Paragraph 5–7
In these verses, Jude reminded his readers about three well-known groups who had sinned, and as a result had suffered terrible punishments:
(a) The Israelites had been slaves in Egypt, and the Lord brought them out from there. However, afterwards he destroyed those among them who did not trust in him.
(b) Some angels had rebelled against the Lord, so he placed them in chains in a dark place until the day when he would judge them.
(c) The people of Sodom and Gomorrah had sinned sexually, so the Lord destroyed them by fire.
5a–b
The general comment at the end of the notes for 5b discusses an issue that affects 5a–b. You will want to consider this issue before you make a final decision about how to translate this verse.
5a
Although you are fully aware of this, I want to remind you that: Jude realized that the three examples which he used in verses 5–7 were familiar to his readers. He was careful to mention that he knew this fact, probably so that he would not offend them. Some ways to express this meaning include:
I want to remind you of some things you already know: (New Century Version)
-or-
Although you already know all these things/facts, I want to remind you that…
-or-
I want you to consider some things/facts that you already know.
5b
Jesus: There is a textual issue here:
(1) Some copies of the Greek text have Lord. For example:
that the Lord, after saving a people (New American Standard Bible)
(Contemporary English Version, God’s Word, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, King James Version, New American Standard Bible, New Century Version, New International Version (2011 Revision), New Jerusalem Bible, New Living Translation (2004 Revision), New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, Good News Translation)
(2) Other copies of the Greek text have Jesus. For example:
that Jesus, having saved the people (NET Bible)
(Berean Standard Bible, NET Bible; notes in New American Standard Bible, New International Version (2011 Revision), New Living Translation (2004 Revision), New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, Good News Translation)
Scholars have different opinions about what Jude originally wrote. While most modern versions follow option (1) and have “Lord,” there is also strong evidence for option (2), Jesus. (The NET Bible argues the case for Jude having written “Jesus.” The NET Bible does this in two notes at Jude 5 and another at 1 Corinthians 10:9 for “Christ.” (See Jude 5 in NET Bible and 1 Corinthians 10:9 in NET Bible.)) If Jude wrote “Lord,” then in this context (4f), “Lord” would refer to Jesus Christ before he became a human being.
In your translation, you can follow the major language version in your area. If you follow option (1) (“Lord”), it is recommended that you include a footnote saying that Jude may have written Jesus.
had delivered His people out of the land of Egypt: Jude referred here to the time when the Lord freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and led them away from there. This is recorded in the book of Exodus.
had delivered: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as delivered includes these ideas:
(a) to free someone from something bad,
(b) to rescue/save,
(c) to keep someone safe.
Some ways to translate delivered include:
released
rescued
saved/freed from slavery
His people: The phrase His people refers to the Israelites. The Greek word for His is not explicit in the text. Therefore, you do not need to translate the word His. For example:
a people (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
the people (NET Bible)
-or-
the people of Israel (Good News Translation)
out of the land of Egypt: Egypt was the country where the Israelites had been slaves. It was from slavery in this country that the Lord delivered them. It may be more natural in your language to make the idea of slavery explicit. For example:
The Lord rescued his people from slavery, bringing them out of Egypt.
-or-
The Lord freed his people from Egypt where they were slaves.
General Comment on 5a–b
The Greek text for verse 5 contains the word hapax. This Greek word can be translated literally as “once” or “once for all.” Many English versions leave it implicit (Berean Standard Bible, Contemporary English Version, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, New Century Version, New International Version (2011 Revision), New Living Translation (2004 Revision)).
Copies of the Greek text differ about where hapax is placed in this verse. This affects which verb hapax relates to. Two options are:
(1) It relates to the verb translated as “delivered” in 5b. For example:
The Lord once saved his people from Egypt. (God’s Word)
(God’s Word, New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, Good News Translation)
(2) It relates to the verb translated as “fully aware” in 5a. For example:
you have been fully informed of these facts once for all. (NET Bible)
(King James Version, New American Standard Bible, NET Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Revised Standard Version)
If you translate this Greek word, it is recommended that you follow option (1). Option (1) gives a better contrast with 5c than option (2) does. Most of the English versions that do not translate hapax probably also follow option (1).
5b–c
after Jesus had delivered His people out of the land of Egypt, He destroyed those who did not believe: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as after is literally “the second” and occurs at the beginning of 5c. With this phrase, Jude indicated that the event in 5c happened after the Lord saved the Israelites out of Egypt. This after action by the Lord contrasts with the saving action he did earlier. Some versions include “but” to indicate this contrast and place the phrase at the beginning of 5c. For example:
5bthe Lord rescued the nation from Egypt, 5cbut afterwards he still destroyed the people who refused to believe him (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
5bThe Lord once saved his people from Egypt. 5cBut on another occasion he destroyed those who didn’t believe. (God’s Word)
5c
He destroyed: The Lord destroyed some of the people whom he freed from Egypt. He destroyed them by causing them to die in the wilderness.
those who did not believe: The Lord destroyed those Israelites who did not believe in him. In some languages it is necessary for a verb like believe to have a stated object. For example:
did not believe in him
-or-
did not have faith in him
-or-
did not trust him
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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible. BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.