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Beloved, when I gavealldiligence to write unto youof the commonsalvation, it wasneedful for me to write unto you, and exhort [you] that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was oncedelivered unto the saints.
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For there are certainmen crept in unawares, who were before of oldordainedtothiscondemnation, ungodly men,turning the grace of ourGod intolasciviousness,anddenying the onlyLordGod,andourLordJesusChrist.
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I willthereforeputyou in remembrance, though yeonceknewthis, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt,afterwarddestroyed them that believednot.
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And the angels which keptnottheir first estate,[a]butleft their ownhabitation, he hath reserved in everlastingchainsunderdarknessunto the judgment of the greatday.
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Even asSodomandGomorrha,and the citiesaboutthem in like*manner, giving themselves over to fornication, andgoingafterstrange[b]flesh, are set forth for an example,suffering the vengeance of eternalfire.
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Likewise*alsothese [filthy] dreamersdefile the flesh**, despisedominion,and speak evil of dignities.
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YetMichael the archangel,whencontending with the devil he disputedabout the body of Moses,durstnot bring against him a railingaccusation,butsaid, The Lordrebukethee.
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Butthese speak evil of those things whichtheyknownot:butwhat they knownaturally,asbrutebeasts,in those things they corrupt themselves.
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Woe unto them!for they have gone in the way of Cain,and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward,andperished in the gainsaying of Core.
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Thesearespotsinyour feasts of charity, when they feast with you,feedingthemselves without fear:clouds [they are] without water, carried aboutofwinds;trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit,twicedead, plucked up by the roots;
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Ragingwaves of the sea, foaming out their ownshame;wanderingstars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darknessforever.
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AndEnochalso, the seventhfromAdam,prophesied of these,saying, Behold, the Lordcomethwith ten thousands of hissaints,
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To executejudgmentuponall,and to convinceall that are ungodly among themofalltheirungodlydeedswhich they have ungodly committed, andofall their hard [speeches] whichungodlysinners have spokenagainsthim.
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Thesearemurmurers,complainers,walkingafter their ownlusts;andtheirmouthspeaketh great swelling [words], having men's persons in admirationbecause of advantage.
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But,beloved,rememberye the wordswhich were spoken beforeof the apostles of ourLordJesusChrist;
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Howthat they toldyou there should bemockersin the lasttime, who should walkafter their ownungodlylusts.
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Thesebe they who separatethemselves,sensual,havingnot the Spirit.
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Butye,beloved, building upyourselves on your most holyfaith,prayingin the HolyGhost,
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Keepyourselvesin the love of God, looking for the mercy of ourLordJesusChristuntoeternallife.
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Andofsome have compassion, making a difference:
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Andotherssavewithfear,pulling [them] out of the fire;hatingeven the garmentspottedby the flesh.
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Now unto him that is able to keepyou* from falling,and to present [you] faultless before the presence of hisglorywith exceeding joy,
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To the onlywiseGodourSaviour, [be] gloryandmajesty,dominionandpower,bothnowandever**. Amen.