But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jude isn't just reminding them of past teachings; he's calling them to recall prophecies specifically about the kind of troublemakers they're now facing. This emphasis on "predictions" highlights that the arrival of these false teachers wasn't a surprise, but something the apostles had warned about in advance.
But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jude is writing to warn believers about dangerous false teachers who have infiltrated the church, twisting grace into license and denying Christ. To help his readers stand firm against these deceivers, he urges them to remember that the apostles themselves predicted such destructive individuals would arise, particularly in the "last times" before Christ's return.
Ever feel like you're hearing the same warnings about false teaching today as people did ages ago? Jude reminds us why.
Jude’s letter is a wake-up call. He's urging his readers to remember specific warnings given by the apostles about people who would infiltrate the church and lead others astray. This isn't just about remembering doctrines; it's about recalling the predictions they made. The apostles, having heard directly from Christ or been deeply instructed by Him, foresaw that deceptive teachers would arise, causing division and promoting ungodliness.
Think of it like a parent warning their child about a dangerous neighborhood. The warning itself is a form of protection. Similarly, the apostles’ foreknowledge of false teachers was a tool to equip believers, helping them recognize and resist error when it appeared.
Jude calls his readers 'beloved.' Why this tender address right before a stern warning?
The term 'beloved' (or 'my beloved') isn't just a casual greeting; it's foundational to Jude's message. He uses it to highlight a critical distinction: the true, beloved followers of Christ versus the false teachers he's describing. By calling them beloved, Jude affirms their identity in God and sets them apart from those who are walking in ungodliness.
This term also serves to soften the blow of his warning. It's like a loving parent gently but firmly correcting a child they deeply care about. It shows that the exhortation to remember the apostles' warnings comes from a place of deep affection and genuine concern for their spiritual well-being.
Ask a follow-up
In a world full of shifting ideas, why is remembering specific apostolic warnings so crucial for staying firm in faith?
Jude is essentially saying that the apostles provided believers with a spiritual roadmap, complete with warnings about detours and dangers. Remembering these predictions acts as a shield against deception. When false teachings arise, a well-remembered apostolic warning allows believers to say, 'Wait a minute, this sounds familiar. The apostles told us this would happen.'
This isn't about rote memorization, but about internalizing the core messages: that difficulties would come, that false teachers would appear, and that the foundation of apostolic teaching is trustworthy. This memory equips you to discern truth from error, stand firm when challenged, and find comfort even amidst spiritual turmoil, knowing that these events were foreseen and foretold.
Understand the original words
apostolos · Greek Noun
Those chosen by Christ to be His official representatives and messengers, endowed with divine authority to lay the foundation of the Church through their teaching and witness.
agapētos · Greek Adjective
A term of endearment used by New Testament writers to refer to fellow believers, emphasizing their status as objects of God’s redemptive love.
eschatos chronos · Greek Noun phrase
The final era of human history, inaugurated by the coming of Christ and extending until His second advent, characterized by both the spread of the Gospel and the rise of apostasy.
empaiktēs · Greek Noun
Those who mock or deride religious truth, specifically those who reject the Gospel and treat divine matters with contempt or scorn.
asebēs · Greek Adjective
A lifestyle characterized by a lack of reverence for God, living as though He does not exist or does not matter, and acting in opposition to His revealed commands.
Jude's reminder is a call to recall specific, earlier apostolic prophecies about the dangers of false teachers, highlighting that their presence was not a surprise but a foretold reality for the early church.
c. AD 50s
Apostolic Teaching on False Teachers
Apostles like Paul and Peter, and likely Jude himself, begin to teach and prophesy about the emergence of false teachers within the early church, warning believers about their future dangers.
c. AD 60s
Peter's Warning to Believers
The Apostle Peter writes his second epistle, directly referencing the predictions of scoffers and false teachers who would arise, mirroring the concerns Jude addresses.
c. AD 65-70— this verse
Jude's Urgent Exhortation
Jude writes his letter, likely towards the end of his life, to address the immediate threat of false teachers who have infiltrated the churches, urging believers to remember the apostolic warnings.
This passage, spoken by Peter, directly echoes Jude's exhortation by urging believers to recall the words previously spoken by the apostles. It highlights the consistent apostolic teaching about future mockers and scoffers.
Acts 20:29Paul's farewell address to the Ephesian elders is a powerful example of an apostle's explicit warning about future dangers within the church. This aligns with Jude's reminder that such predictions were a known part of apostolic teaching.
1 Timothy 4:1Paul, like Jude, warns Timothy (and by extension, all believers) about 'ásticos spirits' and doctrines of demons that will emerge in later times. This reinforces the idea that foreknowledge of false teachers was a consistent theme in apostolic instruction.
Matthew 24:11Jesus Himself predicted that false prophets and false christs would arise and deceive many. Jude's reminder points back to these foundational prophecies given by Christ, which the apostles would have faithfully conveyed.
1 John 2:18John's statement about 'many antichrists' having already appeared serves as another instance of apostolic foresight regarding the spiritual dangers believers would face. This fits Jude's call to remember such prior warnings.
wesleyJude 1:17: "But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;"
1:17 By the apostles - He does not exempt himself from the number of apostles. For in the next verse he says, they told you, not us.
gillJude 1:17: "But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;"
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 w…
Jude isn't just reminding them of past teachings; he's calling them to recall prophecies specifically about the kind of troublemakers they're now facing. This emphasis on "predictions" highlights that the arrival of these false teachers wasn't a surprise, but something the apostles had warned about in advance.
Jude is writing to warn believers about dangerous false teachers who have infiltrated the church, twisting grace into license and denying Christ. To help his readers stand firm against these deceivers, he urges them to remember that the apostles themselves predicted such destructive individuals would arise, particularly in the "last times" before Christ's return.
Jude is writing to warn believers about dangerous false teachers who have infiltrated the church, twisting grace into license and denying Christ. To help his readers stand firm against these deceivers, he urges them to remember that the apostles themselves predicted such destructive individuals would arise, particularly in the "last times" before Christ's return.
"But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.”" — Jude isn't just reminding them of past teachings; he's calling them to recall prophecies specifically about the kind of troublemakers they're now facing. This emphasis on "predictions" highlights t…
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Last reviewed October 2026