpretations. Instead, they are different ways to express the same interpretation in a clear and natural way. Use a natural way to express the idea in your language. (For example, in English, the objects “Jesus Christ” and “the day” are most natural when a form of the verb “wait” is used. The objects “eternal life” and “the day” work well in English with “look forward to.” However, while “the mercy” follows the form of the Greek wording, it is less natural with these verbs in English.)

as you await: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as you await is related to the verb “keep” in Jude 21a. Scholars have different views about exactly how it relates to this verb:

(1) It relates to the time of the verb “keep.” The action of the verb (await) happens at the same time as the action “keep.” For example:

keep…as you wait (Good News Translation)
-or-
maintain…while anticipating (NET Bible)
-or-
Remain…as you look for (God’s Word)

(Berean Standard Bible, Contemporary English Version, God’s Word, King James Version, New American Standard Bible, New Century Version, NET Bible, New International Version (2011 Revision), New Living Translation (2004 Revision), Good News Translation)

(2) It is another command, like the verb “keep.” The waiting was another thing that Jude told his readers to do. For example:

keep…and wait for (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
Keep…and look forward to (Revised English Bible)

(Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, New Jerusalem Bible, New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, Revised Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), as the majority of the English versions do.

A general comment on 21b–c at the end of these notes for 21b–c gives suggestions for how to relate the parts of 21b–c to each other in a translation.

await:

In the Bible, waiting and anticipation are often associated with the end times, and that is true here. Jude already referred to the end times in verses
6e and 14c–15.) In this context, the Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as await means “expect” or “anticipate.” The English expression await is also used here with that meaning.

the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ: The mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ is the kindness that Jesus would show toward Jude’s readers. He would show this mercy to them specifically by giving them eternal life when he returned.

mercy: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as mercy is also discussed in a note for verse 2.

our Lord Jesus Christ: Jude used the phrase our Lord Jesus Christ to indicate the relationship that he and his readers had with their master Jesus Christ. This same phrase is also used in 4f and 17b.

to bring you eternal life: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as to bring you eternal life is literally, “to/for eternal life.” The English versions have supplied a verb, (For example, the Berean Standard Bible supplied to bring. Many English versions supply the verb “give.” (Contemporary English Version, God’s Word, New Century Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New Living Translation (2004 Revision), Revised English Bible, Good News Translation). When considering whether a verb such as “give” should be supplied as implied information, you may wish to make sure that it does not imply that believers do not, in any way, have eternal life during their time on earth, because in one sense they do (John 3:36, John 5:24, and John 6:47).) because it is required in English for the translation to be natural and clear.

eternal life: Here, eternal life is life that never ends. Jesus made eternal life possible by paying the penalty for people’s sins when he suffered and died on the cross. In one sense, Christians receive eternal life when they first believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior. However, in another sense, they will experience it fully only when Jesus returns. Then they will be transformed, and there will no longer be any sin or death.

Here Jude was talking about this time when Jesus returns. (Here eternal life refers specifically to the life without end that believers experience following the resurrection of the dead that will take place when Jesus returns.) It is not recommended that you include such details in your translation.

General Comment on 21b–c

A translator must determine the best way to write about the connection that Jude intended to express between his readers “awaiting,” “Jesus Christ,” “mercy,” and “eternal life.” The ways that English versions have expressed this may not fit your language. Here are some examples of other ways to express the relationship between the parts of 21b–c:

as you wait to be transformed in order to live forever, because our Lord Jesus Christ had mercy on us(incl).
-or-
as you look forward to the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then you will enjoy the life that does not end, because he is compassionate toward us(incl).

General Comment on 20–21

In English, this paragraph sounds more natural if its parts are reordered so that the main verb (Berean Standard Bible: “keep”) comes before the verbs of verse 20 (Berean Standard Bible: “building…up” and “praying”). Here are examples of how this might be done:

^20a But you, my dear friends, ^21a you should maintain yourselves in God’s love. ^20b Do this by building your lives upon the foundation of the uniquely holy truths that you believe, ^20c and by praying with the Holy Spirit as your guide, ^21b as you wait ^21cto live forever because of the mercy our Lord Jesus Christ shows us.
-or-
^20a My friends, ^21a continue to experience God’s love for you. ^20b Do this by basing your lives more and more on the most sacred truths you have believed ^20c and by praying with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. ^21b Keep doing this while you wait ^21cfor the day when our Lord, Jesus Christ, will return. Then you will live forever, because he had mercy on us.

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SIL Translator's Notes on Jude 1:11

Paragraph 11–13

In this paragraph, Jude compared the fake Christians to three men from the Old Testament (verse 11). These three men were Cain, Balaam, and Korah. They were famous because they had sinned greatly. Jude used these three men to show that the Lord would condemn the fake Christians, because they had sinned like these three men had sinned. Jude also illustrated the wickedness of the fake Christians by comparing them to objects from nature (verses 12–13).

In this verse, Jude used a style of writing called a “woe oracle.” (Woe oracles are common in the Old Testament and in the Gospels. Writers used them to announce punishment for sin, and that was Jude’s purpose here.) This woe oracle has three parts. They are:

(a) the woe,

(b) the sins committed,

11a

Woe to them!: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as Woe to them is often used in the Bible when people are in trouble because of their sin(s). Ways to translate this include:

How terrible it will be for them! (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))
-or-
They are doomed.
-or-
Trouble is coming to them.
-or-
Their sins doom them.

11b

The Greek text of 11b begins with the conjunction, hoti. Here this conjunction means “because.” It introduces the reasons that the fake Christians would be judged and punished.

Many English versions, (English versions that make hoti implicit here include: Berean Standard Bible, Contemporary English Version, God’s Word, New Century Version, New International Version (2011 Revision), New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible, Good News Translation.) like the Berean Standard Bible, do not use a connector here. Instead, they make the connection implicit. If you translate hoti, try to make it clear that it connects 11a with 11b–d, not just with 11b. The New Jerusalem Bible shows one way to translate this connection:

^11aAlas for them, ^11b–dbecause they have followed Cain…. (New Jerusalem Bible)

They have traveled the path of Cain: In the Bible, words like path, “road,” or “way” often refer to the type of life that a person lives, that is, to his behavior. So They have traveled the path of Cain means:

they have chosen to behave like Cain.

In Genesis chapter 4, Cain and his brother Abel offered sacrifices to God. God accepted Abel’s sacrifice, but he did not accept Cain’s sacrifice. Because of this, Cain became very angry and murdered his brother. Although Cain’s sin of murder was emphasized, he became known more generally to the Jews as someone who was selfish and who led others to sin. (Cain is mentioned in the New Testament in 1 John 3:12 as an example that we should not follow. Non-biblical Jewish literature also used Cain as an example of sinful behavior.)

Jude used Cain as an example of someone who sinned throughout his life, so your translation should not be too specific. A translation should not say or imply that Jude was referring only to Cain’s murder of his brother Abel. The idea here is of a lifetime of sin. Ways to say this include:

because they behave/live wickedly like Cain did.
-or-
because they sin the way Cain did.

If the people who will read your translation do not know who Cain is, you can tell them more about him in a footnote or perhaps in a glossary.

11c

they have rushed headlong: The fake Christians were eager to get what they wanted, and this made them very willing to sin. (Several English versions use rushed to describe the complete willingness of these fake Christians to sin in order to get what they wanted (Berean Standard Bible, God’s Word, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, New American Standard Bible, New International Version (2011 Revision)).) In fact, the Greek expression literally indicates that they were “carried along” by the sin. This is a figure of speech, and in some languages there may be other figures to express this idea. Other ways to express it in English include:

they have plunged into (Revised English Bible)
-or-
abandon themselves to (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
they have given themselves (New Century Version, Good News Translation)

If your language has a special way to speak about a person who does something without hesitation and without holding himself back, you may want to use it here.

into the error of Balaam: Balaam was a prophet (Balaam is identified as a prophet in 2 Peter 2:15–16.) who lived during the time of Moses (Numbers 22–24 and Deuteronomy 23:3–6). He was not an Israelite. The leaders of Moab and Midian, (According to Numbers 22:7, the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian went to Balaam.) who were enemies of the Israelites, hired Balaam to curse the Israelites.

God did not allow Balaam to curse the Israelites, so the leaders did not pay Balaam. Because he wanted money, Balaam made a new plan. He told the enemies of the Israelites to send their women to seduce the Israelite men to sin sexually and worship idols (Numbers chapter 25 and Numbers 31:16). Many Israelite men sinned with these women. Later, the Israelites killed Balaam (Numbers 31:8).

error: Balaam’s greed caused his error. His error was sinful, not an error that he made by accident. His error has two main aspects:

(a) His error was the wrong he did, that he led others to sin. For example:

for money they have given themselves to doing the wrong that Balaam did. (New Century Version)

(b) His error was his wrong thinking. His desire for money led him to make the mistake of going against God. (He paid a big price for this mistake—death (Numbers 31:8).) For example:

they have thrown themselves into the same delusion as Balaam for a reward. (New Jerusalem Bible)

The fake Christians erred just like Balaam had erred.

One way to translate 11c that includes both aspects is:

They have wholeheartedly given themselves over to sin. Because they are greedy for money like Balaam was, they have made the mistake that he made of leading other people to sin.

11d

they have perished: The Berean Standard Bible has used a passive verb here. However, the Greek text could also be translated literally as “they have destroyed themselves.” By their rebellion, the fake Christians caused their own destruction. Other ways to say this are:

they have…destroyed themselves (God’s Word, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
-or-
they have been ruined by the same rebellion as Korah—and share the same fate. (New Jerusalem Bible)

The Lord is the one who would punish the fake Christians, but this verse focuses on their sinful actions. However, in some languages it may be more natural to use a passive verb. (For translators working in a language that does not use passive verbs, it is especially appropriate to use a reflexive translation like “they have destroyed themselves.” Such a translation would not require a translator to specify “the Lord” or “God” as an agent, thus shifting the focus of the verse away from the motivation and actions of the fake Christians. None of the English versions used in these Notes have changed the expression to an active one in such a way.) For example:

they will…be destroyed (Contemporary English Version, New Century Version)
-or-
they will…perish (NET Bible, New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

have perished: Jude spoke here as though they had already been destroyed or perished. However, he did not mean that the fake Christians had already been punished or had died. Instead, the verb form he used indicates that they had made their destruction certain (The thought is similar to the English idiomatic expression, “They are as good as dead.”) by disobeying God. In some languages it may be more natural to use a future tense. For example:

And like Korah, they will perish because of their rebellion. (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

in Korah’s rebellion: Korah, along with some other Israelite men, led a rebellion against Moses and Aaron (Numbers chapter 16). By rebelling against the leaders whom God had chosen, Korah and his followers were rebelling against God himself. (God gave just Aaron and his sons the privilege of being priests, and God assigned just the Levites to serve in his house. Korah and his followers rebelled, by saying that Israelites from other tribes and families could also do these things.) God destroyed the leaders of this rebellion by causing the earth to open up and “swallow” them alive. He also sent fire from heaven to destroy the people who followed Korah and the other leaders.

rebellion: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as rebellion does not refer to an armed or military conflict. Instead, it refers to disobedience. Korah disobeyed the Lord and also led other people to disobey him. The fake Christians that Jude wrote about also disobeyed the Lord and influenced others to disobey him.

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SIL Translator's Notes on Jude 1:22

Paragraph 22–23

In this paragraph, Jude told his readers to help three groups of people (In order to translate 22–23, a translator needs to decide how many different types of people Jude told his readers to help here. The English versions translate as follows:(1) Jude meant three types of people (Berean Standard Bible, God’s Word, New American Standard Bible, New Century Version, NET Bible, New International Version (2011 Revision), New Jerusalem Bible, New Living Translation (2004 Revision), New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation).(2) Jude meant two types of people (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, King James Version).(3) The number is not clearly defined (Contemporary English Version).It is recommended that you translate according to interpretation (1), that Jude here wrote about three distinct types of people influenced by the fake Christians.) whom the fake Christians had influenced by their false teaching and sinful living.

The order in which Jude mentioned these three types of people relates to the amount of influence the fake Christians had on each type. Their false teaching and sinful living had influenced the first type less than the second type, and the second type less than the third type.

have mercy: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as have mercy means “to be kind and compassionate.” Jude wanted his readers to have mercy by helping these people.

Jude used the noun form of this word in verses 2 and 21b–c.

on those who doubt: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as those who doubt refers to people in the church who were confused about what to believe. The church leaders taught God’s true message, but the fake Christians spoke and acted contrary to this true teaching.

Ways to translate this include:

those people who do not know what to believe
-or-
those people whose faith is wavering
-or-
those people who have doubts

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SIL Translator's Notes on Jude 1:1

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,

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.”

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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SIL Translator's Notes on Jude 1:12

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.)

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Source: SIL Translator's Notes on Jude 2007

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SIL Translator's Notes on Jude 1:10

SIL Translator's Notes on Jude 1:21

SIL Translator's Notes on Jude 1:11

SIL Translator's Notes on Jude 1:22

SIL Translator's Notes on Jude 1:1

SIL Translator's Notes on Jude 1:12

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