Yudas 1:17-18

Exhortation to the Faithful

1:17 But you, dear friends – recall the predictions ¹  foretold by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²  1:18 For they said to you, “In the end time there will come ³  scoffers, propelled by their own ungodly desires.” ⁴ 

[1:17]  ¹ tn Grk “words.” In conjunction with προεῖπον (proeipon), however, the meaning of the construction is that the apostles uttered prophecies.

[1:17]  ² sn This verse parallels 2 Pet 3:2 both conceptually and in much of the verbiage. There is one important difference, however: In 2 Pet 3:2 the prophets and apostles speak; here, just the apostles speak. This makes good sense if Jude is using 2 Peter as his main source and is urging his readers to go back to the authoritative writings, both OT and now especially NT.

[1:18]  ³ tn Grk “be.”

[1:18]  ⁴ tn Grk “going according to their own desires of ungodliness.”

[1:18]  sn Jude cites 2 Pet 3:3, changing a few of the words among other things, cleaning up the syntax, conforming it to Hellenistic style.