13

In 12d–e, Jude described these fake Christians as useless. Here in verse 13, he used illustrations to show that they were worse than just useless, they were harmful.

13a

wild waves of the sea: Jude further described the fake Christians with the metaphor of wild waves in the sea. Like wild waves, they lived in an uncontrolled manner. They acted without concern for what is right.

In some languages this metaphor may not express the meaning clearly. If that is true in your language, here are other options:

• Use a simile. For example:

They are like wild waves of the sea. (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

• Make explicit the similarity between the wild waves and these people. (Some other ways to state how the fake Christians are similar to wild waves are:They act/behave wildly.-or-They are out of control.) For example:

They are without control, like wild waves of the sea.

13b

foaming up their own shame: Here Jude continued the metaphor that he used in 13a. Just as waves of the sea produce dirty foam, so these fake Christians (Jude may have had either of two pictures in his mind.(1) The foam produced by the waves remained on the surface of the sea.(2) The waves deposited the dirty foam on the beach.Either of these options may be correct. However, it is recommended that you follow the example of the English versions and not mention a “beach” or “the shore.”) produce shameful actions.

If this metaphor is not clear, you may translate it as a simile. For example:

and like such waves produce dirty foam, what they do/produce is shameful.

General Comment on 13a–b

The metaphor that Jude used here is similar to the one in Isaiah 57:20: “the tossing sea…whose waves cast up mire and mud.”

If the sea and waves are unfamiliar to your readers, you may be able to state the meaning plainly, without the figure of “wild foaming waves.” For example:

^13aThey are wild, not caring about what is right. ^13bTheir actions are disgusting!
-or-
^13aTheir uncontrolled actions ^13bare shameful.

13c

wandering stars: In past times, many people used the stars to determine their direction at night. (It is likely that the wandering stars that Jude used in this metaphor were the planets. Compared to other stars, the planets seemed to wander across the sky, and so they were unreliable guides for navigation. If Jude’s readers understood the wandering stars to be the planets, they might also have seen a comparison to the Roman and Greek gods who shared names with the planets. Whole societies had been misled by believing in these false gods.) They could do this because stars moved in a way that they could predict. The Greek expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates as wandering stars refers to other lights in the sky. Some scholars believe that this refers to the planets. Compared to the stars, these lights seemed to wander across the sky. This made them useless for indicating direction.

The fake Christians misled people. Like the wandering stars, they were not reliable as guides, and people should not follow (imitate) them.

If this metaphor is not clear, you may use a simile. You may also make explicit the similarity between the wandering stars and the fake Christians. For example:

They are unfit guides, like stars that wander unpredictably in the sky.

13d

In this part of the verse Jude indicated that the Lord was keeping a place of eternal darkness for the fake Christians. They would be sent there because they did not really believe in Jesus, and when they joined the church, they planned to do evil. This eternal darkness is one description of the place of eternal punishment, which other biblical writers have called “hell.”

for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever: Here Jude used irony to emphasize the punishment of the fake Christians. In 13c, he used the metaphor of “wandering stars.” The irony is that though Jude described the fake Christians as lights in the sky, they would have to stay in the blackest darkness forever.

for whom: The Greek pronoun that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as for whom can refer to either the fake Christians or the wandering stars. Either way, Jude was referring to the fake Christians, because the stars were a metaphor that he had used to describe them.

blackest darkness: The Bible sometimes refers to the place of eternal punishment as darkness (for example, Matthew 8:12, 22:13, 25:30). The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as blackest is the same word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as darkness in 6c. It can also be translated as “gloom.” Other ways to translate this include:

the utter depths of…darkness (NET Bible)
-or-
the deepest darkness (New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation)
-or-
gloomy darkness (God’s Word)

has been reserved:

Jude frequently used the Greek verb, tēreō, which the Berean Standard Bible has translated as “kept” or “stay.” He used a form of tēreō in 1f, 6a, 6c, here in 13d (where the Berean Standard Bible uses the verb “reserved”), and “kept” in 21a. Though it was possible for Jude to use one verb in all these places, the meanings translated into natural English require the use of more than one English verb.) If it is more natural in your language to use active verbs, you may need to say who it was who reserved the darkness. (The New Living Translation (2004 Revision) makes the verb active without saying who reserved the darkness. The New Living Translation (2004 Revision) did this by referring to the darkness as the destination that the fake Christians were “heading” for, rather than as something waiting for them. It says: “They are…heading for everlasting gloom and darkness.”) For example:

The Lord has reserved a place for them….

forever: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as forever can be translated literally as “for eternity.” Jude meant that the fake Christians would have to stay in the darkness forever.

© 2007 by SIL International®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

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.

25a

to the only God our Savior: Here Jude affirmed that there is only one God, that he is the only true God, and that God is our Savior.

our Savior: It was common in the Old Testament to speak about God as Savior. God saves (rescues) his people from many types of danger or harm.

In the New Testament this word usually refers to the salvation which God provided through Jesus. This is the way that Jude used it in this verse. Through Jesus Christ, God saved people from being slaves to their sins and from eternal punishment and separation from God. Other ways to say this are:

our rescuer
-or-
our deliverer

Savior: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Savior has the same root as the one that was translated “salvation” in 3c. This is the same Greek word that the Bible often uses to talk about Jesus.

25b

be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority: The Greek text of Jude 25 has no verb. However, in English and some other languages, it is necessary to supply a verb. There are two ways to interpret the meaning of the Greek text here:

(1) Jude was giving praise to God by stating what God is like. So, glory, majesty, dominion, and authority are attributes of God. In English, this idea can be expressed by a verb like “belong” or “are.” For example:

glory, majesty, power, and authority belong to him. (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

(2) Jude was expressing as a type of prayer or desire for God to receive glory, majesty, dominion, and authority. For example:

To him be glory, greatness, power, and authority. (New Century Version)

It is difficult to determine which interpretation English versions follow only by the verb that is used. It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Jude was praising God by describing what he is like.

glory: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as glory is another form of the word that was translated as “glorious” in 24b. In both places it refers to God’s splendor and excellence. Everything about God is the best. He is so splendid and great that nothing can even be compared to him. Sometimes the glory of God is described as the bright light that is part of his splendor.

majesty: This refers to God’s greatness as the king. There is no greater ruler. If your language has a word or phrase that describes the splendor or greatness of an earthly king or chief, you may be able to use it here.

dominion: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as dominion refers to the fact that God is able to do whatever he wants. God is able to accomplish all his perfect plans. In this context, the word does not refer to physical power or strength.

authority: The meaning of the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as authority is related to the word translated “dominion.” Here, authority refers to God’s right to rule as the absolute sovereign. He is the rightful ruler of everyone and everything.

25c

through Jesus Christ our Lord: Scholars have different opinions concerning how this phrase relates to the other parts of this verse. Two possibilities are:

(1) It connects with “our Savior” in 25a. Jesus Christ is the agent/person through whom God saved us. God is our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. For example:

^25ato the only God, our Savior ^25cthrough Jesus Christ our Lord, (Revised Standard Version)

(2) It connects with the list of God’s attributes in 25b, that is, “glory, majesty, dominion, and authority.” For example:

^25ato the only God our Saviour, ^25b…glory and majesty, power and authority, ^25cthrough Jesus Christ our Lord, (Revised English Bible)

Many English versions are ambiguous on this issue. It is impossible to determine which interpretation they follow, based only on the order of phrases. It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), which fits best with the meaning of each part of the doxology.

Jesus Christ our Lord: This has the same meaning as the similar phrase “our Lord Jesus Christ.” See the notes on 17b and 21b–c.

25d

In the Greek text of Jude 25, this verse part follows 25b. The attributes of God listed there, “glory, majesty, dominion, and authority,” belonged to God for all time. They were his “before all time,” and they belong to him “now, and for all eternity.”

before all time, and now, and for all eternity: The Greek expressions that the Berean Standard Bible translates as before all time, and now, and for all eternity refer to time. They work together to communicate one idea: The attributes in 25b always have belonged to God and always will.

In the notes below, definitions are given for each of these expressions of time. However, in many languages it is not necessary to translate each expression separately to communicate the idea. Look for the most natural way in your language to communicate the meaning. Your translation does not have to follow the form of the Greek text. Examples include:

from the start of time until today and until the end of time
-or-
from the very beginning to the very end
-or-
It has always been so, and it always will be so.
-or-
always and forever

before all time: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as before all time is literally “before all the time/eternity.” This means before time even began. Some ways to say this include:

before all ages
-or-
before time began/was
-or-
before God created anything

now: This means more than just “today.” It refers to the passing of time in this present age, including the time now.

for all eternity: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as for all eternity is literally “into all the ages,” and it means “forevermore, never to end.”

Amen: This word occurs over one hundred times in the New Testament, so you have probably seen it before. It may be familiar to your readers from the Bible version in your national language, or your people may use it to end prayers. If this is so, it is recommended that you use that familiar term here.

However, you may decide to use an expression from your own language to translate the meaning. Some ways to express the meaning in English are:

Truly!
-or-
Indeed!
-or-
So it shall be.

General Comment on 24–25

In some languages, it may be necessary or more natural to identify God as “the only God” at the beginning of this paragraph. In addition, it may be clearer if you reorder other parts of this paragraph. For example:

^25aThe only God ^24ais the one who is able to keep you from falling, ^24band he is able to make you innocent and joyful when he brings you to stand before him in his glory. ^25aHe has saved us ^25cthrough our Lord, Jesus Christ. ^25bGlory, majesty, power, and authority were his ^25dsince before time began, are still his now, and will be his forever. Amen.

1:1a

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ: In an ancient Greek letter, it was normal for the writer to mention his own name first. So James began this letter with his own name. However, in some languages, starting with James’ name will not make it clear that James was the writer of the letter. It may be necessary to say this explicitly. For example:

This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

In some languages, it is not usual for a person to talk about himself in the third person. In these languages, it may be necessary to say:

I, James, am writing this letter. I am a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.
-or-
I am James. I am writing this letter to you. I am a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.

James: James was one of Jesus’ younger brothers. He was also one of the leaders of the church in Jerusalem. He is mentioned in Matthew 13:55, Mark 6:3, and various other places in the NT. It is important to spell the name James the same way here as you did in those passages.

For more information about James, see the section called “The person who wrote the letter” in the Introduction.

a servant of God: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as servant also means “slave.” This normally refers to someone who was owned by another person. He worked for his owner without receiving pay.

The phrase servant of God (or more often “servant of the Lord”) is often used figuratively in the Old Testament to describe the relationship that God’s people have to him, their master. It refers to someone who submits to God, serves God, and is devoted and loyal to God.

People often despised servants or slaves. But when someone called himself a servant of God, as James did here, he was not ashamed of it. If you have more than one word to describe servants or slaves, choose the one that is most appropriate to be used in this positive sense that describes a believer’s relationship to God.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

a slave of God (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))
-or-
a worker of/for God

In some languages, it will be best to translate the word servant as a verb. For example:

I serve God
-or-
belong to God
-or-
submit to God

and of the Lord Jesus Christ: James also called himself a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Lord: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Lord means someone who has authority over someone or something. Here it is a title that identifies Jesus as God, the one who has supreme authority.

Some other ways to translate Lord are:

Master
-or-
Owner
-or-
supreme Chief/Leader

In some languages, it may be necessary to add a word like “our” before Lord. For example:

our Master/Chief

Christ: The word Christ is sometimes used as a title and sometimes as a name. Even when it is used as a name, it has the same meaning that it has as a title. Here in James, the word Christ probably functions as a title more than as a name. (This is based on the position taken in these Notes that James addressed this letter to Jewish Christians for whom the title “Christ” (or “Messiah”) would have had significant meaning. It is also based on an assumed early date for the book of James (sometime between AD 50 and AD 62), a time before “Christ” came to be established as a name. See, for example, McCartney, page 79, and the Translator’s Handbook, page 8, (which agrees that “Christ” would have been a title to early Christians of Jewish background though the Handbook takes the position that James wrote to Christians in general, Jewish and Gentile alike).)

The title Christ is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word “Messiah.” The Jews used this title to refer to the person whom God had appointed and promised to send as king and savior.

Some ways to translate Christ are:

• Use a title or a descriptive phrase in your language that has the same meaning as Christ. For example:

Messiah
-or-
Promised Deliverer
-or-
the Rescuer-King whom God appointed

• Transliterate Christ and include a phrase that explains the meaning. For example:

Christ, the appointed one
-or-
Cristo, the Savior whom God promised to send
-or-
the Christ, he comes from God

• Transliterate Christ and indicate in some way that it is a title. For example:

the Christ
-or-
the Kirisita

If you do not indicate the meaning of Christ in the text, you may want to include a footnote to explain it. Or you may want to explain the meaning in a glossary. For example:

The word/title “Christ” refers to the one whom God had promised to send. He would be both king and savior.

1:1b

To the twelve tribes of the Dispersion: Greetings: In some languages, it may be natural to place the word Greetings before the phrase saying whom James was greeting. For example:

Greetings to the twelve tribes scattered all over the world. (Contemporary English Version)

It may also be necessary to use a verb that means “greets” rather than the noun Greetings. For example:

I greet the twelve tribes scattered among the nations
-or-
I say “hello” to you twelve tribes scattered among the nations

To the twelve tribes of the Dispersion: Most scholars interpret the phrase the twelve tribes to refer to Christians. (A small group of scholars say that James was writing to all Jews. For more information, see the section called “The people to whom James wrote” in the Introduction.) However, there are two ways to interpret which Christians this phrase refers to:

(1) It refers to Jewish Christians who were scattered in other countries. The twelve tribes was a common way to refer to the Jews. Here it refers to Jews who were Christians. For example, the New Living Translation (2004 Revision) says:

I am writing to the “twelve tribes”—Jewish believers scattered abroad.

(New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

(2) It refers to both Jewish and Gentile Christians. Certain passages describe Christians as true or spiritual Israel. (See, for example, Galatians 3:7 and Galatians 3:29). Christians are of the Dispersion in the sense that they do not live in heaven which is their true homeland. For example, the Good News Translation says:

to all God’s people scattered over the whole world

(Good News Translation, New Century Version, God’s Word)

Most English versions translate this phrase literally and do not make it clear to whom the phrase refers. It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) (We are following a majority of Bible scholars, though opinion is split on this issue.) and make this interpretation clear either in the text or in a footnote.

Some ways to translate this phrase are:

• Make it explicit that the phrase the twelve tribes refers to the twelve tribes “of Israel.” For example:

to the twelve tribes/clans of Israel who are scattered among the nations
-or-
to the people of Israel who are scattered among the nations

If you do this, you should include a footnote to explain that the twelve tribes refers to Jewish Christians.

• Make it explicit that the phrase the twelve tribes refers to Jewish Christians. For example:

to Jewish believers who are scattered among the nations

the twelve tribes: The phrase the twelve tribes refers to the descendants of Jacob’s twelve sons, whom God renamed as Israel. These people all spoke the same language and all considered themselves to belong to the same ethnic group.

In some languages it is more natural to call them:

clans
-or-
sections/divisions

of the Dispersion: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the Dispersion refers to certain times during the Jews’ history, when they had been forced to flee from their country. Many of them still lived in other (non-Jewish) countries. These are the people who would normally be referred to as the Dispersion.

However, James was probably writing to Jewish Christians. So he might also have meant the Jewish believers who had been forced to leave Jerusalem because they had been persecuted for their faith. See Acts 11:19 for an example.

The word Dispersion means that these people were living outside of their country or home areas. It does not mean that these people were living far apart from each other.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

dispersed throughout the world (Revised English Bible)
-or-
spread outside of their homeland
-or-
living in other countries

© 2012 by SIL International®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

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.

Section 24–25

Jude praised God

Jude ended his letter by praising God. (The Apostle Paul ended his letter to the Romans in a similar way (Romans 16:25–27).) First, Jude assured his readers that God was able to protect them from falling away from their faith into a life of sin (24a). Despite the danger from the false teaching and sinful living of the fake Christians, Jude declared that God was able to keep them from sinning in that way, so that after they died, they would be with God. With God they would experience great joy and have no sin (24b). Jude praised God for who he is (He is the only God.) and for what he has done (He has saved us through our Lord, Jesus Christ.) (25a–b). He listed some attributes of God: glory, majesty, power, and authority. Jude ascribed these attributes to God for all times: past, present, and in the future.

24–25

Now to Him…to the only God our Savior be glory…Amen: In these verses Jude praised God using a special form called a “doxology.” The words to Him and to the only God our Savior are part of this special form of praise. In the Bible, authors often concluded a book, letter, or section of a letter with a doxology. If possible, you should be consistent in the way you translate doxologies throughout the Bible.

24

In this verse, Jude spoke of God as the one who could protect his readers from sin and cause them to be with him forever.

24a

Now to Him who is able: The Greek expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates as to Him who is able describes God. It is literally “to the being-able-(one).” It is linked closely to the phrase “to the only God” in verse 25. God is the only one who can do the things that this verse mentions. Jude’s readers could not do those things to save themselves.

In some languages it may be more natural to use the word for “God” here in 24a. For example:

God can guard you so that you don’t fall. (God’s Word)
-or-
God is strong and can help you not to fall. (New Century Version)

to keep you: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as keep is different from the verb that Jude used (In this letter, the Berean Standard Bible translates this Greek verb in different ways: “kept” (1f, 6c), “stay” (6a) “keep” (21a), and “reserved” (13d).) in 1f, 6a, 6c, 13d (See the first footnote under the note for “reserved.”), and 21a. In this context, it means:

guard
-or-
defend
-or-
protect

Jude indicated that God was able to protect his readers from the bad influence of the fake Christians. In English the words “keep from” have the same meaning. Look for the most natural way in your language to make the meaning clear.

you: Although you refers to Jude’s readers, what Jude said in this verse is true for everyone who trusts in God and in Jesus Christ.

from stumbling: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as from stumbling is literally “without stumbling.” In this context it is used as a figure of speech. It may refer to stumbling from faith into a life of sin. Specifically, it may imply being deceived by the sinful living and false teaching of the fake Christians. God was able to protect Jude’s readers from this type of stumbling and falling. (Many scholars understand stumbling to refer to not attaining salvation at the final judgment.)

In some languages it may be necessary to make the meaning more explicit. For example:

God is able to protect/defend you so that sin/evil will not trip you.
-or-
God is the one who can protect you from falling away from him into a sinful life.

24b

to present you unblemished in His glorious presence: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as to present is literally “to set/place/put.” It is God who would cause Jude’s readers to be in His glorious presence.

unblemished: God was able to protect Jude’s readers from falling away from him because of sin (24a), and also to remove from them all the guilt of their sins. Then it would be as if these Christians had never sinned at all. They would appear before God unblemished or without fault. There would be nothing for which God would blame them. A positive way to state this is:

so that you will be innocent….

in His glorious presence: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as His glorious presence is literally “the glory of him” or “his glory.” It refers here to being in the presence of God, that is, with God. The Berean Standard Bible supplies the word presence. It is natural in English to use the word presence when referring to someone very great, such as God, a king, or a person of high status. Another way to say this is:

with God himself in his glory
-or-
with him where you will see his glory

glorious: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as glorious are literally “the glory.” In this context this expression refers to the excellence of God’s divine qualities. Everything about God is the best. God is so splendid and great that nothing can even be compared to him. Sometimes the visible sign of his splendor is described as very bright light. (The Bible indicates that bright light is part of God’s splendor. (See, for example, Exodus 24:17 and Revelation 21:23.)). Another way to translate this is:

before him, where his splendor shines.

with great joy: Jude also wanted his readers to know that they would be very joyful when they came to God. Because they would be “unblemished” or without fault, they would not have to be afraid that God would punish them. Their joy would not be diminished by sin or fear. Other ways to translate this include:

extremely happy
-or-
full of joy (God’s Word)
-or-
rejoicing (NET Bible)
-or-
jubilant (Revised English Bible)

General Comment on 24b

In some languages it may be more natural to reorder the phrases in 24b. For example:

He is also able to remove all your sins so that you will be innocent when he brings you into his glorious presence. This will be a time of great joy for you.

© 2007 by SIL International®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

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.

23a

save others by snatching them from the fire: In 23a, save others is the main idea. The phrase by snatching them from the fire expresses the way by which Jude’s readers should save these other people. (English versions that translate this way include: Berean Standard Bible, God’s Word, NET Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New Living Translation (2004 Revision), New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation. Others may also be understood this way, especially the Contemporary English Version and New American Standard Bible.)

others: The others here refers to the second type of people whom the fake Christians had influenced. Jude wanted his readers to help them, too. Because the fake Christians had more influence on this second group of people than on the first group in verse 22, they were in even greater spiritual danger. They seem to have believed the lies that the fake Christians had told them.

snatching them from the fire:

Amos 4:11 and Zechariah 3:2 use similar figures of speech. These two passages use the image of a stick being snatched from the fire to describe how the Lord rescued people from danger.
) The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as snatching means to pull or remove something quickly. The phrase snatching…from the fire refers to pulling people away from the fire. Jude’s readers were not literally snatching or pulling people from the fire of God’s judgment. However, they could help people to repent and escape it. The Greek text has expressed this idea in a vivid way. Use an appropriate expression in your language to communicate this meaning.

from the fire: Scholars have different opinions about what the fire represents in this verse. Two different interpretations are:

(1) The phrase the fire here is the eternal fire, also mentioned in verse 7. It refers to hell (or God’s judgment of sinners). For example:

the fire of hell (God’s Word)
-or-
the flames of judgment (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

(2) The phrase the fire here is a metaphor that represents some other unspecified danger. (For example, the fire could represent their lifestyle of following the fake Christians.)

It is most likely that the fire refers to hell or God’s judgment, as interpretation (1) indicates. However, most English versions, including the Berean Standard Bible, do not make that idea explicit. If you must include this information, see the examples above and the Display for suggestions.

23b

and to still others: Here others refers to the third type of people whom the fake Christians had influenced. Their influence on this third type was even worse than it was on the first two types (verse 22–23a). The people of this third group believed the wrong teaching of the fake Christians and committed the same sins.

show mercy: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as show mercy is the same word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as “have mercy” in verse 22. (See the note on verse 22.) It means to be kind and compassionate to people by helping them. Jude wanted his readers to do this for the people mentioned in verse 22, and also for this third group of people (23b–c).

tempered with fear: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as tempered with fear is literally with fear. Scholars have different opinions about who or what it was that Jude wanted his readers to fear:

(1) Jude was telling his readers to fear becoming involved in the same sins as these people. For example:

^23bThere are still others to whom you need to show mercy, but be careful ^23cthat you aren’t contaminated by their sins. (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

(Contemporary English Version, God’s Word, New Jerusalem Bible, New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

(2) Jude was telling his readers to fear God, to revere and respect him. For example:

have mercy on others, coupled with a fear of God. (NET Bible)

(NET Bible)

Most English versions are ambiguous. It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). It fits the context better, and it has more support in commentaries. Although Jude wanted his readers to help these people, he cautioned them to be careful, lest contact with them lead his readers to sin.

23c

hating even the clothing stained by the flesh: Jude further explained here what he meant by “with fear” in 23b by using a figure of speech. He mentioned that people stained their clothes as a result of sin. They could do this by an emission from their bodies. For example, someone who drank too much alcohol might soil his clothes with vomit or urine, or people might soil their clothes through sinful sexual acts.

Jude used the stained clothes as a figure of speech to emphasize that his readers must be very careful to avoid those sins. The people’s soiled clothing represented their sinful actions. Jude was not afraid that his readers might literally touch the soiled clothing. He did not want them to have anything to do with those sins in any way.

In some languages this figure of speech may not express the right meaning. If that is true in your language, it may be best to use a more general expression. For example, some English versions do not mention clothes:

…afraid that you might be stained by their sinful lives. (God’s Word)
-or-
but be careful that you aren’t contaminated by their sins. (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

hating: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as hating may be translated in this context as:

avoiding
-or-
detesting

In some languages it may not be natural to use a verb like “hate” for an object like clothes. Look for a verb in your language that fits this context.

even: The Berean Standard Bible and most other English versions translate the Greek word kai here as even. (BGD classifies this use of kai as ascensive (II.2.). The clause it introduces (“hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh”) intensifies what precedes it (“be merciful with fear”). Jude was highlighting the caution his readers were to exercise in their dealings with this third group of people whom they were to help. He intensified the extent to which they were to be cautious by mentioning that they were to hate/detest even the things associated with the sins of these people. The things he chose were the clothes that these people stained through their sinful actions. To highlight and intensify the degree to which they were to avoid moral corruption, he speaks of detesting, and hence being careful around, even things that could cause physical contamination or corruption.What makes this verse part particularly difficult to translate is that a translation, even with implied information made explicit, will usually sound as if Jude was really warning his readers to avoid physical contact with stained clothing. That was not Jude’s concern. Rather, by telling them to detest even the physical clothing, he intensified his real point, that they are to be extremely cautious lest they suffer moral contamination through becoming involved in the sins of the people they were to be helping.) Jude used it to emphasize that his readers should be very careful not to sin. They must fear sinning so much that they would even avoid anything that represented the sins, like the sinners’ soiled clothing.

the clothing: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as clothing refers to an inner garment worn next to the skin, (The New Revised Standard Version calls this garment “the tunic.”) not to the long outer garment that people wore at that time. If you refer to clothing in your translation, here are two options:

• Use a general expression like “clothes,” clothing, or “garments.”

• Use a specific word that refers to a type of clothing that people wear next to their skin. (This is only a concern if your language and culture make a similar distinction between outer and inner garments. If a generic term, like clothing, sounds natural in this context, then you may use it.)

Avoid words that refer to an outer garment, like a coat, that people often remove.

stained: You may need to translate this idea differently. Use a natural expression to refer to the idea in this context.

Other ways that English versions have translated the idea of stained are:

made dirty (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
polluted (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
contaminated (New Living Translation (2004 Revision), Revised English Bible)
-or-
defiled (New Revised Standard Version)

the flesh: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as flesh refers literally to “the body.” However, Jude used the flesh here as a metaphor to refer to the sinful desires and actions (A good case can be made that “the flesh” refers to the body itself that craves for things. An even better case can be made that “the flesh” refers to the sinful nature of these people that led them to sin. Ultimately, however, “the flesh” points to the sins themselves. The sinful nature of these people committed these sins in order to satisfy sinful cravings of the body. The three concepts are so integrally connected, that it is hard to conceive of one without the other two.) of the people. (This refers to the third type/group of people that Jude wanted his readers, the Christians, to help.)

The flesh was a good way for Jude to speak about the people’s sins, because they often sinned to indulge the lusts/desires of their bodies. Examples of these sins are:

(a) eating too much food,

(b) drinking too much alcohol,

(c) having sex outside of marriage.

General Comment on 22–23

In verses 22–23 Jude mentioned three types of people. His readers knew some people of all three types, because such people were members of their church. In some languages, it may be helpful to imply this in some way. For example:

other people you know
-or-
other people in your church/congregation

© 2007 by SIL International®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

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.

Paragraph 22–23

In this paragraph, Jude told his readers to help three groups of people (In order to translate 22–23, a translator needs to decide how many different types of people Jude told his readers to help here. The English versions translate as follows:(1) Jude meant three types of people (Berean Standard Bible, God’s Word, New American Standard Bible, New Century Version, NET Bible, New International Version (2011 Revision), New Jerusalem Bible, New Living Translation (2004 Revision), New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation).(2) Jude meant two types of people (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, King James Version).(3) The number is not clearly defined (Contemporary English Version).It is recommended that you translate according to interpretation (1), that Jude here wrote about three distinct types of people influenced by the fake Christians.) whom the fake Christians had influenced by their false teaching and sinful living.

The order in which Jude mentioned these three types of people relates to the amount of influence the fake Christians had on each type. Their false teaching and sinful living had influenced the first type less than the second type, and the second type less than the third type.

22

have mercy: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as have mercy means “to be kind and compassionate.” Jude wanted his readers to have mercy by helping these people.

Jude used the noun form of this word in verses 2 and 21b–c.

on those who doubt: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as those who doubt refers to people in the church who were confused about what to believe. The church leaders taught God’s true message, but the fake Christians spoke and acted contrary to this true teaching.

Ways to translate this include:

those people who do not know what to believe
-or-
those people whose faith is wavering
-or-
those people who have doubts

© 2007 by SIL International®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

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.

21

In this verse, Jude told his readers to maintain/keep themselves in God’s love, using the means that he described in verse 20. They were to continue to do this as they waited for the Lord, Jesus Christ, to return so that they could live forever with him.

21a

keep yourselves in the love of God: This clause means “continue to experience God’s love.” It indicates that Jude’s readers should always remember that God loves them. They should live in such a way that they enjoy that knowledge. They should not do anything that would hinder them from experiencing his love or from receiving his blessings. Some ways to translate this are:

maintain yourselves in God’s love.
-or-
keep experiencing God’s love for you.
-or-
always remain in God’s love for you.

keep: Jude frequently used the Greek verb tēreō, which the Berean Standard Bible translates as keep. He used a form of tēreō in 1f, 6a, 6c, 13d (where the Berean Standard Bible translates it as “reserved”), and here in 21a. It was possible for Jude to use one verb in all these contexts in Greek because tēreō could be used in many different ways.

In other languages, including English, it may not be natural or possible to use the same verb in all these contexts. In each context, you should use a verb that expresses the meaning in a natural way.

the love of God: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as love of God in this context probably refers to God’s love for them, rather than to their love for God. (Some English versions indicate this explicitly, including Contemporary English Version, God’s Word, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, New Century Version, New International Version (2011 Revision), New Jerusalem Bible, and New Living Translation (2004 Revision). English versions which are ambiguous are: Berean Standard Bible, King James Version, New American Standard Bible, NET Bible, New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, Revised Standard Version, and Good News Translation.). Here is another way to translate this verse part:

Live in such a way that God’s love can bless you. (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))

The phrase love of God is then parallel in meaning to “the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ” in 21c. These two phrases together are similar in meaning to what Jude wrote in 1e and 1f:

loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ:

21b–c

as you await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you eternal life: A literal translation of 21b–c is: “anticipating the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.” It can be difficult in English to show how the ideas in 21b–c are related to each other, and English versions differ in the ways they translate them. It may be easier to understand the meaning if the ideas are expressed in a different order. For example:

^21cOur Lord Jesus Christ is merciful to you. Because of his mercy, he will give you eternal life. ^21bYou are expecting/waiting-for him to do that.

Below are some ways that English versions have expressed the meaning. Notice that in each version a different idea follows the verb. These ideas are underlined.

as you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ in his mercy to give you eternal life. (Good News Translation)
-or-
as you wait for the eternal life that our Lord Jesus Christ in his mercy is going to give you. (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))
-or-
as you look forward to the day when our Lord Jesus Christ in his mercy will give you eternal life.

These are not different interpretations. Instead, they are different ways to express the same interpretation in a clear and natural way. Use a natural way to express the idea in your language. (For example, in English, the objects “Jesus Christ” and “the day” are most natural when a form of the verb “wait” is used. The objects “eternal life” and “the day” work well in English with “look forward to.” However, while “the mercy” follows the form of the Greek wording, it is less natural with these verbs in English.)

as you await: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as you await is related to the verb “keep” in Jude 21a. Scholars have different views about exactly how it relates to this verb:

(1) It relates to the time of the verb “keep.” The action of the verb (await) happens at the same time as the action “keep.” For example:

keep…as you wait (Good News Translation)
-or-
maintain…while anticipating (NET Bible)
-or-
Remain…as you look for (God’s Word)

(Berean Standard Bible, Contemporary English Version, God’s Word, King James Version, New American Standard Bible, New Century Version, NET Bible, New International Version (2011 Revision), New Living Translation (2004 Revision), Good News Translation)

(2) It is another command, like the verb “keep.” The waiting was another thing that Jude told his readers to do. For example:

keep…and wait for (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
Keep…and look forward to (Revised English Bible)

(Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, New Jerusalem Bible, New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, Revised Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), as the majority of the English versions do.

A general comment on 21b–c at the end of these notes for 21b–c gives suggestions for how to relate the parts of 21b–c to each other in a translation.

await:

In the Bible, waiting and anticipation are often associated with the end times, and that is true here. Jude already referred to the end times in verses
6e and 14c–15.) In this context, the Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as await means “expect” or “anticipate.” The English expression await is also used here with that meaning.

the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ: The mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ is the kindness that Jesus would show toward Jude’s readers. He would show this mercy to them specifically by giving them eternal life when he returned.

mercy: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as mercy is also discussed in a note for verse 2.

our Lord Jesus Christ: Jude used the phrase our Lord Jesus Christ to indicate the relationship that he and his readers had with their master Jesus Christ. This same phrase is also used in 4f and 17b.

to bring you eternal life: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as to bring you eternal life is literally, “to/for eternal life.” The English versions have supplied a verb, (For example, the Berean Standard Bible supplied to bring. Many English versions supply the verb “give.” (Contemporary English Version, God’s Word, New Century Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New Living Translation (2004 Revision), Revised English Bible, Good News Translation). When considering whether a verb such as “give” should be supplied as implied information, you may wish to make sure that it does not imply that believers do not, in any way, have eternal life during their time on earth, because in one sense they do (John 3:36, John 5:24, and John 6:47).) because it is required in English for the translation to be natural and clear.

eternal life: Here, eternal life is life that never ends. Jesus made eternal life possible by paying the penalty for people’s sins when he suffered and died on the cross. In one sense, Christians receive eternal life when they first believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior. However, in another sense, they will experience it fully only when Jesus returns. Then they will be transformed, and there will no longer be any sin or death.

Here Jude was talking about this time when Jesus returns. (Here eternal life refers specifically to the life without end that believers experience following the resurrection of the dead that will take place when Jesus returns.) It is not recommended that you include such details in your translation.

General Comment on 21b–c

A translator must determine the best way to write about the connection that Jude intended to express between his readers “awaiting,” “Jesus Christ,” “mercy,” and “eternal life.” The ways that English versions have expressed this may not fit your language. Here are some examples of other ways to express the relationship between the parts of 21b–c:

as you wait to be transformed in order to live forever, because our Lord Jesus Christ had mercy on us(incl).
-or-
as you look forward to the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then you will enjoy the life that does not end, because he is compassionate toward us(incl).

General Comment on 20–21

In English, this paragraph sounds more natural if its parts are reordered so that the main verb (Berean Standard Bible: “keep”) comes before the verbs of verse 20 (Berean Standard Bible: “building…up” and “praying”). Here are examples of how this might be done:

^20a But you, my dear friends, ^21a you should maintain yourselves in God’s love. ^20b Do this by building your lives upon the foundation of the uniquely holy truths that you believe, ^20c and by praying with the Holy Spirit as your guide, ^21b as you wait ^21cto live forever because of the mercy our Lord Jesus Christ shows us.
-or-
^20a My friends, ^21a continue to experience God’s love for you. ^20b Do this by basing your lives more and more on the most sacred truths you have believed ^20c and by praying with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. ^21b Keep doing this while you wait ^21cfor the day when our Lord, Jesus Christ, will return. Then you will live forever, because he had mercy on us.

© 2007 by SIL International®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

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.

Section 20–23

Jude encouraged believers to trust God and to help other people to trust him

In verses 20–21 Jude told his readers to keep experiencing God’s love for them (21a), while waiting for Jesus to give them eternal life (21b–c). They were to do this by depending more and more on the truth that Christians believe (20b), and by praying with the help of the Holy Spirit (20c).

In verses 22–23 Jude told his readers how they were to act toward three types of people. (Jude instructed the Christians to:(a) show mercy to people who were uncertain about what to believe,(b) quickly rescue those who were beginning to follow the fake Christians,(c) while being very careful, show mercy to those who were already following these fake Christians.) The fake Christians were harming these people through their false teaching and the sinful things that they did.

Paragraph 20–21

Jude wanted his readers to continue in fellowship with God, as they waited to experience the eternal life that Jesus had provided for them.

20–21

building yourselves up…praying…keep: The Greek verbs that the Berean Standard Bible translates as building…up (20b) and praying (20c) relate to keep in Jude 21a. Scholars have different views about exactly how these words relate to keep. (Scholars have different opinions concerning the relationship of the participles in verse 20 to the main verb in verse 21, which the Berean Standard Bible translates as “keep.” Some scholars and versions interpret these participles as imperatives, because the main verb is imperative. Others interpret them as attendant circumstance, and still others as means.) The Notes takes the view that they express the means by which Jude’s readers could keep themselves in God’s love. The NET Bible says: (The NET Bible contains the following note for verse 20.“The participles in v. 20 have been variously interpreted. Some treat them imperativally or as attendant circumstance to the imperative in v. 21 (‘maintain’): ‘build yourselves up…pray.’ But they do not follow the normal contours of either the imperatival or attendant circumstance participles, rendering this unlikely. A better option is to treat them as the means by which the readers are to maintain themselves in the love of God. This both makes eminently good sense and fits the structural patterns of instrumental participles elsewhere.”)

²⁰But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith, by praying in the Holy Spirit, ²¹maintain yourselves in the love of God…. (NET Bible)

In some languages, it may be necessary to reorder parts of verses 20 and 21 in order to express means. For example, it may be more natural for the verb keep to come before these two verbs. A general comment on 20–21 at the end of the notes for 21b–c gives examples.

20a

But you, beloved: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as But you, beloved are the same words that begin 17a.

These words begin a new section. They indicate that what Jude said in verses 20–21 was especially important.

But you: The Greek word de that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as But shows that this paragraph contrasts with the paragraph that precedes it.

The pronoun you is emphatic and implies a contrast between the fake Christians and Jude’s readers.

beloved: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as beloved was a normal way for Jude to address Christian friends whom he loved. It is used in the same way in 3a and 17a. See the note on 17a.

20b

by building yourselves up in your most holy faith: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as building…up is literally “building…upon.” (This idiom may have well have been focusing on the foundation that was built upon, rather than on the exact nature of the building that was built upon it. Some versions make the building metaphor more explicit, by adding “foundation.” Their faith was something to build upon, like a foundation. This corresponds well with the case of the noun, pistei, which is dative.) The word can be used in a literal way to refer to constructing a building on a foundation. In this verse it is used in a figurative way. It implies that the Christians should use their holy faith as the foundation or basis for their lives (for their thoughts and actions).

In some languages a literal translation of the figure of speech may not be clear. Other ways to express the idea are:

by building your lives on the foundation of your holy faith.
-or-
use your most holy faith to grow. (God’s Word)
-or-
by depending on your most holy faith as the basis for your lives.

building yourselves up: This was a metaphor. It was based on constructing a building. In the New Testament, this metaphor was commonly used. However, it had been used so much by Jude’s time that the saying probably had a set meaning. (It had become a “dead metaphor.”) In that case, people may have no longer thought of constructing an actual building. In many languages it may be best to express the meaning here without the metaphor of building. For example:

By using your most holy faith to grow…
-or-
By trusting even more the most holy truths that you believe…

building…up: The form of the Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as building…up indicates that the action should be continuing. (The same is true for the other participles and verbs in this paragraph.) It was something that Jude wanted his readers to keep doing; it was not an action that they would do only once. Some ways to indicate this in English are:

continue to build… (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))
-or-
keep building… (Contemporary English Version)

In some languages, as in Greek, there is a verb form that indicates that an action is continuing. Look for the most natural way in your language to express this idea.

As stated in the note on 20–21, in this context building…up expresses a means or way by which Jude’s readers could keep themselves in God’s love (21a).

yourselves: Scholars interpret yourselves in different ways in this context:

(1) Jude meant that each individual Christian should build himself or herself up.

(2) Jude meant that the Christians were to build each other up.

If your language requires you to distinguish between these two interpretations, it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). (While interpretation (1) may have been Jude’s primary meaning here, he certainly would have favored building others up as well.)

in your most holy faith: In some languages, it may be more natural to translate this idea without using a preposition like in or “on.” For example:

by continuing to use your most holy faith to build your lives
-or-
by basing your life/actions/thought more and more on the true teachings that you believe

your…faith: Here, your…faith refers to the true Christian teachings that Jude’s readers had been taught. The Greek form that the Berean Standard Bible translates as your is plural. As Christians, this faith was something that they all believed.

most holy faith: Jude described their faith as most holy, because:

(a) God (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.) is holy, and God had revealed this faith to them.

(b) This faith was about how God saved us by providing a holy sacrifice for our sins, Jesus Christ.

(c) Nothing is more holy than God.

Jude was not comparing their faith to other faiths here. He was expressing the unique holiness of their faith. Other ways to translate most holy faith are:

most sacred faith (Revised English Bible)
-or-
the truth about God that you believe
-or-
the unique beliefs that you received from God

20c

and praying in the Holy Spirit: The note on 20–21 mentioned that the verb praying is related to the verb “keep” in 21a. Praying in the Holy Spirit was a means/way by which Jude’s readers were to keep themselves in God’s love (21a).

Praying in the Holy Spirit implies that they should be praying with the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Two ways to translate this are:

pray with the Holy Spirit helping/directing you.
-or-
praying with the Holy Spirit as your guide.

praying: The form of the Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as praying indicates that the action should be continuing. (The same is true for the other participles and verbs in this paragraph.) Jude meant for his readers to continue to pray. Refer to the note on “building…up” in 20b. For example:

by continuing to pray as you are directed by the Holy Spirit.

© 2007 by SIL International®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

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.

19a

These are: Jude referred again here to the fake Christians whom he mentioned frequently throughout his letter (Jude’s use of the word These to refer to the fake Christians is a characteristic of the central section of his letter (verses 5–19), the section containing every midrash he used. Jude 19 is the last verse of this section, and it is also the last time that Jude specifically used These as a way to introduce the application part of a text-application pair in a midrash.) (4, 8a, 10–13, 14b, 16a). Here he stated that they fulfilled the prophecy in 18b–d. You may need to make this connection clear in your translation. For example:

Now they are here, and they are the ones who… (New Living Translation (2004 Revision))
-or-
And now these people are already making you turn against each other. (Contemporary English Version)

the ones who cause divisions: The true believers to whom Jude was writing were supposed to be united. The fake Christians, through their sinful behavior and false teaching, were causing these believers to divide into opposing groups/factions. Other ways to translate this include:

the people who are causing divisions among you
-or-
the ones who are causing you not to be united.
-or-
the people who are creating factions

19b

who are worldly: The Berean Standard Bible clause, who are worldly, translates one word in Greek. This word may be translated literally as “natural.” In this context its meaning (Jude used other phrases with a similar meaning. For example, “follow their own desires” (verse 16 in God’s Word) and “who…follow after their own ungodly desires” (verse 18 in Berean Standard Bible).) is similar to the expression “instinctively” in 10c. In that verse these fake Christians were described as being like unreasoning animals. They did what seemed right to them naturally, as determined by their own sinful natures.

These people were not motivated by love for the Lord or led by the Holy Spirit (19c). Instead, they were controlled by their own natural desires. Other ways to translate this include:

who are controlled by their natural desires (Good News Translation)
-or-
whose thoughts are only of this world (New Century Version)
-or-
who follow mere natural instincts (New International Version (2011 Revision))

19c

and devoid of the Spirit: The fake Christians only cared about their natural desires. They did not have the Spirit to show them a better way to think and live. (In verse 19 Jude ended his description of the people against whom he wrote so strongly from verse 4 through verse 19. As he closed the portion of his letter dealing with these people, he left no doubt that they were not true Christians. Even though these people had infiltrated the church and mixed with the true believers, they did not really love God or desire to submit to him. They did not really believe in Jesus Christ or trust him to save them. They did not have the Holy Spirit. For this reason, these Notes have referred to them as fake Christians.)

Here, the Spirit refers to the Holy Spirit. In some languages, it may be necessary to make this explicit. For example:

the Holy Spirit
-or-
God’s Spirit

If you make this explicit, it is recommended that you use your key term for the Holy Spirit. This will match 20c, where Jude referred to the Spirit as “the Holy Spirit.”

Ways to translate 19c include:

they do not have the Holy Spirit.
-or-
the Holy Spirit does not live in them.
-or-
the Holy Spirit does not guide them.

© 2007 by SIL International®

Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

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.