Wycliffe's Bible 1Judas, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to these that be loved, that be in God the Father, and to them that be called and kept of Jesus Christ, (Judah, or Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and the brother of James, to those who be loved, who be in God the Father, and to those who be called and kept safe by Jesus Christ,)
2mercy, and peace, and charity be [full-]filled to you. (may mercy, and peace, and love be filled full unto you.) 3Most dear brethren, I doing all busyness to write to you of your common health, had need to write to you, and pray to strive strongly for the faith that is once taken to (the) saints. (Most dear brothers, I making every effort to write to you about your shared salvation, had need to write to you, and beseech ye to strive strongly for the faith that was given to God’s people once and for all.) 4For some unfaithful men privily entered, that sometime were before-written into this doom, and overturn the grace of our God into lechery, and deny him that is only a Lord, our Lord Jesus Christ. (For some unfaithful, or unbelieving, men privately, or secretly, entered in among you, whom a long time ago, the judgement which they have received, was written about, and turn the grace of our God into a license for lust, and deny him who is the only Lord, our Lord Jesus Christ.) 5But I will admonish you once, that know all things, that Jesus saved his people from the land of Egypt, and the second time lost them that believed not. (But I will admonish you, ye who know all things, that Jesus saved his people once from the land of Egypt, but then afterward he destroyed those who did not believe.) 6And he reserved under darkness (the) angels, that kept not their princehood, but forsook their house, into the doom of the great God (unto the judgement of the great God), into everlasting bonds. 7As Sodom, and Gomorrha, (or Gomorrah), and the nigh coasted cities, that in like manner did fornication, and went away after other flesh, and be made ensample(s), suffering pain of everlasting fire (suffering the pain of eternal fire). 8In like manner also these that defoul the flesh, and despise lordship, and blaspheme majesty. (In like manner also these men who defile the flesh, and despise authority, and blaspheme Majesty.) 9When Michael, [the] archangel, disputed with the devil, and strove of Moses’ body, he was not hardy to bring in doom of blasphemy, but said, The Lord command to thee. (When the archangel Michael disputed with the Devil, and argued over Moses’ body, he was not so bold as to bring in the judgement of blasphemy, but instead said, The Lord shall command thee!) 10But these men blaspheme, whatever things they know not. For whatever things they know kindly as dumb beasts, in these they be corrupt (For whatever they know by kind, or naturally, like dumb beasts, by those things they be corrupted). 11Woe to them that went the way of Cain, and that be shed out by (the) error of Balaam for meed, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. (Woe to those who went the way of Cain, and who were poured out by the error of Balaam while seeking reward, and who perished in rebellion like Korah.) 12These be in their meats (They be at their banquets), feasting together to filth, without dread feeding themselves. These be clouds without water, that be borne about of (the) winds (who be carried about by the winds); harvest trees without fruit, twice dead, drawn up by the root(s); 13waves of the mad sea, foaming out their confusions [waves of the wild sea, frothing out their confusions]; erring stars, to which the tempest of darknesses is kept [into] without end (stars gone astray, for whom the tempest of darkness is kept forever). 14But Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these (prophesied about them), and said, Lo! the Lord cometh with his holy thousands, 15to do doom against all men, and to reprove all unfaithful men of all the works of the wickedness of them, by which they did wickedly, and of all the hard words, that wicked sinners have spoken against God. (to execute judgement against everyone, and to rebuke all the unbelievers for all the works of their wickedness, by which they did wickedly, and for all the hard words, which wicked sinners have spoken against God.) 16These be grudgers full of (com)plaints, wandering after their desires; and the mouth of them speaketh pride, worshipping persons, because of winning. (These men be grumblers full of complaints, going after their own desires; and their mouths be full of pride, and give honour to persons because of their profits, or their increases.) 17And ye, most dear brethren, be mindful of the words which be before-said of [the] apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; (And ye, most dear brothers, remember the words, which were earlier said by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;) 18which said to you, that in the last times there shall come beguilers, (or scorners), wandering after their own desires, not in piety. (who said to you, that in the Last Days, or at the End Time, there shall come deceivers, or mockers, going after their own desires, and not in piety.) 19These be, which separate themselves (who set themselves apart), beastly men, not having (the) Spirit. 20But ye, most dear brethren, above build yourselves on your most holy faith, and pray ye in the Holy Ghost, (But ye, most dear brothers, build yourselves up in your most holy faith, and pray in the Holy Spirit,) 21and keep yourselves in the love of God, and abide ye the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ into life everlasting. (and keep yourselves in the love of God, and wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.) 22And reprove ye these men that be deemed, (And rebuke those men who be judged,) 23but save ye them, and take ye (hold of) them, (or ravish them), from the fire. And do ye mercy to other men, in the dread of God, and hate ye also that defouled coat, which is fleshly. (but also save them, yea, snatch them out of the fire. And do mercy to other men, in fearful reverence for God, and hate also that defiled coat, which is your flesh.) 24But to him that is mighty to keep you without sin, and to ordain before the sight of his glory you unwemmed, in full out joy, (But to him who is mighty to keep you without sin, and to ordain you without spot, or blemish, before the presence of his glory, in full out joy,) 25in the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God alone our Saviour, by Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, and magnifying, empire, and power, before all worlds, and now, and into all worlds of worlds (and forever and ever). Amen. WYCLIFFE’S BIBLE Comprising of Wycliffe’s Old Testament and Wycliffe’s New Testament (Revised Edition) Translated by JOHN WYCLIFFE and JOHN PURVEY A modern-spelling edition of their 14TH century Middle English translation, the first complete English vernacular version, with an Introduction by TERENCE P. NOBLE Used by Permission Bible Hub |