Jude 1:9
“Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Jude recalls that even Michael the archangel, disputing with the devil over the body of Moses, would not pronounce a slanderous judgment but said only, The Lord rebuke thee.
What Does Jude 1:9 Mean?
Jude draws a contrast using an account of Michael the archangel contending with the devil about the body of Moses. Even in that confrontation with the great adversary, Michael did not presume to hurl a railing accusation of his own. He left the judgment where it belonged, saying simply, The Lord rebuke thee. Jude relays the scene to make a single point and does not pause to explain its origin.
The lesson lies in the restraint. If an exalted angel would not arrogate to himself the right to condemn, how reckless are mere men who casually revile what they do not understand. True strength knows its limits and defers to God, who alone judges rightly. The contrast shines: where the intruders boast and insult, Michael entrusts the matter to the Lord. To leave vengeance in God's hands is not weakness but reverence, and it is the way of those who truly know him.
In the Original Language
epitimao (ἐπιτιμάω), "rebuke" — to censure with authority; Michael leaves that authority entirely to the Lord.