Jude 1:10 kjv

But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

Jude 1:10 nkjv

But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves.

Jude 1:10 niv

Yet these people slander whatever they do not understand, and the very things they do understand by instinct?as irrational animals do?will destroy them.

Jude 1:10 esv

But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively.

Jude 1:10 nlt

But these people scoff at things they do not understand. Like unthinking animals, they do whatever their instincts tell them, and so they bring about their own destruction.

Jude 1 verses

Jude 1 10 Meaning

Jude 1:10 vividly contrasts the destructive behavior of false teachers. They ignorantly slander profound spiritual truths and authorities that are beyond their comprehension. Conversely, what they understand solely through their unreasoning, carnal nature – like irrational animals – becomes the very means by which they morally corrupt and destroy themselves, driven by base instincts.

Jude 1 10 Context

Jude's epistle is a passionate, urgent warning against false teachers who had infiltrated the early Christian communities. Written to "those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ," Jude's primary concern is to encourage believers to "contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 1:3). The false teachers, characterized throughout the epistle, are ungodly, twist the grace of God into licentiousness, deny the Lord Jesus Christ, and are a source of division and spiritual corruption.

Verse 10 specifies the nature of their error: they are spiritually blind and operate purely from a natural, fleshly standpoint. They speak evil of what they don't understand, despising spiritual realities and angelic authorities (as also noted in Jude 1:8), reflecting a deeper rebellion. What they do comprehend naturally, through their base desires and earthly reasoning, only leads them further into degradation, much like unthinking animals acting solely on instinct, but to their own destruction. This verse highlights their arrogance in dismissing divine truth and their self-destructive indulgence in carnal passions, providing a strong parallel with the condemnations found in 2 Peter chapter 2.

Jude 1 10 Word analysis

• But these (οὗτοι δὲ - houtoi de): Marks a sharp contrast to the earlier descriptions of faithful believers and angelic order. "These" refers directly to the ungodly false teachers previously introduced, distinguishing them from God's holy ones.
• speak evil of (βλασφημοῦσιν - blasphēmousin): From blasphēmeō. This means to slander, revile, utter impious words, or blaspheme. It denotes malicious and contemptuous speech, particularly against sacred or authoritative things. This implies not just ignorance but active verbal assault.
• whatever they do not know (ὅσα οὐκ οἴδασιν - hosa ouk oidōsin): Refers to spiritual realities, divine truths, divine authorities, or perhaps the mysteries of God which are beyond natural human comprehension and can only be known through revelation or spiritual discernment (cf. 1 Cor 2:14). Their speaking evil arises from a fundamental lack of spiritual understanding and recognition of divine truth. They mock what is divinely established and pure because they cannot perceive its true nature.
• and whatever they know (ὅσα δὲ φυσικῶς οἴδασιν - hosa de physikōs oidōsin): The contrast here is crucial. Physikōs (naturally, physically) implies knowledge gained through natural senses, carnal reasoning, and earthly experiences, rather than divine revelation or spiritual insight. This refers to their understanding of worldly matters, base instincts, and carnal desires, which they fully indulge.
• naturally (φυσικῶς - physikōs): Indicates an understanding that is based purely on innate instincts, natural human appetites, or the visible, tangible world, devoid of spiritual enlightenment or moral discernment. It is a knowledge of the physical world or one's own base nature.
• like brute beasts (ὡς τὰ ἄλογα ζῷα - hōs ta aloga zōa): Aloga zōa literally means "irrational animals" or "unreasoning creatures." This is a profound and harsh condemnation. It emphasizes that these individuals are driven by mere instinct and passion, lacking spiritual reason, moral constraint, or heavenly aspiration. They are akin to animals that follow only their immediate urges, unaware of higher purposes or eternal consequences.
• in these things (ἐν τούτοις - en toutois): Points specifically to the "things they know naturally," i.e., their carnal pursuits, their worldly wisdom, and their indulgence in sinful desires. It is within the realm of these very actions that their self-destruction occurs.
• they corrupt themselves (φθείρονται - phtheirontai): From phtheirō. Means to destroy, decay, ruin, morally corrupt, or bring to ruin. It implies a process of deterioration or spoiling. Their indulgence in what they "know naturally" is not just sinful but is actively leading them to moral and spiritual decay, self-destruction, and ultimate judgment. It highlights the self-inflicted nature of their demise.

• But these speak evil of whatever they do not know: This phrase encapsulates their spiritual arrogance and blindness. They presume to critique, disparage, and mock sacred spiritual realities that are beyond their capacity to comprehend. This indicates not merely ignorance, but active, hostile opposition to divine truth and authority.
• and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts: This starkly contrasts their spiritual ignorance with their earthly, instinctual comprehension. Their understanding is limited to the physical realm and carnal desires. The comparison to "brute beasts" underscores their lack of moral reason, spiritual insight, and self-control, reducing them to creatures governed solely by unreasoning appetites.
• in these things they corrupt themselves: This demonstrates the tragic outcome of their earthly focus. The very carnal things they understand and indulge in are the instruments of their own moral and spiritual ruin. Their chosen path of worldly sensuality and unchecked desire leads directly to their destruction, embodying a principle of reaping what is sown (Gal 6:7-8).

Jude 1 10 Bonus section

The contrast presented in Jude 1:10 highlights the fundamental divide between those who are spiritually discerning and those who operate purely from a natural, unregenerate state. The "knowledge" that these false teachers possess naturally is not evil in itself (e.g., knowledge of physics, human anatomy) but becomes a means of corruption when it is the sole guiding principle for their lives and leads to the denial of transcendent truths. Their error is compounded by their failure to recognize their own limitations, presumptuously attacking what lies beyond their grasp. This spiritual arrogance is a recurring theme in warnings against apostasy in the New Testament. The image of "brute beasts" also implies an inability to learn from experience or correction, simply following impulses regardless of consequence, a direct antithesis to biblical wisdom that involves growth and repentance. The self-corrupting nature means that their lifestyle inherently contains the seeds of its own destruction, a justice enacted through the natural consequences of ungodliness.

Jude 1 10 Commentary

Jude 1:10 succinctly diagnoses the dual folly of the false teachers. Firstly, they display astounding arrogance by maligning and slandering spiritual realities and divine authorities they cannot grasp. Their "speaking evil" (blasphemeō) highlights their utter contempt for what is holy, stemming from spiritual blindness rather than informed dissent. This mirrors the natural person's inability to discern spiritual things (1 Cor 2:14), here exacerbated by a malicious verbal assault. Secondly, their "knowledge" is confined to the purely natural or instinctual realm. They act on base impulses, like "irrational animals," lacking the spiritual discernment and moral restraint that characterize believers. This carnal understanding, devoid of divine wisdom, becomes the very mechanism of their downfall. The verse reveals that their self-chosen indulgence in natural, unspiritual passions inevitably leads to their own moral corruption and spiritual ruin, emphasizing a principle of self-inflicted judgment. It's a poignant warning that a life governed by carnal understanding, rejecting spiritual truth, ultimately leads to degradation and destruction.