Jude 1:16 kjv

These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.

Jude 1:16 nkjv

These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.

Jude 1:16 niv

These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.

Jude 1:16 esv

These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.

Jude 1:16 nlt

These people are grumblers and complainers, living only to satisfy their desires. They brag loudly about themselves, and they flatter others to get what they want.

Jude 1 verses

Jude 1 16 Meaning

Jude 1:16 describes the ungodly individuals, the false teachers, as internally discontent and externally self-serving. They are characterized by persistent grumbling and finding fault with their circumstances, driven by their own unrestrained sinful desires. Their speech is pompous, filled with empty boasts, while simultaneously they engage in flattering others with ulterior motives, specifically for personal gain or advantage. This verse vividly portrays their hypocritical nature, motivated by carnal appetites rather than godly principles.

Jude 1 16 Context

Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, writes to believers who are called and kept by God the Father. His original intent was to write about their common salvation (Jude 1:3), but he pivots due to the urgent necessity of contending for the faith. This urgency arises because certain ungodly people "have crept in unnoticed" (Jude 1:4). These individuals distort the grace of God into an excuse for immoral behavior and deny Jesus Christ as Lord.

The chapter then elaborates on the historical judgments against those who disobey (Israel in the wilderness, fallen angels, Sodom and Gomorrah) to highlight the certain doom of these false teachers. Verses 8-15 provide a detailed indictment of their character, likening them to dreaming defilers, revilers of authorities, and wandering stars. Verse 16 specifically offers a summation of their internal state and outward expressions, detailing their core motivations (selfish desire, greed) and their manipulative behaviors (grumbling, boastful talk, flattery) as manifestations of their ungodly nature. Jude warns against their pervasive influence, which threatens the moral purity and theological integrity of the church, urging believers to remember the warnings from the apostles.

Jude 1 16 Word analysis

• These (Οὗτοί - Houtoi): This demonstrative pronoun serves as a strong, direct link, pointing back to the "ungodly people" mentioned in Jude 1:4 and further described through Jude 1:8-15. It explicitly identifies the subject of Jude's condemnation.
• grumblers (γογγυσταί - gongystai): Derived from gongyzō, meaning to murmur, grumble, or complain with low, suppressed sounds. It signifies a deep-seated dissatisfaction, often implying resentment or complaining against those in authority, including God. It echoes the rebellious attitude of the Israelites in the wilderness against God's provisions.
• complainers (μεμψίμοιροι - mempsimoiroi): Literally, "fault-finders of their lot." This Greek term describes someone who is habitually dissatisfied, finding fault with their fate or circumstances, perpetually blaming others or conditions for their discontent. This goes beyond mere grumbling to an active, often vocal, blaming disposition.
• following their own sinful desires (κατὰ τὰς ἐπιθυμίας αὑτῶν πορευόμενοι - kata tas epithymias autōn poreuomenoi):
  • following (πορευόμενοι - poreuomenoi): Participle indicating a continuous manner of life, "walking according to."
  • their own (αὑτῶν - autōn): Emphasizes self-orientation, self-indulgence, and rejection of divine guidance.
  • sinful desires (ἐπιθυμίας - epithymias): While epithymia can mean strong desire, in this context and throughout the New Testament, when linked to the "flesh" or "own," it almost exclusively refers to covetous, sensual, or morally corrupt cravings. This highlights the carnal basis of their actions. This phrase identifies the root cause of their grumbling and behavior. Their discontent stems from a lust that is never satisfied because it's fundamentally self-driven and opposed to God's will.
• and their mouth speaks boastfully (καὶ τὸ στόμα αὐτῶν λαλεῖ ὑπέρογκα - kai to stoma autōn lalei hyperonka):
  • boastfully (ὑπέρογκα - hyperonka): An adverbial accusative from hyperogkos, meaning "overgrown," "excessive," thus "arrogant," "pompous," or "swelling words." This refers to speech that is inflated, conceited, and self-aggrandizing, designed to impress or deceive others by feigning spiritual superiority or profound knowledge. It points to their pride and empty rhetoric.
• flattering people (θαυμάζοντες πρόσωπα - thaumazontes prosopa):
  • flattering (θαυμάζοντες - thaumazontes): Literally "marveling at" or "admiring." In this specific phrase, "admiring faces," it functions idiomatically to mean showing undue deference, favoritism, or insincere praise, typically with an ulterior motive. It denotes a manipulative act of honoring or respecting someone not out of genuine regard but for what one can gain.
  • people (πρόσωπα - prosopa): Literally "faces," representing individuals.
• for their own advantage (χάριν ὠφελείας - charin opheleias):
  • advantage (ὠφελείας - opheleias): Means profit, benefit, gain, or utility.
  • This phrase unequivocally exposes the selfish motivation behind their flattery. Their praise or admiration is not sincere but a calculated tactic to extract something for themselves, whether financial, social influence, or status.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "These are grumblers and complainers": This initial indictment sets the tone by exposing their constant negative disposition. They are deeply discontented, often verbalizing their grievances, suggesting a lack of faith, humility, and submission to God's will or human authority.
• "following their own sinful desires": This clause serves as the underlying explanation for their negative demeanor and actions. Their lives are directed not by God's Spirit or moral principles but by their personal, often unholy, lusts. This reveals the moral corruption at their core.
• "their mouth speaks boastfully": This exposes their arrogance and pride. Their speech is characterized by grandiosity and self-exaltation, hinting at a lack of genuine substance and a desire to appear superior, often used to deceive.
• "flattering people for their own advantage": This final description unmasks their deceitful and mercenary nature. Their interactions are not driven by love or truth but by selfish ambition, revealing their willingness to manipulate and exploit others for personal profit, be it monetary gain or social leverage.

Jude 1 16 Bonus section

The traits described in Jude 1:16 echo ancient philosophical criticisms of sophists and sycophants who used rhetoric for personal gain rather than truth. The early church had to discern between genuine apostles guided by the Spirit and those who exploited spiritual settings for their carnal ends. The emphasis on their "own sinful desires" (οἱ κατὰ τὰς ἰδίας ἐπιθυμίας πορευόμενοι, as 2 Pet 2:10 phrases it) is a fundamental characteristic of their rebellion. It’s not simply that they have desires, but that they live according to them, rather than according to God's will. This contrasts sharply with the Christian walk, where believers are called to "walk by the Spirit" (Gal 5:16). Their "boastful words" are often empty pronouncements of freedom or knowledge that ultimately lead to licentiousness, further entrapping those they deceive (2 Pet 2:19). The motivation of "advantage" underscores the worldly nature of these individuals, contrasting with the selfless, sacrificial love embodied by Christ and true Christian ministry.

Jude 1 16 Commentary

Jude 1:16 is a concise yet devastating expose of the false teachers threatening the early church. It paints a portrait of individuals whose spiritual disease manifests both internally and externally. Internally, they are marked by chronic grumbling and complaining, discontent with their "lot," which betrays a deep-seated spiritual rebellion against God's providence and an inability to find joy or peace in Christ. This dissatisfaction isn't incidental; it stems directly from being driven by their "own sinful desires," prioritizing fleshly impulses and worldly appetites over spiritual discernment or divine commands. Such a self-serving orientation inevitably leads to corruption.

Outwardly, their ungodliness is evident in their communication and conduct. Their "mouth speaks boastfully," indicative of pride and arrogance. Their words are likely empty, self-promoting, and perhaps designed to sound impressive to mislead the naive, lacking the humility and truth of authentic spiritual leadership. Coupled with this is their manipulative tactic of "flattering people for their own advantage." This is not genuine affirmation but calculated insincerity; they bestow praise or defer to others only when it serves their greedy ambitions, whether for money, influence, or power. This reveals a parasitic nature, where relationships are reduced to transactions. This verse serves as a timeless warning to believers to recognize the signs of those who may claim spiritual authority but are, in truth, driven by selfish ambition and deceit.