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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.
Jude 1:16 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB These are murmurers and complainers, walking after their lusts (and their mouth speaks proud things), showing respect of persons to gain 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 when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
  • Phil 2:14Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
  • 2 Pet 2:10But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
  • 1 Tim 6:5Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
  • 2 Pet 3:3Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
  • Jude 1:18How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
  • 1 Pet 2:11Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
  • 1 Cor 10:10Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
  • Jas 1:14–15But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
  • 1 Pet 4:2That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
  • Lev 19:15Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.
  • John 6:61When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
  • Ps 15:4In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.
  • 1 Pet 1:14As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
  • 2 Pet 2:1–3But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
  • Ps 73:9–11They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
  • Num 16:11For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the LORD: and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him?
  • Isa 29:24They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.
  • Gal 5:16This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
  • Jude 1:15To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
  • Ps 17:10They are inclosed in their own fat: with their mouth they speak proudly.
  • Luke 15:2And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
  • Prov 28:21To have respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress.
  • Job 34:19How much less to him that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? for they all are the work of his hands.
  • John 6:41The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.
  • Ps 106:25But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD.
  • Job 17:4–5For thou hast hid their heart from understanding: therefore shalt thou not exalt them.
  • Job 32:21Let me not, I pray you, accept any man’s person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man.
  • 2 Tim 4:3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
  • 1 Th 4:5Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
  • Num 14:36And the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander upon the land,
  • Jas 2:1–9My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
  • Luke 19:7And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.
  • Gal 5:24And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
  • Luke 5:30But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?
  • Deut 1:27And ye murmured in your tents, and said, Because the LORD hated us, he hath brought us forth 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.