Jude 1:8 kjv

Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.

Jude 1:8 nkjv

Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries.

Jude 1:8 niv

In the very same way, on the strength of their dreams these ungodly people pollute their own bodies, reject authority and heap abuse on celestial beings.

Jude 1:8 esv

Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones.

Jude 1:8 nlt

In the same way, these people ? who claim authority from their dreams ? live immoral lives, defy authority, and scoff at supernatural beings.

Jude 1 verses

Jude 1 8 Meaning

Jude chapter 1, verse 8 vividly describes the ungodly character and behavior of the false teachers who had infiltrated the early Christian communities. In similar fashion to the unrighteous examples cited earlier in the letter, these deceivers are marked by three distinct characteristics: they engage in sexual immorality or corrupt the body ("defile the flesh"), they rebel against established authority ("reject authority"), and they show contempt for spiritual beings or divine majesty ("blaspheme the glorious ones"). Their actions stem from deluded spiritual experiences or self-devised interpretations, hence being called "dreamers," which leads them into serious moral and doctrinal error, ultimately incurring divine judgment.

Jude 1 8 Context

Jude's short letter is an urgent exhortation to believers to "contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 1:3). He pivots from his original intention to write about salvation to address the immediate threat of certain godless persons who had "crept in unawares" (Jude 1:4). To illustrate the inevitable judgment awaiting these individuals, Jude provides a series of historical examples from verses 5-7: the Israelites who did not believe and were destroyed in the wilderness; the angels who did not stay in their proper domain but abandoned their dwelling place, kept in eternal chains for judgment; and the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, with their surrounding towns, which indulged in sexual immorality and unnatural desire and suffered eternal fire. Verse 8 directly links the behavior of "these dreamers" (the false teachers) to the unrighteous and rebellious patterns exemplified by these past judgments, setting the stage for Jude's detailed indictment of their character and conduct in the subsequent verses.

Jude 1 8 Word Analysis

• Yet (Μέντοι - Mentoi): This Greek particle serves to introduce a contrast or a stronger assertion, connecting the present offenders to the past examples of judgment (Israel in the wilderness, fallen angels, Sodom and Gomorrah) while emphasizing their analogous guilt.

• in like manner (Ὁμοίως - Homoios): Signifies that the false teachers follow a pattern similar to those previously judged by God, sharing their character traits and, by implication, their destiny. They are cut from the same cloth as ancient rebels and immoralists.

• these (οὗτοι - houtoi): A demonstrative pronoun, pointing directly to the specific false teachers Jude is addressing. It implies familiarity with who Jude is speaking about.

• dreamers (ἐνυπνιαζόμενοι - enyphniazomenoi): This Greek word describes those who are literally "dreaming" or "given to dreams." In this context, it is derogatory, suggesting that the false teachers are self-deluded, basing their teachings and conduct on subjective visions, misguided impulses, or deceptive revelations rather than sound doctrine from God's revealed truth. It portrays them as living in a fantasy detached from spiritual reality.

• defile (μιαίνουσι - miainousi): Meaning "to stain," "pollute," or "make ceremonially unclean." It implies both physical and moral corruption, pointing to actions that are an affront to holiness and purity.

• the flesh (σάρκα - sarka): Refers to the physical body and its desires, but often in the New Testament it represents the sinful, unredeemed human nature prone to lust and corruption. Here, it specifically points to practices involving sexual immorality and unrestrained indulgence of carnal appetites, likely promoting a libertine lifestyle under the guise of "grace."

• reject (ἀθετοῦσι - athetousi): Meaning "to set aside," "render void," "nullify," or "spurn." It's a strong word indicating an active, deliberate repudiation and contempt for something.

• authority (κυριότητα - kyrioteta): Derived from kyrios (lord, master). This refers to "lordship," "dominion," or "mastery." It encompasses all forms of established rule or governing power, including human (church leaders, government) and divine (God, Christ, even angelic hierarchies). The false teachers rejected any superior authority over their own supposed enlightenment or license.

• and blaspheme (βλασφημοῦσιν - blasphēmousin): Means "to speak evil of," "revile," "slander," or "utter impious words." This goes beyond simple disagreement; it denotes a defiant and contemptuous speaking against something sacred or holy.

• the glorious ones (δόξας - doxas): Plural of doxa, meaning "glory," "splendor," or "majesty." In this context, especially in light of the immediate next verse (Jude 1:9, Michael vs. the devil) and the parallel passage in 2 Peter 2:10-12, this term most probably refers to high-ranking angelic beings or, more broadly, to spiritual powers associated with God's heavenly realm. The false teachers audaciously spoke evil of beings vastly superior to them.

• "these dreamers defile the flesh": This phrase connects the false teachers' delusional spiritual claims with practical moral impurity. Their false doctrines (derived from their "dreams") lead to an antinomian or libertine lifestyle, where bodily sins are minimized or even sanctioned. This is a common characteristic of heretics in the early church, contrasting starkly with Christian calls to holiness.

• "reject authority": This indicates a spirit of lawlessness and rebellion that flows from their pride and supposed superior knowledge. They do not submit to God-given order, whether it is divine rule, the leadership within the church, or even the natural hierarchies within the spiritual realm. This undermines the structure and order necessary for true faith.

• "and blaspheme the glorious ones": This is the ultimate act of presumption. Not only do they rebel against authority on earth, but they speak contemptuously of exalted, unseen spiritual beings (angels) or even the majesty of God itself. This reflects their spiritual arrogance and lack of reverence, putting themselves in a position to judge what is sacred and beyond their comprehension. This sets them apart as dangerous, godless individuals.

Jude 1 8 Bonus Section

The "glorious ones" (doxas) are highly debated in scholarly circles, though the most widely accepted interpretation, especially given Jude 1:9 and 2 Peter 2:10-12, refers to angels. However, some have posited it could refer to glorified believers, God's divine attributes, or even the "Lord of glory" (Christ). The primary context of the early church warnings against Gnosticism (even if nascent forms) can shed light. Some early Gnostic ideas emphasized spiritual knowledge over physical conduct, leading to disdain for the material world, potentially even allowing licentious behavior in the flesh. This could connect to "defiling the flesh." Moreover, their complex cosmologies involving various aeons, emanations, and spiritual hierarchies often led to speaking about unseen spiritual beings in ways that could be seen as reviling, especially if they challenged or reinterpreted traditional angelic roles or ranks. The term "dreamers" might also hint at an appeal to private, subjective "gnosis" or secret revelations as the basis for their aberrant theology and morality, rather than apostolic tradition.

Jude 1 8 Commentary

Jude 1:8 acts as the pivotal verse transitioning from Jude's historical warnings to the specific accusations against the false teachers polluting the church. The three vices highlighted – defiling the flesh, rejecting authority, and blaspheming glorious ones – collectively portray a destructive spiritual arrogance. Their "dreaming" suggests their spiritual perceptions are flawed, leading to a disconnect from biblical truth and ethical behavior. This indicates either self-deception, demonic influence, or a blend of both, enabling them to rationalize their immorality and defiance.

"Defiling the flesh" is primarily a charge of sexual immorality, a recurring issue with false teachers who often teach that since salvation is spiritual, bodily actions do not matter or that true "enlightenment" transcends moral constraints. This licentiousness contradicted the gospel's call to purity and holiness. Their "rejection of authority" underscores their pride and antinomianism, undermining both divine and human structures of governance and order that God established. They were essentially declaring their autonomy from any external rule or standard, preferring their own subjective whims. Lastly, their "blasphemy of the glorious ones," likely referring to angels or even the divine glory of God, reveals a profound irreverence. Unlike Michael the archangel, who restrained himself from speaking evil even to the devil (Jude 1:9), these audacious individuals presumptuously reviled spiritual powers and sacred truths, demonstrating a profound lack of fear of God and spiritual discernment. This triplet of vices forms the core of their dangerous nature, exposing them as enemies of Christ and His Church.

Examples:

• A group promoting spiritual enlightenment while engaging in communal sexual practices, dismissing marriage vows as unnecessary.
• Leaders who teach followers to disregard traditional church hierarchy and even government laws based on alleged direct revelations from God that conflict with established scriptures.
• Individuals who arrogantly mock spiritual disciplines, holy concepts, or even the roles of biblical angels, claiming such things are "outdated" or irrelevant to their "higher understanding."