The Epistle of Judas (Brother of James)

Wycliffe's Translation Presented by The Master's Table

Chapter 1
1 Judas, the seruaunt of Jhesu Crist, and brother of James, to these that ben louyd, that ben in God the fadir, and to hem that ben clepid and kept of Jhesu Crist,
2 mercy, and pees, and charite be fillid to you.
3 Moost dere britheren, Y doynge al bisynesse to write to you of youre comyn helthe, hadde nede to write to you, and preye to striue strongli for the feith that is onys takun to seyntis.
4 For summe vnfeithful men priueli entriden, that sum tyme weren bifore writun in to this dom, and ouerturnen the grace of oure God in to letcherie, and denyen hym that is oneli a Lord, oure Lord Jhesu Crist.
5 But Y wole moneste you onys, that witen alle thingis, that Jhesus sauyde his puple fro the lond of Egipt, and the secunde tyme loste hem that bileueden not.
6 And he reseruede vndur derknesse aungels, that kepten not her prinshod, but forsoken her hous, in to the dom of the greet God, in to euerlastynge bondis.
7 As Sodom, and Gomorre, and the nyy coostid citees, that in lijk maner diden fornycacioun, and yeden awei aftir othir fleisch, and ben maad ensaumple, suffrynge peyne of euerelastinge fier.
8 In lijk maner also these that defoulen the fleisch, and dispisen lordschip, and blasfemen mageste.
9 Whanne Myyhel, arkaungel, disputide with the deuel, and stroof of Moises bodi, he was not hardi to brynge in dom of blasfemye, but seide, The Lord comaunde to thee.
10 But these men blasfemen, what euer thingis thei knowen not. For what euer thingis thei knowen kyndli as doumbe beestis, in these thei ben corupt.
11 Wo to hem that wenten the weie of Caym, and that ben sched out bi errour of Balaam for mede, and perischiden in the ayenseiyng of Chore.
12 These ben in her metis, feestynge togidere to filthe, with out drede fedinge hemsilf. These ben cloudis with out watir, that ben borun aboute of the wyndis; heruest trees with out fruyt, twies deed, drawun vp bi the roote;
13 wawis of the woode see, fomynge out her confusiouns; errynge sterris, to whiche the tempest of derknessis is kept with outen ende.
14 But Enoch, the seuenthe fro Adam, profeciede of these, and seide, Lo! the Lord cometh with hise hooli thousandis,
15 to do dom ayens alle men, and to repreue alle vnfeithful men of alle the werkis of the wickidnesse of hem, bi whiche thei diden wickidli, and of alle the harde wordis, that wyckid synneris han spoke ayens God.
16 These ben grutcheris ful of pleyntis, wandrynge aftir her desiris; and the mouth of hem spekith pride, worschipinge persoones, bi cause of wynnyng.
17 And ye, moost dere britheren, be myndeful of the wordis, whiche ben bifor seid of apostlis of oure Lord Jhesu Crist; whiche seiden to you,
18 that in the laste tymes ther schulen come gilours, wandringe aftir her owne desiris, not in pitee.
19 These ben, whiche departen hemsilf, beestli men, not hauynge spirit.
20 But ye, moost dere britheren, aboue bilde you silf on youre moost hooli feith, and preye ye in the Hooli Goost,
21 and kepe you silf in the loue of God, and abide ye the merci of oure Lord Jhesu Crist in to lijf euerlastynge.
22 And repreue ye these men that ben demed,
23 but saue ye hem, and take ye hem fro the fier. And do ye merci to othere men, in the drede of God, and hate ye also thilke defoulid coote, which is fleischli.
24 But to him that is miyti to kepe you with out synne, and to ordeyne bifore the siyt of his glorie you vnwemmed in ful out ioye, in the comynge of oure Lord Jhesu Crist, to God aloone oure sauyour,
25 bi Jhesu Crist oure Lord, be glorie, and magnefiyng, empire, and power, bifore alle worldis, `and now and in to alle worldis of worldis. Amen.