Jude 1:17

17 And ye, most dear brethren, be mindful of the words [Forsooth, ye most dear, be ye mindful of the words], which be before-said of [the] apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Jude 1:17 Meaning and Commentary

Jude 1:17

But, beloved
Or "my beloved", as the Syriac and Arabic versions read; or "our brethren", as the Ethiopic version; the apostle addresses the saints in this manner, to distinguish them from the false teachers, and to show that he had a different opinion of them from them; and that be would have them beware of them, and not be surprised at them, since it was no other than what was foretold; and also to engage their attention and regard to the following exhortation:

remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of
our Lord Jesus Christ;
these words mean not the doctrines of the apostles in general, but particularly the prophecies delivered out by them, as by the Apostles Paul and Peter, concerning the false teachers that should arise; and these being spoken of before, and by apostles, even by the apostles, of our Lord Jesus Christ, were worthy of regard, and deserved to be remembered; a remembrance of which is a preservative from error, and a relief in the worst of times, whether of persecution, or heresy. This does not suppose that Jude was not an apostle, only that there were other apostles besides him; and that these, some of them at least, had prophesied of these men, and that he had lived to see their predictions verified; nor does he exclude himself from being one of them; yea, the Ethiopic version reads, "which we the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ have formerly declared unto you"; see ( 2 Peter 3:2 ) .

Jude 1:17 In-Context

15 to 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. [+for to do doom against all, and to reprove all unpious men of all the works of the unpiety of them, by which they did unpiously, and of all hard words, that unpious sinners have spoken against God.]
16 These be grumblers full of plaints [These be grutchers plaining, or full of plaints], wandering after their desires; and the mouth of them speaketh pride, worshipping persons, because of winning [by cause of winning].
17 And ye, most dear brethren, be mindful of the words [Forsooth, ye most dear, be ye mindful of the words], which be before-said of [the] apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;
18 which said to you, that in the last times there shall come beguilers [there shall come scorners], wandering after their own desires, not in piety.
19 These be, which separate themselves, beastly men, not having Spirit. [These be, the which separate themselves, beastly, not having Spirit.]
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.