By
Way of Introduction:
We have already
seen the opening words of the NT elsewhere (Vituperatio); so let us now
take a second
look at the second-last book in our hypothetical edited and chronological
Bible
(ie. the Prophet
Version). Therefore (and by way of skipping the proper introductory materials;
let us turn
at once to the Word of God, and take it from the top please:
Opening
Address & Blessing (v.1-2)
From Judas: a slave
of Jesus Christ, and a brother to [the prophet] Jacob.
To those
Called
Ones: loved by God the Father, and kept in
Jesus Christ ...
Mercy to you! And may
peace and love be multiplied.
*
The
Perverters Have Come! (v.3-4)
My Beloved Ones, being extremely
eager to write to you concerning
our common salvation, I found
it necessary to write to you, so as to
encourage you to contend
for the *Faith* once-&-for-all delivered to
the Saints. For certain people
have crept in; the Ones of Old
(who
were written about, and judged
ungodly), perverting the grace of
our God into a license to
be sexually unrestrained, and also
denying Jesus Christ ( the
Lord and Master of us ) .
*
On
the History of Their Judgment (v.5-11)
(5) But I want to remind
you (for you once knew all these things),
that the Lord, although
having delivered the People out of the land of
Egypt, did then destroy
those who believed not. (6) And those Angels
who did not keep to
their own domain, but having left their habitation,
He has kept in eternal
bonds under darkness for the judgment of the
great Day. (7) As Sodom
and Gomorrah, and the cities around them, in
the like manner to
these fallen angels, having indulged in fornication,
and having lusted after
*strange-flesh*,
are set forth as an
example of those undergoing
the penalty of eternal fire.
(8) Thus these Dreaming Ones,
on the one hand, defile the flesh, on
the other, they reject the
Lord's commands; and also blaspheme the
Glorious Beings. (9) But
the archangel Michael, when disputing the with
the Devil about Moses' body,
did not dare to bring forth a slanderous
accusation, but rather said,
'The Lord rebuke you'. (10) But these
Ones blaspheme all things
they do not know. And what they under-
stand "naturally" is as unreasoning
animals; and in these things they are
corrupted. (11) Therefore,
woe unto them; because they went in the way of
Cain, and rushed into the
error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.
*
The
Blackness of Darkness for Them! (v.12-15)
(12) Yet these very
Ones are the hidden reefs in your love-feasts,
feasting together with
you without fear (and always mindful unto
themselves). They are
waterless clouds carried about by the winds;
and late-autumn trees
without fruit, having been uprooted, and
having died twice.
They are wild waves of the sea, foaming out
their own shameful
actions; and like wandering stars for whom
the Blackness of the
Darkness has been kept unto the Age.
(14) And Enoch (the seventh
from Adam) prophesied, saying:
"Behold, the Lord came (amidst
myriads of his holy ones) to make
judgment against all people,
and to convict every soul concerning all
the works of ungodliness
which they impiously did, and concerning all
the harsh things which these
ungodly sinners spoke against Him."
*
The
Beloved & the Grumblers (v.16-23)
(16) Yes, these Ones
are the grumblers and complainers who walk
according to their
own lusts. By their mouths they speak haughty words;
and also admire persons
for the sake of advantage. (17) But you, Beloved,
remember the words
that have been previously spoken by the apostles of our
Lord Jesus Christ,
that they were telling you that in the Last Time
there will be mockers
walking according to their own lust for ungodly things.
(19) These are the Ones creating
divisions; these "natural" men and
women (being utterly bereft
of the Holy Spirit). (20) But you, my
beloved brothers and sisters,
in building up yourselves in your most holy faith, be
sure to always pray in the
Holy Spirit. (21) So keep yourselves in the love of God,
and anticipate eternal life
in the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. (22) And have mercy
on some who are wavering,
and save others (snatching them out of the fire).
And have mercy on others
with fear (hating even the garment stained by the flesh).
*
Final
Plea for Authority (v.24-25)
Now to the one
who is able to guard you without stumbling, and
sets before you the
glory of Him-blameless-with-exultation [ie. JC],
and also the only God
our Savior (through Jesus Christ our Lord),
let that one [ie. the
prophet] be given glory, majesty, dominion, and
authority before all
the Age; now and unto all the ages to come! Amen.
textman
*