SIL Translator’s Notes on Jude 2007 – Page 3

SIL Translator's Notes on Jude 1:17

Paragraph 17–19

In this paragraph, Jude used the text-application style (The style he used was the “midrash” style, which was sometimes used by Jewish rabbis (see the Introduction for these Notes). This midrash has a text-application pair. The text (18b–d) was a prophecy taught by the apostles of Jesus Christ. In verse 19, Jude applied this prophecy to the situation that Jude’s readers faced.) again for the last time in his letter. (This is the last midrash of the letter.) (See Section 5–19 for more explanation of this style.) In verses 17–18 he reminded his readers of a prophecy which the apostles of Jesus Christ had made. They had prophesied that there would be scoffers who would follow their own evil desires. In verse 19, Jude applied this prophecy to the fake Christians who were causing trouble in their church.

This paragraph 17–19 provides a transition from Section 5–19 to Section 20–23. (Jude began both paragraph 17–19 and the first paragraph of the next section (paragraph 20–21) by addressing his readers with exactly the same Greek words, literally, “But you, beloved.”)

17a

But you, beloved, remember: Jude used this phrase to mark the text in 18b–d as being more important (Possible reasons why Jude marked this midrash (text-application) text as being more important include:(a) because it was the last midrash text in his letter.(b) because it was the only text he cited from a Christian source.) than the other texts (This refers to the text portions of the midrash text-application pairs in this Section 5–19.) in the text-application pairs that preceded it in the letter. He indicated its importance in several ways:

(a) He used an emphatic pronoun, you.

(b) He addressed his readers directly with the expression, beloved.

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

beloved: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as beloved was also used in 3a and later at 20a. This was a normal way for Jude to address Christian friends whom he loved. See the note on 3a.

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.

remember: Jude told (Jude used an imperative verb form here, whereas he used a less directive form (aorist infinitive) in 5a. A literal translation of the Greek phrase that Jude wrote in 5a is “I want to remind you.”) his readers to remember/recall a prophecy with which they were already familiar.

17b

what was foretold by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: We do not know how Jude’s readers knew about this prophecy. They themselves may have heard the apostles speak it, or someone else may have reported it to them. The only other verse in the New Testament that this prophecy is mentioned is in the parallel passage in 2 Peter 3:3.

foretold: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as foretold is literally “spoken before.” It indicates here that the apostles predicted what was going to happen. This can also be translated as:

what the apostles…prophesied
-or-
the predictions of the apostles (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
what the apostles…said would happen
-or-
what the apostles…told you to expect (God’s Word)

apostles: Jude probably referred here to men whom Jesus himself chose to be his apostles. This would include the twelve apostles whom Jesus chose while he was still on earth, and it might possibly include the apostle Paul.

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.

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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 1:7

In verse 7, Jude gave a third example of a group who sinned against God, and as a result, suffered terrible punishment. The people of Sodom and Gomorrah sinned sexually. The Lord destroyed them by fire.

In some languages, it may be helpful to use an introductory phrase (As mentioned in the note for 6–7, this is also true for the start of verse 6.) at the beginning of verse 7. You may use a phrase that is similar to the phrase, “I want to remind you,” in 5a.

The notes for verse 7 are based on a literal translation of the Greek text, instead of on the Berean Standard Bible. (Notice the abbreviation “lit.” before the words and phrases in the notes below.) Some of the parts of the verse have been reordered to give the notes a more natural order for English. The letters of the verse parts will follow the new order, which is indicated here:

^7aIn a similar way to these, ^7bSodom and Gomorrah and the towns around them ^7care exhibited as an example of eternal fire, ^7dthe penalty they experience, ^7ehaving committed sexual sin and gone after different flesh.

7a (reordered)

Verse 7 begins with the Greek word, hōs. It can be translated in a variety of ways, including “that” and “how.” In this context Jude used hōs to mark the beginning of this third example of punishment for sin. (Lenski (page 621) thought that Jude used hos here, instead of the hoti (5a) that governs both 5 and 6, because the evidence of what had happened to Sodom and Gomorrah could still be seen. The examples in 5 and 6 were known only through their stories being written or told. However, Jude’s readers could still find evidence of God’s punishment of Sodom and Gomorrah at the south end of the Dead Sea. As the Greek present tense verb prokeintai implies, Sodom and Gomorrah are an example that has observable evidence.) It indicates that it should be considered along with the first two examples in verse 5 and verse 6. Some ways to express this include:

Also consider that…
-or-
You also know how…
-or-
I want to remind you that…

(lit.) In a similar way to these: In order to translate verse 7, a translator must decide two issues of interpretation:

Issue 1:

Scholars have different opinions about who these refers to. The two main possibilities are: (Two other interpretations that are sometimes suggested are:(3) It refers to either the men of Sodom and Gomorrah or to the men of the surrounding towns, one of these groups being compared to the other.(4) It refers to the fake Christians (verse 4).In the Greek text, “these” is marked for both gender and number as masculine and plural. Interpretation (3) is unlikely because the Greek words for “Sodom and Gomorrah” and also for “towns” are not masculine. While some scholars suggest that “these” refers to the men in the towns, there is no compelling reason to assume this. It would require Jude to have linked the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah with the sin of the surrounding towns in a very indirect and unnecessarily complicated way. Finally, interpretation (4) is not correct. In verse 8, Jude definitely wrote about the same fake Christians as in verse 4. If “these” in verse 7 also referred to these same people, then Jude would have been repeating himself in verse 8 for no apparent reason.)

(1) It refers to both the angels whom Jude mentioned in verse 6 and to the Israelites who did not believe and were destroyed (verse 5).

(2) It refers to just the angels (verse 6).

Greek grammar would allow either interpretation, (In the Greek text, “these” is marked for both gender and number as masculine and plural. “Angels” is the closest preceding noun that is marked as masculine and plural. The unbelieving Israelites are also marked as masculine and plural.) but interpretation (1) is more likely because the conjunction used to join verses 5 and 6 indicates a close relationship between these verses. If there is a natural way to include both the angels and unbelieving Israelites in your translation, then it is recommended that you use it here. For example:

In a similar way to these unbelieving Israelites and angels

Issue 2:

Another interpretation issue is to decide in what way the people of Sodom and Gomorrah (7b) were similar to the preceding two groups, (This assumes that interpretation (1) above is correct.) which were:

(a) the angels who rebelled (verse 6),

(b) the unbelieving Israelites (verse 5).

The two main possibilities are:

(1) The three groups were similar because all were examples and warnings that the Lord punishes sinners. For example:

We should also be warned by what happened to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah…. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
What happened to Sodom and Gomorrah…is an example…of the punishment…. The people of these cities suffered the same fate that God’s people and the angels did…. (God’s Word)

(Contemporary English Version, God’s Word, New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

(2) The sexual sin committed by the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, was similar in nature to the sins that the angels (Scholars who accept this view interpret Genesis 6:1–4 as talking about angelic beings taking human wives. No clear biblical evidence exists that angels are capable of having sexual relations with human beings or that angels and human beings have had children together.) and the unbelieving Israelites (While the Israelites who left Egypt did commit sexual sin (Exodus 32:6, Numbers 25:1), verse 5 probably referred to what happened to the Israelites who refused to follow the advice of Joshua and Caleb. They died in the desert because they refused to enter the land that God was giving to them.) had committed. According to this interpretation, Jude used three examples of sexual sin. For example:

Sodom and Gomorrah…which, in the same manner as they, indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural lust… (New Revised Standard Version (It is possible that the New Revised Standard Version is comparing the people of Sodom and Gomorrah only to the angels, and not to the Israelites that Jude mentioned. Other English versions that clearly compare the people of Sodom and Gomorrah to the angels but not to the Israelites, are the NET Bible, Revised English Bible and Good News Translation. All four of these versions imply that Jude was indicating sexual immorality as a similarity between the people of Sodom and Gomorrah and the angels.))

(New Revised Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1).

7b (reordered)

(lit.) Sodom and Gomorrah: Jude reminded his readers of what happened to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. God destroyed these cities with fire because of the sexually immoral behavior of the people who lived there. You may read about this in Genesis 18:20–22, 19:1–29.

It was not just the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah themselves (with the buildings and possessions) that were destroyed. All the people who lived there were killed. In some languages it may help to make this explicit. For example:

the people of Sodom and Gomorrah

(lit.) and the towns around them: This phrase refers to the towns near Sodom and Gomorrah that God destroyed at the same time. (The names of two of these towns were Admah and Zeboiim (Deuteronomy 29:23). Another nearby town named Zoar was spared.) Some ways to say this include:

and the neighboring towns
-or-
and the surrounding towns
-or-
and the towns that were nearby

7c–d (reordered)

(lit.) are exhibited as an example of eternal fire, the penalty they experience: Scholars have different opinions about how the expression eternal fire relates to the other words in this verse. The two main interpretations are:

(1) eternal fire relates primarily to the word example in 7c. What happened to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah was an example and warning that sinful people will be punished by eternal fire in hell. For example:

are a warning of the eternal fire that will punish all who are evil. (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

(God’s Word, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

(2) Eternal fire relates primarily to the word penalty in 7d. Sodom and Gomorrah and the towns were experiencing the penalty of eternal fire. (Many scholars who accept interpretation (2) do not think that Jude meant the eternal fire of hell. According to them, the eternal fire is the fire whose smoke could still be seen at the south end of the Dead Sea, where these cities once stood.) For example:

are put before us as an example since they are paying the penalty of eternal fire. (New Jerusalem Bible)

(Berean Standard Bible, King James Version, New American Standard Bible, New Century Version, NET Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible, Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation)

The Greek grammar of this verse allows for either or both to be correct. It is recommended that, if possible, you translate as if both interpretations (Jude and his readers were very aware that these cities were destroyed by fire. Implicit in his example is the manner in which God destroyed these cities. The horrible fire that God used in this destruction made Sodom and Gomorrah especially fitting as an illustration or example of what the end will be for all who continue in willful sin—the eternal fire of hell.) are correct. However, if you must choose between them, it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), which has more support in the commentaries.

The following examples show how this verse may be translated with both interpretations.

Like these people and angels, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns are a warning of eternal fire, the penalty they suffer because they committed sexual sin and went after different flesh.
-or-
In a similar way to these unbelieving Israelites and angels, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns are exhibited as an example of the punishment of eternal fire. Their people suffer the penalty of eternal fire, because they committed sexual sin and went after different flesh.

7c (reordered)

(lit.) are exhibited as an example: Other ways to translate this include:

they are an apparent/clear example.
-or-
they…are now displayed as an example. (NET Bible)
-or-
By looking at them, people can see that…

In some languages, it may be better to say explicitly that this type of example is a warning. For example:

Those cities…are a warning… (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))
-or-
as a plain warning… (Good News Translation)

(lit.) eternal fire: This expression refers to the eternal fire of hell. It is recommended that you not indicate explicitly that this refers to hell, unless that is necessary in your language.

7d (reordered)

(lit.) the penalty they experience: Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns were destroyed by fire. At the time when Jude wrote this letter, people could still see evidence of this punishment. They could go to the Dead Sea and see signs of destruction where those cities had been.

However, the penalty for the people who lived there involved more than their death at the time when the cities were destroyed. They were also to spend eternity in the fire of hell. That is an even greater penalty, and Jude may have been thinking of it also.

(lit.) penalty: Their penalty was punishment for their sins (7e).

(lit.) they experience: What they experience is punishment. In some languages, it may be more natural to indicate explicitly that this is an experience of punishment or suffering. For example:

they suffer the punishment (Good News Translation)
-or-
undergoing a punishment (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
they are paying the penalty (New Jerusalem Bible)

7e (reordered)

(lit.) having committed sexual sin and gone after different flesh: Jude gave the information in this part of the verse as the reason that God punished the people of Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighboring towns. They were guilty of sexual sin. Their sexual immorality was so bad that God caused them and their cities to be destroyed. Some ways to indicate this reason are:

because they committed sexual sins and… (God’s Word)
-or-
since they indulged in sexual immorality and… (NET Bible)

Jude was probably referring to sexual sin that the people of Sodom and Gomorrah did regularly. It was the habit of these people to sin sexually. If your language normally marks habitual action, you may do so here. For example:

habitually/regularly committed sexual sin

(lit.) having committed sexual sin: This phrase is a literal translation of one Greek word. It could refer to any kind of sexual sin. Look for the most natural way in your language to refer to sexual sin in general, rather than to a specific type of sexual sin.

(lit.) gone after different flesh: Pursuing different flesh was the way that Jude referred to homosexual acts; (Scholars have different opinions concerning what sin Jude described as “having gone after different flesh.” The main interpretations are:(1) It refers to homosexual acts; that is, men having sex with men.(2) It refers to bestiality.(3) It refers to the men of Sodom trying to have sex with the two angels who visited Lot (Genesis chapter 19).It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Many scholars say that this going after different flesh was homosexual acts, and they are probably correct.The last interpretation is unlikely, because God had already decided to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding town before the incident with the angels at Lot’s house happened. Also, only the men of Sodom tried to have sex with the angels, and God destroyed more than Sodom. In addition, there is no evidence that the men of Sodom knew that the two visitors to Lot’s house were angels. Another reason to reject this last opinion is that Jude said that these men went after different “flesh,” and angels are spirit beings who do not have “flesh.”) that is, men having sex with other men. Some ways that English versions have translated this include:

engaged in homosexual activities. (God’s Word)
-or-
indulged in unnatural lust (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
sexual relations that God does not allow. (New Century Version)

Languages often have more than one way to refer to this type of sexual activity. Look for the most natural way in your language that is suitable for reading in worship meetings where people of all ages and both sexes may be present.

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SIL Translator's Notes on Jude 1:18

18a

when they said to you: In some languages it may be more natural to omit this phrase or to combine it with 17b. For example:

…17b–18awhat the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ told you to expect: 18b“In the last times…” (God’s Word)

The phrase they said to you introduced the direct quotation of the prophecy (18b–d). This prophecy can also be translated as an indirect quotation. The general comment at the end of the notes for 18d illustrates this.

18b

In the last times: In the New Testament, In the last times and similar expressions (For example, “in the last days.” (2 Timothy 3:1, 2 Peter 3:3), “in later times” (1 Timothy 4:1).) refer to the time between Jesus’ resurrection and his return. Other ways to translate this include:

In the final age (Revised English Bible)
-or-
near the end of time (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
In the time before Jesus returns

18c

scoffers: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as scoffers refers here to people who mock, ridicule, or make fun of someone else.

The prophecy Jude quoted here did not specify whom it was that the scoffers mocked. However, Jude applied this prophecy to the fake Christians, and they mocked the Lord and his people. (The idea that the fake Christians mocked the Lord, or the Lord and his people, is consistent with what Jude said in the rest of this section. It also agrees with the parallel passage in 2 Peter 3:3–4. That passage speaks of people mocking Jesus and his promise to return, and by association, the true Christians who trusted in his promise to return.) In some languages it may be necessary to specify whom they mocked. If that is true in your language, here are possible ways to translate this prophecy:

people who will mock/ridicule the Lord
-or-
people will make fun of the Lord and his people.

18d

who will follow after their own ungodly desires: This expression is similar to the one that Jude used in 16b (“follow their own desires”—God’s Word). However, here in 18d Jude added the word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as ungodly. See the note on 16b. If you did not use a word for ungodly in 16b, you will need to include that idea here.

ungodly: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as ungodly has already been used several times in this letter. This is the last time that Jude used it. It is recommended that you refer to the notes on 4c and 15b, 15c, and 15d. Translate in a way that will be appropriate to describe “desires.” It may be possible to use the same word that you used in 15c for the phrase “every ungodly act.”

General Comment on 18a–d

The phrase “they said to you” (18a) introduces a direct quotation of a prophecy (18b–d). It can also be translated as an indirect quotation. For example:

^18aThey told you that ^18bnear the end of time, ^18c–dselfish and godless people would start making fun of God. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
^18athat ^18bin the last times ^18cthere would be scoffers ^18dwhose purpose in life is to enjoy themselves in every evil way imaginable. (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

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SIL Translator's Notes on Jude 1:8

Paragraph 8–10

In this paragraph, Jude wrote that the fake Christians (verse 4) had sinned in ways which were similar to the examples of sin in verses 5–7. Jude added another example to show how evil and unwise these people were (verse 9). He then said that they were like unthinking animals (verse 10).

Yet: The Greek text of this verse contains the word mentoi, which the Berean Standard Bible translates as Yet. This word helps to show how verse 8 relates to verses 5–7. Normally, it means “nevertheless.” In some languages this meaning may be implied without a connector, so some translations have left the connection implicit. In other languages a connecting word or phrase may help to make the connection clear.

Some other ways to translate mentoi here are:

Nevertheless…
-or-
Even though they know these things…
-or-
Despite knowing about these examples/warnings…

in the same way: The fake Christians whom Jude wrote about in verse 4 sinned in a manner which was similar to the three examples in verses 5–7. However, they did not commit exactly the same sins.

Some other ways that the English versions say this include:

in a similar way (God’s Word)
-or-
in like manner (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
in the very same way (New International Version (2011 Revision))

these dreamers: The phrase these dreamers refers to the fake Christians whom Jude had introduced in verse 4. Look for the most natural way in your language to indicate that these dreamers refers to the same people as the “certain men” (Berean Standard Bible) in verse 4.

Some English versions make this explicit. For example:

It is the same with these people who have entered your group. They are guided by dreams… (New Century Version)
-or-
Yet, in a similar way, the people who slipped in among you are dreamers. (God’s Word)

dreamers: In this verse, Jude described these people as dreamers. They had dreams which they claimed were from God. They thought that these dreams gave them the authority to sin in the ways that Jude mentioned in this verse. However, these dreams were not really from God.

Some ways that English versions have expressed this include:

as a result of their dreams (NET Bible)
-or-
who claim authority from their dreams (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

defile their bodies: Most scholars agree that defile their bodies refers to sexual sin. This phrase is a figure of speech. Jude was not saying that their bodies were physically dirty. Instead he meant that their sexual sin had made them spiritually impure. Because these people sinned sexually, they were similar to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah (verse 7).

If your language has a similar idiom that associates “being dirty” with “sin,” especially sexual sin, then you may be able to use it here. However, in some languages an expression like “dirty with sin” might simply mean that these people were physically dirty and that they had sinned. If this is true in your language, then you may:

• Use an idiom that has the correct meaning in your language.

• Use a descriptive phrase with the correct meaning. For example:

contaminate/defile themselves with sexual sin
-or-
live immoral lives
-or-
act immorally
-or-
sin sexually

reject authority: Scholars have different opinions concerning whose authority or what kind of authority these fake Christians rejected. The two main interpretations are:

(1) Jude meant divine authority. For example:

reject the Lord’s authority (God’s Word)

(God’s Word, New Century Version, NET Bible note, New Jerusalem Bible, Good News Translation)

(2) Jude meant authority in general, including human authority. For example:

reject all authority (Contemporary English Version)

(Contemporary English Version)

Many English versions do not specify what kind of authority Jude meant. Jude probably intended interpretation (1), that these people rejected the Lord’s authority.

Some languages require a translator to specify whose authority or what type of authority Jude meant. If you need to be specific in your translation, it is recommended that you specify:

the Lord’s authority (The NET Bible has this note: “Most likely, the authority of the Lord is in view. This verse, then, echoes the indictment of v. 4: ‘they deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.’”)

However, if you have a suitable way in your language to refer to all types of authority, including divine authority, you may use it here.

slander: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as slander is literally “blaspheme.” “Blaspheme” means to insult someone in a way that could injure their reputation. (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.) It is often used to refer to evil or irreverent statements about God, divine beings, or holy things. It can also mean to insult or disrespect God by saying or doing something that only God has the right or ability to say or do.

glorious beings: The Greek word (This word in its plural accusative form, doxas, occurs only three times in the New Testament (1 Peter 1:11, 2 Peter 2:10, Jude 8). 2 Peter 2:10 is a parallel passage to Jude 8, and it is likely that the intended meaning is the same in both passages. 1 Peter 1:11 does not refer to angels, but rather to the glorious attributes associated with Jesus Christ. If 1 Peter and 2 Peter have a common author, then it can be assumed that divine attributes are meant in 2 Peter 2:10, and also in the parallel passage, Jude 8.) that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as glorious beings is literally the noun “glories.” Scholars have different opinions concerning what Jude meant by “glories.” Two different interpretations are:

(1) It refers to the glories of Jesus Christ; that is, to what he has done and to what he is like in his splendor and excellence. For example:

his glory (God’s Word)

(God’s Word, New Jerusalem Bible)

(2) It refers to angels, or to some type of angel. For example:

the angels (New Century Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, Contemporary English Version, New American Standard Bible, New Century Version, NET Bible, New International Version (2011 Revision), Revised English Bible, Good News Translation)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). (“Glories” has this meaning in 1 Peter 1:11. There it refers to the glorious attributes associated with Jesus Christ after his suffering on earth ended.) The general comment for 8d explains this in more detail.

In modern English it is more natural to use the singular form of the noun “glory.” (English versions of 1 Peter 1:11 often translate the plural noun doxas by singular noun “glory” (God’s Word, King James Version, New Century Version, NET Bible, New Living Translation (2004 Revision), New Revised Standard Version, Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation).) For example:

the Lord’s glory

General Comment on 8d

Jude did not specify exactly what these fake Christians did. They probably claimed that they spoke with the Lord’s authority. Actually, they opposed his true will by lying in order to justify their evil actions. (See the notes on “these dreamers” and “dreamers” in 8a.)

In this way, the fake Christians spoke falsely about the Lord and insulted him. They may also have usurped his authority by passing judgment on other people in his name, or by opposing those who taught the truth.

The situation that Jude most likely referred to was that the fake Christians “blasphemed glories” by speaking with authority that belonged only to the Lord. (This seems even more likely when verse 9 is considered, as well as 2 Peter 2:11. In 2 Peter 2:11, the judgment that angels do not bring is specified as “from the Lord.” A textual variant has, “before the Lord.” Either way, the angels are unwilling to speak a judgment that is the Lord’s to speak or to judge.) Some ways to translate this include:

and insult/disrespect the Lord’s glory
-or-
and they lie against/about our glorious Lord.
-or-
and they usurp the Lord’s authority.

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SIL Translator's Notes on Jude 1:19

19a

These are: Jude referred again here to the fake Christians whom he mentioned frequently throughout his letter (Jude’s use of the word These to refer to the fake Christians is a characteristic of the central section of his letter (verses 5–19), the section containing every midrash he used. Jude 19 is the last verse of this section, and it is also the last time that Jude specifically used These as a way to introduce the application part of a text-application pair in a midrash.) (4, 8a, 10–13, 14b, 16a). Here he stated that they fulfilled the prophecy in 18b–d. You may need to make this connection clear in your translation. For example:

Now they are here, and they are the ones who… (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))
-or-
And now these people are already making you turn against each other. (Contemporary English Version)

the ones who cause divisions: The true believers to whom Jude was writing were supposed to be united. The fake Christians, through their sinful behavior and false teaching, were causing these believers to divide into opposing groups/factions. Other ways to translate this include:

the people who are causing divisions among you
-or-
the ones who are causing you not to be united.
-or-
the people who are creating factions

19b

who are worldly: The Berean Standard Bible clause, who are worldly, translates one word in Greek. This word may be translated literally as “natural.” In this context its meaning (Jude used other phrases with a similar meaning. For example, “follow their own desires” (verse 16 in God’s Word) and “who…follow after their own ungodly desires” (verse 18 in Berean Standard Bible).) is similar to the expression “instinctively” in 10c. In that verse these fake Christians were described as being like unreasoning animals. They did what seemed right to them naturally, as determined by their own sinful natures.

These people were not motivated by love for the Lord or led by the Holy Spirit (19c). Instead, they were controlled by their own natural desires. Other ways to translate this include:

who are controlled by their natural desires (Good News Translation)
-or-
whose thoughts are only of this world (New Century Version)
-or-
who follow mere natural instincts (New International Version (2011 Revision))

19c

and devoid of the Spirit: The fake Christians only cared about their natural desires. They did not have the Spirit to show them a better way to think and live. (In verse 19 Jude ended his description of the people against whom he wrote so strongly from verse 4 through verse 19. As he closed the portion of his letter dealing with these people, he left no doubt that they were not true Christians. Even though these people had infiltrated the church and mixed with the true believers, they did not really love God or desire to submit to him. They did not really believe in Jesus Christ or trust him to save them. They did not have the Holy Spirit. For this reason, these Notes have referred to them as fake Christians.)

Here, the Spirit refers to the Holy Spirit. In some languages, it may be necessary to make this explicit. For example:

the Holy Spirit
-or-
God’s Spirit

If you make this explicit, it is recommended that you use your key term for the Holy Spirit. This will match 20c, where Jude referred to the Spirit as “the Holy Spirit.”

Ways to translate 19c include:

they do not have the Holy Spirit.
-or-
the Holy Spirit does not live in them.
-or-
the Holy Spirit does not guide them.

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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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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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Source: SIL Translator's Notes on Jude 2007

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