The book of Jude, explained simply

Who wrote it

The letter names its writer as Jude, 'a brother of James.' Traditionally he is the Jude listed in the Gospels as one of Jesus' brothers, which would make him a brother of James, a leader of the early church in Jerusalem. Many scholars accept this. Many others think a later follower wrote it in Jude's name, which was a common practice in the ancient world. The question is still debated.

When

Probably sometime between about AD 50 and AD 100. Those who think Jesus' brother wrote it usually place it earlier. Those who think it came later place it near the end of that range or a little after. The setting is a young church where outsiders with different ideas about how to live had gained influence.

Who it was written to

A Christian community that the letter does not name. Its readers clearly knew the Jewish scriptures and also popular Jewish writings of the time, so many scholars think they were mostly Jewish Christians, though this is not certain.

Why it was written

Jude says he meant to write about the hope Christians share, but changed course because certain people were teaching that God's kindness made any behavior acceptable. He warns the readers against them and calls them to hold on to the faith they had received. In the wider Bible, Jude is one of several letters showing early churches arguing over what following Jesus really means for daily life.

Big themes

Holding on to the faith you were given · Warning against people who misuse God's kindness · Judgment, shown through examples from Israel's past · Mercy toward those who doubt, and God's power to keep people safe

How it is laid out

Greeting (1:1-2)

Why Jude is writing (1:3-4)

Warnings from the past and a harsh description of the troublemakers (1:5-16)

How to stay strong and care for others (1:17-23)

Closing praise to God (1:24-25)

A tip for reading it

The middle of the letter is fierce. It uses stories of judgment and destruction, such as Sodom and Gomorrah, and it quotes the book of Enoch and a story about an argument over Moses' body. These come from Jewish writings that are not in most Bibles but were well known then, so it helps to read it as a passionate warning written in the style of its time. Much of it closely matches 2 Peter chapter 2, and comparing the two can be useful. Do not miss the gentle ending, which asks readers to show mercy and closes with one of the Bible's best known blessings.