Jude 1:23
“And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Some are to be saved with urgency, snatched from the fire, while showing mercy with caution, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.
What Does Jude 1:23 Mean?
Jude completes his instruction about rescuing others, and the urgency rises. Some must be saved with fear, pulling them out of the fire, as one would seize a person from a burning house without delay. The danger is real, and love acts decisively to deliver. Compassion here becomes rescue.
Yet Jude adds a careful word: even while showing mercy, hate the garment spotted by the flesh. The helper must hate the corruption itself, never growing careless or drawn in while reaching for the one ensnared. Mercy and moral clarity belong together; we love the person without making peace with the sin. It is a delicate, costly calling, to pull others from the fire without being burned. Jude trusts his readers with it, and points them to the One whose love rescues without ever being stained.