They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse doesn't just say "ungodly passions," but "the lusts of their own ungodlinesses." This subtle phrasing emphasizes that their desires aren't random impulses, but deeply ingrained habits rooted in a life actively opposed to God. It highlights how sin becomes a way of life, not just an occasional slip-up.
They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jude is urging his readers to remember the warnings given by the apostles about false teachers who would emerge, characterized by their pursuit of worldly desires. These infiltrators, foretold by the apostles, would mock spiritual truths and live according to their own corrupt impulses, eventually leading people astray from genuine faith.
Jude reminds his readers that the appearance of mockers wasn't a surprise, but a foretold event. How does knowing this change our perspective on difficult people today?
Jude points to a specific prophecy given by the apostles about the "last time." This wasn't just a vague feeling, but a clear warning passed down.
A Word Passed Down
It's crucial to understand that these mockers are not anomalies but expected figures in the closing days.
What drives these 'mockers'? Jude's words point directly to the core issue: ungodly passions and lusts.
The verse doesn't just describe what these people do (mocking), but why they do it. Their actions stem from a deep-seated preference for their own desires over God's will.
Following Their Own Paths
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This shows us that scoffing is often rooted in a lifestyle of ungodliness, not just intellectual disagreement.
Understand the original words
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 is echoing warnings that the apostles themselves gave about the future. The 'last times' were understood by early believers to be the period leading up to Christ's return and the culmination of God's plan, a time marked by the presence of deceptive individuals.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Ministry and Ascension
Jesus Christ's earthly ministry, teachings, death, and resurrection, followed by His ascension, marked the foundational events of the early Christian movement.
c. AD 30-60
Early Church Growth and Expansion
The Gospel spread rapidly through the Roman Empire, led by the apostles, leading to the establishment of numerous churches and communities.
c. AD 60-67
Paul's Epistles and Peter's Writings
Apostles like Paul and Peter wrote letters addressing doctrinal errors, practical Christian living, and the expected return of Christ, providing guidance for churches facing challenges.
c. AD 62-66— this verse
Writing of Jude and Second Peter
Jude and Peter, likely writing around the same time, address similar concerns about false teachers infiltrating the church, warning believers about their destructive influence and ungodly practices.
AD 70
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
The brutal Roman conquest and destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple brought a cataclysmic end to the Old Covenant era, a significant event impacting Jewish believers and the broader understanding of 'the last times'.
This passage directly parallels Jude's warning about 'scoffers' appearing in the 'last days' who follow their own desires, highlighting the prophetic nature of this deception.
1 Timothy 4:1It describes people in later times who will depart from the faith, drawn away by deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, echoing the 'ungodly passions' mentioned in Jude.
2 Timothy 3:1-4This passage paints a vivid picture of 'difficult times' marked by people who are lovers of self, money, and pleasure rather than God, mirroring the self-serving nature of the 'ungodly passions' Jude condemns.
Jude 1:4This earlier verse in Jude sets the stage by identifying 'ungodly people' who have secretly slipped in, characterized by turning God's grace into a license for immorality, which is the very 'lust' Jude warns against.
gillJude 1:18: "How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts."
How that they told you that there should be mockers in the last time,.... See Gill on 2 Peter 3:3 .
pooleJude 1:18: "How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts."
Told you; whether in their preaching or writing. Ungodly lusts; Greek, lusts of ungodliness; a Hebraism; the vilest lusts.
The verse doesn't just say "ungodly passions," but "the lusts of their own ungodlinesses." This subtle phrasing emphasizes that their desires aren't random impulses, but deeply ingrained habits rooted in a life actively opposed to God. It highlights how sin becomes a way of life, not just an occasional slip-up.
Jude is urging his readers to remember the warnings given by the apostles about false teachers who would emerge, characterized by their pursuit of worldly desires. These infiltrators, foretold by the apostles, would mock spiritual truths and live according to their own corrupt impulses, eventually leading people astray from genuine faith.
Jude is urging his readers to remember the warnings given by the apostles about false teachers who would emerge, characterized by their pursuit of worldly desires. These infiltrators, foretold by the apostles, would mock spiritual truths and live according to their own corrupt impulses, eventually leading people astray from genuine faith.
"They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.”" — The verse doesn't just say "ungodly passions," but "the lusts of their own ungodlinesses." This subtle phrasing emphasizes that their desires aren't random impulses, but deeply ingrained habits roo…
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Last reviewed October 2026