Jude 1:3 kjv

Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

Jude 1:3 nkjv

Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

Jude 1:3 niv

Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God's holy people.

Jude 1:3 esv

Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.

Jude 1:3 nlt

Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people.

Jude 1 verses

Jude 1 3 Meaning

Jude 1:3 reveals that Jude initially intended to write about the shared salvation that believers have in Christ. However, due to the emergence of insidious false teachers within the church, he was compelled by spiritual urgency to instead call the believers to intensely and diligently contend for the Christian faith. This "faith" refers to the entire body of divinely revealed truth and doctrine, which was completely and decisively given by God once for all time to all His holy people.

Jude 1 3 Context

Jude's epistle is a concise yet powerful letter primarily dedicated to warning believers about the threat of apostasy and false teachers who had infiltrated the early Church. As a brother of James and presumably a half-brother of Jesus, Jude wrote with a sense of pastoral authority. He opens by identifying himself humbly as a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James. He immediately expresses his original intent: to write a letter celebrating the "common salvation" that unites all Christians. This likely implies a message focusing on the glorious grace of God, the shared hope in Christ, and the spiritual blessings enjoyed by believers.

However, Jude then reveals an abrupt change of plan. The pressing reality of corrupting influences within the Christian community, individuals who had "crept in unnoticed" and were twisting the grace of God into an excuse for immorality while denying the sole Lord Jesus Christ, necessitated a drastic shift in his focus. Instead of writing a comforting discourse, he felt compelled by the Spirit and the urgency of the situation to issue a stern warning and call to action. Therefore, Jude 1:3 serves as the pivotal statement of purpose for the entire letter, transitioning from a positive, celebratory theme to an urgent, polemical defense of truth against rising error. The context thus sets the stage for Jude's subsequent detailed denunciation of these false teachers and his encouragement to steadfast faith and godliness.

Jude 1 3 Word analysis

• Beloved (ἀγαπητοί - agapetoi): This is a term of deep affection and endearment. Jude, despite needing to issue a stern warning, begins by emphasizing the unity and affection he holds for his audience. It highlights a shared spiritual bond and mutual relationship within the family of God, preparing them to receive a strong message from a caring brother.
• while I was very diligent to write to you (σπουδάζων πᾶσαν ποιεῖσθαι σπουδὴν γράφειν ὑμῖν - spoudazōn pasan poieisthai spoudēn graphein hymin): The Greek phrase expresses intense effort and eagerness. Jude was earnestly applying himself and had expended much careful thought and preparation for his initial topic. This signifies that his original intention was not a casual thought, but a carefully considered pastoral plan.
• concerning our common salvation (περὶ τῆς κοινῆς ἡμῶν σωτηρίας - peri tēs koinēs hēmōn sōtērias):
  • common (koinēs): Refers to something shared universally. This salvation is not exclusive or special to a select group, but available and experienced by all believers in Christ. It implies unity, shared destiny, and equality among all who are saved, a contrast to the divisive claims of Gnosticism or elitism that false teachers might promote.
  • salvation (sōtērias): Encompasses the complete work of God in rescuing humanity from sin, death, and judgment through Jesus Christ. It includes redemption, justification, regeneration, and sanctification, promising eventual glorification. This foundational truth is central to Christian faith and experience.
• I found it necessary to write to you (ἀνάγκην ἔσχον γράψαι ὑμῖν - anagkēn eschon grapsai hymin): This indicates a strong, inescapable compulsion or spiritual urgency. The situation in the church was so grave that it overrode his previous well-planned intentions. It implies that God's providence guided him to address the pressing danger.
• exhorting you to contend earnestly (παρακαλῶν ἐπαγωνίζεσθαι - parakalōn epagōnizesthai):
  • exhorting (parakalōn): To urge, implore, entreat, or strongly encourage. It is more than just advice; it is a serious plea for decisive action.
  • to contend earnestly (epagōnizesthai): This is a powerful and vivid Greek verb, often associated with intense athletic competition (like wrestling or boxing in the agōn, a contest or struggle). The prefix epi- intensifies the verb, suggesting a fierce and aggressive engagement for something against opposition. It means to struggle, strive, or fight with all one's might. In this context, it refers to a spiritual and doctrinal struggle, not physical violence. Believers are called to vigorously defend and preserve the truth against its attackers.
• for the faith (τῇ πίστει - tē pistei): This does not refer primarily to the act of believing or personal trust, but to the objective content of Christian doctrine, the complete body of revealed truth (e.g., the gospel, apostolic teaching, divine revelation). It is the deposit of truth that God has given, which forms the core of Christian belief and practice. It is something fixed and definable.
• which was once for all delivered (ἅπαξ παραδοθείσῃ - hapax paradotheisē):
  • once for all (hapax): This crucial adverb signifies the definitive, unique, and non-repeatable nature of the delivery. The revelation of Christian truth is complete; it requires no further additions or repetitions. It highlights the finality and sufficiency of Christ's revelation and the apostolic teaching, setting a boundary against any claims of new or superior truth.
  • delivered (paradotheisē): Literally "handed down" or "transmitted." It refers to the authoritative passing on of truth from a higher source. This faith was received from Christ through the apostles and entrusted to the Church. It emphasizes a fixed, established tradition of divine truth, not something that evolves or changes with human interpretation over time.
• to the saints (τοῖς ἁγίοις - tois hagiois): Refers to all believers, consecrated and set apart by God for His purposes through faith in Christ. It emphasizes that this foundational faith is entrusted to the entire Christian community, not just a privileged elite or special group, and thus all believers share the responsibility for its preservation.

Words-group analysis:

• "Beloved, while I was very diligent... I found it necessary to write to you": This initial clause highlights Jude's pastoral heart and his unexpected, yet necessary, shift in writing purpose. His dedication to his audience's well-being led him to pivot from a desired topic to an urgent warning, reflecting the seriousness of the crisis.
• "concerning our common salvation... exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith": This striking juxtaposition demonstrates the grave spiritual emergency. Jude shifts from the celebration of a shared spiritual reality (salvation) to the intense struggle required to defend the foundation upon which that salvation rests (the faith). The contrast emphasizes that the purity of salvation's message was under direct attack.
• "the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints": This crucial phrase group defines the precise nature of the truth being defended. It's not a nebulous concept but a specific, complete, unrepeatable deposit of divine truth, authoritatively given, and universally entrusted to all believers. It sets the standard against which all other claims of truth must be measured.

Jude 1 3 Bonus section

• Jude, identifying himself as "a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James," held a unique authoritative position within the early church, possibly even as a blood relative of Jesus himself. This added weight to his urgent plea for doctrinal fidelity.
• The shift in Jude's intention reveals a powerful example of spiritual discernment and adaptation to immediate pastoral needs within the church. It demonstrates that the priority of protecting the truth can, at times, supersede other well-meaning pursuits.
• The intensity of "contending earnestly" does not advocate for uncharitable or combative interpersonal actions, but for a resolute intellectual, theological, and moral defense of biblical truth. The fight is against error and ungodliness, not a personal vendetta against individuals. It primarily involves accurately presenting and preserving the Gospel message.
• The finality of "once for all delivered" implicitly opposes any notion of ongoing "new revelations" or "progressive truths" that contradict or add to the core biblical doctrines already established by Christ and the apostles. It posits a closed canon of fundamental truth essential for salvation and sanctification.

Jude 1 3 Commentary

Jude 1:3 serves as the thesis statement for the entire letter, revealing the immediate purpose of its writing. Initially, Jude intended a joyful exposition on the "common salvation" shared by all believers, focusing on their unity and the wondrous work of God's grace. However, the spiritual landscape quickly changed with the surreptitious infiltration of false teachers—apostates who twisted divine grace into a license for immoral behavior and denied the absolute authority of Jesus Christ. This urgent threat compelled Jude to shift his focus, transforming his planned uplifting message into a stern, defensive summons.

His call for believers to "contend earnestly for the faith" is not merely an encouragement but a command for intense, zealous action. The Greek word epagōnizesthai denotes a fierce struggle, like an athlete striving for victory, signifying that defending the truth is a rigorous, demanding spiritual endeavor requiring maximum effort. This "faith" is not a subjective personal feeling, but the objective, comprehensive body of truth – the complete revelation of God’s redemptive plan in Christ. The phrase "once for all delivered" underscores its definitive and non-negotiable nature. This truth, having been completely handed down from Christ through His apostles, is full and final, admitting no additions, subtractions, or reinterpretations. It implies that true Christian faith is grounded in an unchangeable deposit of truth, which is entrusted to all "saints" (believers), making every Christian responsible for its preservation against error. The verse highlights the perennial tension in the Church between comforting fellowship and diligent doctrinal vigilance.

For practical usage, Jude 1:3 teaches that Christians must:

1. Understand the faith: Know what the Bible teaches comprehensively.
2. Discern false teaching: Be aware of contemporary distortions of biblical truth.
3. Stand firm: Resist compromise and stand up for sound doctrine when it's challenged.
4. Engage in spiritual defense: Actively participate in the defense and promulgation of the truth, often through faithful teaching, prayer, and consistent holy living.