Jude 1:17
“But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Jude calls his beloved readers to remember the words the apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ had already spoken to them.
What Does Jude 1:17 Mean?
After the long warning, Jude turns warmly back to his readers, calling them beloved. He asks them to remember, to call to mind what they had already been taught. The words he means are those spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, the trusted messengers who laid the foundation of the church's faith.
Jude does not ask his readers to grasp at something new; he points them back to what they already possess. The presence of mockers and false teachers is no reason to panic, because the apostles foretold it. To remember is itself an act of faith, anchoring the soul in truth already received when the present feels unsteady. Jude shepherds his readers gently here, reminding them that they are not adrift but standing on words given by Christ's own appointed witnesses.