The Meaning of Jude 1:4 Explained

Jude 1:4

KJV: For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

YLT: for there did come in unobserved certain men, long ago having been written beforehand to this judgment, impious, the grace of our God perverting to lasciviousness, and our only Master, God, and Lord -- Jesus Christ -- denying,

Darby: For certain men have got in unnoticed, they who of old were marked out beforehand to this sentence, ungodly persons, turning the grace of our God into dissoluteness, and denying our only Master and Lord Jesus Christ.

ASV: For there are certain men crept in privily, even they who were of old written of beforehand unto this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Discover Jude 1:4

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Jude 1:4?

MEANING: What does Jude 1:4 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Jude 1:4 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Jude 1:4?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For  there are certain  men  crept in unawares,  who  were before  of old  ordained  to  this  condemnation,  ungodly men,  turning  the grace  of our  God  into  lasciviousness,  and  denying  the only  Lord  God,  and  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

What does Jude 1:4 Mean?

Verse Meaning

". . . not only is the local community troubled by importations of an alien creed, but it seems that the heretics themselves have invaded the church, bringing their doctrines with them." [1]
"They slipped in secretly ( Jude 1:4; cf. Galatians 2:4) as itinerant preachers, a common part of first-century religious life (cf. Acts 13:15; 2 John 1:7-11; Didache111-12; 131-7). Or they arose within the community itself and later quietly brought in heretical teachings from outside ( 2 Peter 2:1; cf. Acts 20:29-30; Romans 16:17-18)." [2]
These people were tares among the wheat (cf. Matthew 13:24-25; Matthew 13:38-39).
"Jude"s opponents are a group of itinerant charismatics who have arrived in the church(es) to which he writes. Everything else Jude tells us about them is related to their antinomianism, which is the target of his attack. They reject all moral authority, whether that of the law of Moses ( Matthew 13:8-10) or that of Christ himself ( Matthew 13:4; Matthew 13:8), even though they claim to be followers of Christ....
"In line with their rejection of moral authority, they indulge in immoral behavior, especially sexual misconduct ( Matthew 13:6-8; Matthew 13:10); in this they may be deliberately flouting accepted standards of Jewish morality and conforming to the permissiveness of pagan society." [3]
This writer meant that the false teachers were charismatics in the general sense of that word: they possessed great powers of charm or influence. He did not mean that they believed in the charismatic gifts of the Spirit necessarily.
Probably God had marked these opponents previously for condemnation in the sense that He knew their sin long ago and would punish them in the future for it. "This condemnation" refers to the sure punishment that lay ahead of them for their sin (cf. Matthew 7:15; Mark 13:22; Acts 20:29-30; 2 Peter 2).
Jude"s original readers could see the ungodly character of these people in two specific activities. They used the liberty from the Law of Moses that Christians enjoy as an opportunity for sensual indulgence and debauchery (i.e, antinomianism). Gnostics were guilty of this, and their influence seems to be in evidence here as well as elsewhere throughout this epistle. [4] However others have disputed this inference. [5] Second, they denied God and Jesus Christ, evidently by distorting the truth that Scripture reveals (cf. 1 John 2:22-23; Titus 1:16). In view of the Greek grammatical construction of this verse, "Master" seems to refer to God and "Lord" to Jesus Christ. [6] However, many scholars believe that Jude had Jesus Christ in view in both of these titles. [7]
"Although they claim to be followers of Jesus Christ, Jude says that by rejecting his moral demands they are in fact disowning him as their Master and repudiating his authority as Lord." [8]
Doctrinal deviation often accompanies and often justifies ethical and moral sin.

Context Summary

Jude 1:1-11 - "contend Earnestly For The Faith"
Kept is the keynote of this Epistle. It occurs in Judges 1:1; Judges 1:6; Judges 1:21, and in another form in Judges 1:24. Many evil doctrines and practices were intruding into the Church. Certain persons had crept in, who quoted the mercy of God as an excuse for immorality and practically disowned the teachings of the Lord Jesus.
In contrast with these were the disciples whom Jude addresses and who owned the Lord Jesus as their beloved "Despot," (the Greek for Master, Judges 1:4, r.v.) They were kept for him, as the others were kept in chains. Let us also keep ourselves in the love of God, Judges 1:21. It is much easier to live consistently in hours of storm than in hours of ease.
Let us be warned against drifting back from our first faith. Let us take heed from the fate of fallen angels, of Sodom and Gomorrah, of Cain and Balaam, of Korah and others. Let us watch and pray and earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints, Judges 1:3, bearing it through the world as the pilgrim host bore the sacred vessels in the days of Ezra. See Ezra 8:28. [source]

Chapter Summary: Jude 1

1  He exhorts them to be constant in the profession of the faith
4  false teachers crept in to seduce them, for whose evil doctrine a horrible punishment is prepared;
20  whereas the godly may persevere, grow in grace, and keep the faith

Greek Commentary for Jude 1:4

Are crept in [παρεισεδυησαν]
Second aorist passive indicative of παρεισδυω — pareisduō (νω — ̇nō), late (Hippocrates, Plutarch, etc.) compound of παρα — para (beside) and εις — eis (in) and δυω — duō to sink or plunge, so to slip in secretly as if by a side door, here only in N.T. [source]
Set forth [προγεγραμμενοι]
Perfect passive participle of προγραπω — prographō to write of beforehand, for which verb see Galatians 3:1; Romans 15:4.Unto this condemnation (εις τουτο το κριμα — eis touto to krima). See 2 Peter 2:3 for κριμα — krima and εκπαλαι — ekpalai Παλαι — Palai here apparently alludes to Judges 1:14, Judges 1:15 (Enoch).Ungodly men Keynote of the Epistle (Mayor), in Judges 1:15 again as in 2 Peter 2:5; 2 Peter 3:7.Turning (μετατιτεντες — metatithentes). Present active participle of μετατιτημι — metatithēmi to change, for which verb see Galatians 1:6. For the change of “grace” (χαριτα — charita) into “lasciviousness” (εις ασελγειαν — eis aselgeian) see 1 Peter 2:16; 1 Peter 4:3; 2 Peter 2:19; 2 Peter 3:16.Our only Master and Lord For the force of the one article for one person see note on 2 Peter 1:1. For δεσποτην — despotēn of Christ see 2 Peter 2:1.Denying (αρνουμενοι — arnoumenoi). So 2 Peter 2:1. See also Matthew 10:33; 1 Timothy 5:8; Titus 1:16; 1 John 2:22. [source]
Unto this condemnation [εις τουτο το κριμα]
See 2 Peter 2:3 for κριμα — krima and εκπαλαι — ekpalai Παλαι — Palai here apparently alludes to Judges 1:14, Judges 1:15 (Enoch). [source]
Ungodly men [ασεβεις]
Keynote of the Epistle (Mayor), in Judges 1:15 again as in 2 Peter 2:5; 2 Peter 3:7.Turning (μετατιτεντες — metatithentes). Present active participle of μετατιτημι — metatithēmi to change, for which verb see Galatians 1:6. For the change of “grace” (χαριτα — charita) into “lasciviousness” (εις ασελγειαν — eis aselgeian) see 1 Peter 2:16; 1 Peter 4:3; 2 Peter 2:19; 2 Peter 3:16.Our only Master and Lord For the force of the one article for one person see note on 2 Peter 1:1. For δεσποτην — despotēn of Christ see 2 Peter 2:1.Denying (αρνουμενοι — arnoumenoi). So 2 Peter 2:1. See also Matthew 10:33; 1 Timothy 5:8; Titus 1:16; 1 John 2:22. [source]
Turning [μετατιτεντες]
Present active participle of μετατιτημι — metatithēmi to change, for which verb see Galatians 1:6. For the change of “grace” (χαριτα — charita) into “lasciviousness” (εις ασελγειαν — eis aselgeian) see 1 Peter 2:16; 1 Peter 4:3; 2 Peter 2:19; 2 Peter 3:16. [source]
Our only Master and Lord [τον μονον δεσποτην και κυριον ημων]
For the force of the one article for one person see note on 2 Peter 1:1. For δεσποτην — despotēn of Christ see 2 Peter 2:1.Denying (αρνουμενοι — arnoumenoi). So 2 Peter 2:1. See also Matthew 10:33; 1 Timothy 5:8; Titus 1:16; 1 John 2:22. [source]
Denying [αρνουμενοι]
So 2 Peter 2:1. See also Matthew 10:33; 1 Timothy 5:8; Titus 1:16; 1 John 2:22. [source]
Crept in unawares [παρεισέδυσαν]
Rev., privily. See on 2 Peter 2:1. The verb means to get in by the side ( παρά ), to slip in by a side-door. Only here in New Testament. [source]
Ordained [προγεγραμμένοι]
The meaning is in dispute. The word occurs four times in New Testament. In two of these instances πρό has clearly the temporal sense before (Romans 15:4; Ephesians 3:3). In Galatians 3:1, it is taken by some in the sense of openly, publicly (see note there). It seems better, on the whole, to take it here in the temporal sense, and to render written of beforehand, i.e., in prophecy as referred to in Judges 1:14, Judges 1:15. So the American Rev. [source]
Lasciviousness []
See on 1 Peter 4:3. [source]
Lord God []
God is omitted in the best texts. On Lord ( δεσπότην )see on 2 Peter 2:1. [source]

What do the individual words in Jude 1:4 mean?

Came in stealthily for certain men those long ago having been designated unto this - condemnation ungodly [ones] the of the God of us grace changing into sensuality and the only master Lord Jesus Christ denying
παρεισέδυσαν γάρ τινες ἄνθρωποι οἱ πάλαι προγεγραμμένοι εἰς τοῦτο τὸ κρίμα ἀσεβεῖς τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν χάριτα μετατιθέντες εἰς ἀσέλγειαν καὶ τὸν μόνον Δεσπότην Κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν ἀρνούμενοι

παρεισέδυσαν  Came  in  stealthily 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: παρεισδύω  
Sense: to enter secretly, slip in stealthily.
τινες  certain 
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: τὶς  
Sense: a certain, a certain one.
ἄνθρωποι  men 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ἄνθρωπος  
Sense: a human being, whether male or female.
οἱ  those 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ὁ  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
πάλαι  long  ago 
Parse: Adverb
Root: πάλαι  
Sense: of old, former.
προγεγραμμένοι  having  been  designated 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Participle Middle or Passive, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: προγράφω  
Sense: to write before (of time).
εἰς  unto 
Parse: Preposition
Root: εἰς  
Sense: into, unto, to, towards, for, among.
τοῦτο  this 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
τὸ  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: ὁ  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
κρίμα  condemnation 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: κρίμα  
Sense: a decree, judgments.
ἀσεβεῖς  ungodly  [ones] 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀσεβής  
Sense: destitute of reverential awe towards God, condemning God, impious.
τοῦ  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: ὁ  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεοῦ  God 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
ἡμῶν  of  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
χάριτα  grace 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: χάρις  
Sense: grace.
μετατιθέντες  changing 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: μετατίθημι  
Sense: to transpose (two things, one of which is put in place of the other).
εἰς  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: εἰς  
Sense: into, unto, to, towards, for, among.
ἀσέλγειαν  sensuality 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ἀσέλγεια  
Sense: unbridled lust, excess, licentiousness, lasciviousness, wantonness, outrageousness, shamelessness, insolence.
μόνον  only 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: μόνος  
Sense: alone (without a companion), forsaken, destitute of help, alone, only, merely.
Δεσπότην  master 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: δεσπότης  
Sense: a master, Lord.
Κύριον  Lord 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: κύριος  
Sense: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord.
Ἰησοῦν  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.
Χριστὸν  Christ 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Χριστός  
Sense: Christ was the Messiah, the Son of God.
ἀρνούμενοι  denying 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀρνέομαι  
Sense: to deny.

What are the major concepts related to Jude 1:4?

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