Daily Bread

⁸ 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.^{(A) 9} But even the archangel^(B) Michael,^(C) when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses,^(D) did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”^{[a](E) 10} Yet these people slander whatever they do not understand, and the very things they do understand by instinct—as irrational animals do—will destroy them.^(F)

¹¹ Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain;^(G) they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error;^(H) they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.^(I)

¹² These people are blemishes at your love feasts,^(J) eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves.^(K) They are clouds without rain,^(L) blown along by the wind;^(M) autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted^(N)—twice dead. ¹³ They are wild waves of the sea,^(O) foaming up their shame;^(P) wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.^(Q)

¹⁴ Enoch,^(R) the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is coming^(S) with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones^{(T) 15} to judge^(U) everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”^{[b](V) 16} These people are grumblers^(W) and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires;^(X) they boast^(Y) about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.

A Call to Persevere

¹⁷ But, dear friends, remember what the apostles^(Z) of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold.^{(AA) 18} They said to you, “In the last times^(AB) there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.”^{(AC) 19} These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.^(AD)

²⁰ But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up^(AE) in your most holy faith^(AF) and praying in the Holy Spirit,^{(AG) 21} keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait^(AH) for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.^(AI)

²² Be merciful to those who doubt; ²³ save others by snatching them from the fire;^(AJ) to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.^[c](AK)