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1
Verse

Jude 1:13

ESV wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.
NIV They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.
NASB wild waves of the sea, churning up their own shameful deeds like dirty foam; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of darkness has been reserved forever.
CSB They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shameful deeds; wandering stars for whom the blackness of darkness is reserved forever.
NLT They are like wild waves of the sea, churning up the foam of their shameful deeds. They are like wandering stars, doomed forever to blackest darkness.
KJV Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

What does Jude 1:13 mean?

In this passage, Jude has been describing how false teachers are rejecting the truth in favor of their own sins. As a result, they are like "hidden reefs" which threaten to damage the spiritual lives of those around them (Jude 1:12).

In this verse, Jude compares the false teachers to wild waves of the sea that carry froth to the shore. The false teachers' words were frothy and shameful. Jude's indictment echoes Isaiah's description of the wicked as "like the tossing sea…its waters toss up mire and dirt" (Isaiah 57:20).

Jude also pictures the false teachers as shooting stars. They give only flickering light as they wander trackless and momentarily across the sky. The deepest darkness—everlasting punishment—is reserved for them. This statement, in particular, emphasizes that Jude views these false teachers as lost; they are not merely confused believers. They do not, in fact, have a saving faith in Christ.
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