Deliverance from False Prophets

(Jude 1:3–16)

2 Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. [They] will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow in their depravity, [and] because of [them] the way of truth will be defamed. 3 In their greed, [these false teachers] will exploit you with deceptive words. The longstanding verdict against them remains in force, and their destruction {does} not sleep.

4 For if God {did} not spare [the] angels when they sinned, but cast [them] deep into hell,[fn] placing [them] in chains of darkness to be held for judgment; 5 [if] He did not spare [the] ancient world when He brought [the] flood [on its] ungodly [people], but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, among the eight; 6 [if] He condemned [the] cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction,[fn] reducing [them] to ashes [as] an example of what is coming on the ungodly;[fn] 7 and [if] He rescued Lot, a righteous [man] distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless 8 (for that righteous [man], living among them day after day, was tormented [in his] righteous soul [by the] lawless deeds he saw and heard )—9 [ if all this is so, then the ] Lord knows how to rescue [the] godly from trials and to hold [the] unrighteous for punishment on [the] day of judgment.

10 [ Such punishment is ] specially [reserved] for those who indulge [the] corrupt desires of [the] flesh and despise authority. Bold [and] self-willed, they are unafraid to slander glorious beings.[fn] 11 Yet not even angels, [though] greater in strength and power, dare to bring such slanderous charges against them before [the] Lord.

12 These [men] [are] like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be captured and destroyed. They blaspheme in [matters] they do not understand, [and like such creatures] they too will be destroyed.

13 The harm they will suffer [is the] wages of [their] wickedness. They consider it a pleasure to carouse in broad daylight. [They are] blots and blemishes, reveling in their deception as they feast with you. 14 [Their] eyes are full of adultery; their desire for sin is never satisfied they seduce [the] unstable [They are] accursed children with hearts trained in greed.

15 They have left [the] straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam [son] of Beor,[fn] who loved [the] wages of wickedness. 16 But he was rebuked for his transgression by a donkey, [ otherwise ] without speech, that spoke with a man’s voice [and] restrained the prophet’s madness.

17 These [men] are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them 18 With lofty [but] empty words, they appeal [to the] sensual passions of [the] flesh [and] entice those [who are] just escaping from [others] who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves to depravity. For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.

20 If indeed they have escaped the corruption of the world through [the] knowledge of [our] Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,[fn] only to be entangled [and] overcome by it again, their final [condition] is worse than [it was] at first. 21 It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to have known [it] and then to turn away from the holy commandment passed on to them. 22 Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to [its] vomit,”[fn] and, “A sow that is washed [goes back] to [her] wallowing in [the] mud.”