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These are murmurers and complainers, walking after their lusts (and their mouth speaks proud things), showing respect of persons to gain advantage.
Jude 1:16 · World English Bible
Parallel translations
  • KJV These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.
  • BSB These men are discontented grumblers, following after their own lusts; their mouths spew arrogance; they flatter others for their own advantage.
  • NKJV These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.
  • NASB These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage.
  • NLT These people are grumblers and complainers, living only to satisfy their desires. They brag loudly about themselves, and they flatter others to get what they want.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

These people are grumblers and faultfinders who follow their own desires, boast arrogantly, and flatter others for personal gain.

Overview

Jude summarizes the character of the false teachers: discontented complainers, like the murmuring wilderness generation, who are driven by their cravings. Their speech is marked by boastful pride and by flattery offered only when it profits them. This portrait of self-centered, manipulative living stands opposed to the humble, God-honoring faith Jude commends.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 36

  • 2 Pet 2:18For, uttering great swelling words of emptiness, they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by licentiousness, those who are indeed escaping from those who live in error;
  • Phil 2:14Do all things without murmurings and disputes,
  • 2 Pet 2:10but chiefly those who walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement, and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries;
  • 1 Tim 6:5constant friction of people of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. Withdraw yourself from such.
  • 2 Pet 3:3knowing this first, that in the last days mockers will come, walking after their own lusts,
  • Jude 1:18They said to you that “In the last time there will be mockers, walking after their own ungodly lusts.”
  • 1 Pet 2:11Beloved, I beg you as foreigners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
  • 1 Cor 10:10Don’t grumble, as some of them also grumbled, and perished by the destroyer.
  • Jas 1:14–15But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.
  • 1 Pet 4:2that you no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.
  • Lev 19:15“‘You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor show favoritism to the great; but you shall judge your neighbor in righteousness.
  • John 6:61But Jesus knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble?
  • Ps 15:4In whose eyes a vile man is despised, but who honors those who fear Yahweh; he who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and doesn’t change;
  • 1 Pet 1:14as children of obedience, not conforming yourselves according to your former lusts as in your ignorance,
  • 2 Pet 2:1–3But false prophets also arose among the people, as false teachers will also be among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master who bought them, bringing on themselves swift destruction.
  • Ps 73:9–11They have set their mouth in the heavens. Their tongue walks through the earth.
  • Num 16:11Therefore you and all your company have gathered together against Yahweh! What is Aaron that you murmur against him?”
  • Isa 29:24They also who err in spirit will come to understanding, and those who grumble will receive instruction.”
  • Gal 5:16But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh.
  • Jude 1:15to execute judgment on all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their works of ungodliness which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”
  • Ps 17:10They close up their callous hearts. With their mouth they speak proudly.
  • Luke 15:2The Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, “This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them.”
  • Prov 28:21To show partiality is not good; yet a man will do wrong for a piece of bread.
  • Job 34:19Who doesn’t respect the persons of princes, nor respects the rich more than the poor; for they all are the work of his hands.
  • John 6:41The Jews therefore murmured concerning him, because he said, “I am the bread which came down out of heaven.”
  • Ps 106:25but murmured in their tents, and didn’t listen to Yahweh’s voice.
  • Job 17:4–5For you have hidden their heart from understanding, Therefore you shall not exalt them.
  • Job 32:21Please don’t let me respect any man’s person, neither will I give flattering titles to any man.
  • 2 Tim 4:3For the time will come when they will not listen to the sound doctrine, but, having itching ears, will heap up for themselves teachers after their own lusts;
  • 1 Th 4:5not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who don’t know God;
  • Num 14:36The men, whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up an evil report against the land,
  • Jas 2:1–9My brothers, don’t hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory with partiality.
  • Luke 19:7When they saw it, they all murmured, saying, “He has gone in to lodge with a man who is a sinner.”
  • Gal 5:24Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts.
  • Luke 5:30Their scribes and the Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?”
  • Deut 1:27You murmured in your tents, and said, “Because Yahweh hated us, he has brought us out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us.

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Jude videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Jude 1:16YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on JudeMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Christ is the one who keeps his people from stumbling and presents them blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy — the object of contending faith.

How Jude 1:16 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.