Jude 1:7
What does Jude 1:7 mean?
A plain-English look at Jude 1:7 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Jude 1:7 means
Sodom and Gomorrah, along with nearby cities, serve as a public lesson. They indulged in sexual immorality and pursued "strange flesh," rejecting God’s design. Their ruin displays the punishment of eternal fire. Jude’s language moves from earthly destruction to a picture of final judgment—unending, just, and terrifying. The example warns that persistent sensual rebellion invites God’s wrath. It also shows that the moral law is not negotiable. Communities that normalize sin do not erase its guilt. Jude’s readers must not be deceived by teachers who excuse impurity under the banner of grace. The aftermath of Sodom stands as a permanent cautionary sign for all generations.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them, having in like manner with these given themselves over to fornication and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them, having in like manner with these given themselves over to fornication and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the towns near them, having like these, given themselves up to unclean desires and gone after strange flesh, have been made an example, undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them, in like manner to these, having given themselves to whoredom, and gone after other flesh, have been set before--an example, of fire age-during, justice suffering.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752As Sodom and Gomorrha and the neighbouring cities, in like manner, having given themselves to fornication and going after other flesh, were made an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities around them, committing greedily fornication, in like manner with them, and going after other flesh, lie there as an example, undergoing the judgment of eternal fire.
Context
This third example concludes Jude’s triad of judgments after Israel’s unbelief and the angels’ rebellion. The shift to notorious cities makes the warning concrete and unforgettable. Verse 8 then connects these examples to the present intruders, who imitate such sins in their dream-driven defilement and defiance. Verses 9–10 contrast their irreverent slander with Michael the archangel’s reverent restraint, heightening the charge of arrogance. Thus, verse 7 anchors Jude’s moral critique in Scripture’s most vivid historical illustration of judgment for sexual immorality.
v.6And angels that kept not their own principality, but left their proper habitation, he hath kept in everlasting bonds under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
v.7This passage
v.8Yet in like manner these also in their dreamings defile the flesh, and set at nought dominion, and rail at dignities.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- 2 Peter 2:6
and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, having made them an example unto those that should live ungodly;
- Romans 1:26
For this cause God gave them up unto vile passions: for their women changed the natural use into that which is against nature:
- Hosea 11:8
How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I cast thee off, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboiim? my heart is turned within me, my compassions are kindled together.
- Lamentations 4:6
For the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of Sodom, That was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands were laid upon her.
- 1 Corinthians 6:9
Or know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men,
- Jeremiah 50:40
As when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbor cities thereof, saith Jehovah, so shall no man dwell there, neither shall any son of man sojourn therein.
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