Jude 1:4 kjv
For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jude 1:4 nkjv
For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jude 1:4 niv
For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.
Jude 1:4 esv
For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Jude 1:4 nlt
I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God's marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Jude 1 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Pet 2:1 | But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be | Warning about false teachers in the church. |
| 2 Pet 2:3 | In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. The | Their condemnation has long been impending. |
| 2 Pet 2:10 | This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desires of the sinful | Description of licentious, rebellious teachers. |
| Matt 7:15 | "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but | Recognizing false teachers by their fruit. |
| Acts 20:29 | I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not | False teachers infiltrate from within. |
| Gal 2:4 | This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks | Stealthy entry of false brethren. |
| Rom 6:1-2 | What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? | Directly counters the perversion of grace. |
| Gal 5:13 | You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your | Freedom in Christ is not for sinful desires. |
| Tit 2:11-12 | For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It | Grace teaches godliness, not ungodliness. |
| 1 Tim 4:1 | The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith | Apostasy and turning away from sound doctrine. |
| 2 Tim 3:5 | having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with | Denying Christ through actions, not just words. |
| Tit 1:16 | They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, | Their deeds betray their claims. |
| 1 Jn 2:22-23 | Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person | Denying Christ's person is antichrist. |
| 1 Jn 4:3 | but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the | False spirits deny Christ. |
| Phil 2:9-11 | Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that | Jesus Christ's ultimate Lordship. |
| Isa 30:8 | Go now, write it on a tablet for them, inscribing it on a scroll, that for | Writing down warnings for future judgment. |
| Prov 16:4 | The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day | Divine pre-ordaining of outcomes. |
| 2 Tim 2:19 | Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription | God knows those who are His. |
| Jude 1:8 | In the very same way, also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority | Continuation of their rejection of authority. |
| Jude 1:15 | to execute judgment on all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their | Judgment against the ungodly. |
| Jude 1:16 | These are grumblers, finding fault, following their own sinful desires; they | Further description of their character. |
| 2 Cor 11:13-15 | For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as | Deceptive nature of false apostles. |
Jude 1 verses
Jude 1 4 Meaning
Jude 1:4 serves as a stern warning against certain false teachers who have stealthily infiltrated the Christian community. These individuals are characterized as ungodly, marked by a divinely determined condemnation. They pervert the glorious grace of God into a justification for immoral and lawless behavior, effectively turning freedom in Christ into a license for debauchery. Furthermore, they outright deny Jesus Christ's unique and absolute authority as both Sovereign Master and Lord, undermining His person and ultimate rule. This verse establishes the urgent reason for Jude's letter: to alert believers to this internal spiritual threat and call them to contend earnestly for the faith.
Jude 1 4 Context
Jude's letter is one of the shortest books in the New Testament, characterized by its urgent tone and vivid imagery. The primary context for Jude 1:4 is the pervasive threat of false teachers who had infiltrated the early Christian church. Jude initially intended to write about the common salvation shared by believers (Jude 1:3), but the gravity of the situation forced him to pivot to a polemical defense of the faith. These individuals, described in verse 4, were not external persecutors but internal saboteurs who corrupted Christian doctrine and practice from within. Their presence made it necessary for Jude to call believers to "contend earnestly for the faith" that had been once for all delivered to the saints. The historical context reflects a period in the early church where spiritual purity was under attack from libertinistic tendencies, possibly related to antinomian interpretations of grace or certain Gnostic leanings that separated spiritual salvation from ethical conduct, viewing the body and its actions as irrelevant.
Jude 1 4 Word analysis
- For certain individuals (τινὲς ἄνθρωποι, tines anthrōpoi): Highlights the specific, though unnamed, nature of the problem. These were real people, not abstract ideas, who had physically entered the community.
- whose condemnation was written about long ago (οἱ πάλαι προγεγραμμένοι εἰς τοῦτο τὸ κρῖμα, hoi palai progegrammenoi eis touto to krima):
- written about long ago (πάλαι προγεγραμμένοι, palai progegrammenoi): Implies divine predestination of their judgment, or refers to ancient prophecies (possibly within Old Testament texts or Jewish apocalyptic literature like the Book of Enoch, which Jude references later) that foretold the condemnation of the ungodly. It underscores the certainty and justness of their coming judgment, aligning with God's long-standing character in judging wickedness.
- condemnation (κρῖμα, krima): Denotes a judgment, an adverse decision, a sentence. It refers to the fixed divine decree concerning the just recompense for their wickedness.
- have secretly slipped in (παρεισεδύησαν, pareisedyēsan): This Greek verb signifies a stealthy, surreptitious, unnoticed infiltration. It implies a deceptive method of entry, where their true nature or purpose was not initially evident. They blended in, making their subversive work harder to detect.
- They are ungodly persons (ἀσεβεῖς, asebeis): Defines their fundamental character. Asebeis means impious, godless, irreverent, showing a lack of proper reverence and worship toward God. This describes their moral and spiritual state, rooted in a rejection of divine authority and moral standards.
- who change the grace of our God (τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν χάριν μετατιθέντες, tēn tou theou hēmōn charin metatithentes):
- change (μετατιθέντες, metatithentes): Literally "to transfer" or "transpose," implying a perversion or twisting of something from its original, intended meaning or purpose.
- grace (χάριν, charin): Refers to God's undeserved favor, His benevolent disposition towards humanity, the basis of salvation in Christ. They did not deny grace outright but redefined it.
- into a license for immorality (εἰς ἀσέλγειαν, eis aselgeian):
- license (εἰς, eis + context): The outcome of their perversion; using grace as an excuse or opportunity.
- immorality (ἀσέλγειαν, aselgeian): Strong term denoting licentiousness, sensuality, wantonness, debauchery. It often carries the connotation of a public lack of self-restraint and shame, engaging in acts that violate commonly accepted moral standards without remorse. This highlights their practical ethical failure as a result of their twisted doctrine.
- and deny (ἀρνούμενοι, arnoumenoi): To disown, refuse to acknowledge, repudiate. This denial could be overt (denying Christ's deity or humanity) or, more subtly, through their ungodly lifestyle and refusal to submit to His ethical commands, effectively denying His Lordship over their lives.
- Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord (τὸν μόνον δεσπότην καὶ Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν, ton monon Despotēn kai Kyrion hēmōn Iēsoun Christon):
- only Sovereign (μόνον δεσπότην, monon Despotēn): Despotēs (where we get "despot") refers to an absolute master, owner, or ruler. It emphasizes Jesus' supreme, unquestionable, and ultimate authority. The term "only" highlights His exclusive and peerless dominion.
- and Lord (καὶ Κύριον, kai Kyrion): Kyrios is a common New Testament title for Christ, often linking Him to the Yahweh of the Old Testament. It denotes His mastership, divine status, and redemptive authority. The combination of Despotēs and Kyrios presents a complete picture of Jesus' ultimate, saving sovereignty. Their denial thus targeted the very core of Christ's person and authority.
Jude 1 4 Bonus section
The concept of "condemnation was written about long ago" points to the consistent character of God's judgment against rebellion and ungodliness throughout salvation history, echoing patterns seen from Sodom and Gomorrah to the angels who rebelled (mentioned in subsequent verses of Jude). This is not arbitrary condemnation but reflects God's unchanging standard of righteousness. The specific mention of "our only Sovereign and Lord" (δεσπότην καὶ Κύριον) highlights Christ's unparalleled supremacy and sole claim to absolute authority over believers. This strong emphasis challenges any teaching or lifestyle that places human will, desire, or erroneous interpretation above His divine command. Jude is warning that ignoring Christ's true identity as absolute ruler inevitably leads to moral decay and spiritual perversion within the community of faith.
Jude 1 4 Commentary
Jude 1:4 provides the foundation for the entire epistle, revealing the nature of the crisis facing the church. It describes an internal threat, "certain individuals" who have entered Christian circles surreptitiously. These are not merely misguided; they are "ungodly," characterized by a profound irreverence for God and divine standards, and their judgment is already settled by God's eternal decree. Their heresy manifests in two key ways: first, a severe distortion of God's grace, twisting it into an excuse for sensual indulgence. Instead of grace empowering godliness (as Tit 2:11-12 teaches), they turn it into a theological basis for "immorality." Second, this theological perversion is coupled with a denial of Jesus Christ's ultimate and unique authority as "our only Sovereign and Lord." This denial may not have been an explicit verbal rejection of Jesus' existence but a functional denial through their actions and teachings, undermining His commandments and His ultimate dominion over all areas of life and doctrine. This combination of doctrinal error leading to ethical failure underscores Jude's call to the church to recognize, resist, and earnestly contend for the unadulterated faith delivered by Christ and the apostles.