THE CATHOLIKE EPISTLE OF IVDE THE APOSTLE.

He exhorteth them to stand to their old faith, shewing them by examples, that it is damnable not to continue and be constant: 8 inueighing against the lecherie, blasphemie, apostasie, banketing of the heretikes, 14 and that their damnation was long foretold. 17 Catholikes therfore to be vnmoueable, to reproue the obstinate, to recouer al not desperate, to confirme the weake, and to liue them selues vertuously and without mortal sinne, which by Gods grace they may doe.

IVDE the seruant of IESVS Christ, and brother of Iames: to them that are in God the Father beloued, and in IESVS Christ preserued, and called. 2 Mercie to you, and peace and charitie be accomplished. 3 My deerest, taking al care to write vnto you of your common saluation, I thought it necessarie to write vnto you: beseeching you to contend for the faith once deliuered to the sainctes. 4 For there are certaine men secretely entred in (which were long ago prescribed vnto this iudgement) impious, transferring the grace of our God into riotousnes, and denying the onely Dominator, and our Lord IESVS Christ. 5 But I wil admonish you, that once know al things, that IESVS, sauing the people out of the land of AEgipt, secondly destroied them which beleeued not. 6 But the Angels which kept not their pricipalitie, but forsooke their owne habitation, he hath reserued vnder darkenesse in eternal bondes vnto the iudgement of the great day. 7 As Sodom and Gomorrhe, and the cities adioyning in like maner hauing fornicated, and going after other flesh, were made an example, sustaining the paine of eternal fire. 8 In like maner these also defile the flesh, and despise dominion, & blaspheme maiestie. 9 When Micheal the Archangel, disputing with the Diuel, made altercation for the body of Moyses: he durst not inferre iudgment of blasphemie, but said, Our Lord 'commaund' thee. 10 But these, what things so euer certes they are ignorant of, they blaspheme: and what things so euer naturally, as dumme beastes, they know, in those they are corrupted. 11 Wo vnto them, 'which' haue gone in the way of Cain: and with the errour of Balaam, haue for reward powred out them selues, and haue perished in the contradiction of Core. 12 These are in their bankets, spottes, feasting together without feare, feeding them selues, cloudes without water which are caried about of windes, trees of autumne, vnfruitful, twise dead, plucked vp by the rootes, 13 raging waues of the sea, foming out their owne confusions, wandering starres: to whom the storme of darkenesse is reserued for euer. 14 And of these propheceied Enoch, the seuenth from Adam, saying, Behold our Lord is come in his holy thousandes, 15 to doe iudgement against al, and to reproue al the impious, of al the workes of their impietie wherby they haue done impiously, and of al the hard thinges which impious sinners haue spoken against him. 16 These are murmurers, ful of complaintes, walking according to their owne desires, and their mouth speaketh pride, admiring persons for gaine sake. 17 But you my deerest, be mindeful of the wordes which haue been spoken before by the Apostles of our Lord IESVS Christ, 18 who told you, that in the last time shal come mockers, according to their owne desires walking in impieties. 19 These are they which segregate them selues, sensual, hauing not the Spirit. 20 But you my deerest, building your selues vpon 'our' most holy faith, in the holy Ghost, praying, 21 keepe your selues in the loue of God, expecting the mercie of our Lord IESVS Christ vnto life euerlasting. 22 And these certes reproue being iudged: 23 but them saue, pulling out of the fire. And on other haue mercie in feare: hating also that which is carnal, the spotted cote. 24 And to him that is able to preserue you without sinne, and to sette you immaculate before the sight of his glorie in exultation in the comming of our Lord IESVS Christ, 25 to the onely God our Sauiour by IESVS Christ our Lord be glorie and magnificence, empire and power before al worldes, and now and for al worldes euermore. Amen.

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL

As recorded in the title, the Douay-Rheims version is a translation primarily from the Latin Vulgate. A brief selection from the preface to the 1582 edition explains the reasons for this approach. Together with the glossary the text shows the translators scholarly motivations, but also provides a glimpse into the charged climate of the period. The transcriber hopes he did a tolerable job in transliterating the Greek words in the preface. The glossary contains words newly used in the language of the day. Some were later dropped from the Challoner revision, others have found common usage today.