Jude 1 · Verse 16

Jude 1:16

These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.
Jude 1:16, King James Version

Jude 1:16 in other translations

BSBThese men are discontented grumblers, following after their own lusts; their mouths spew arrogance; they flatter others for their own advantage.
WEBThese are murmurers and complainers, walking after their lusts—and their mouth speaks proud things—showing respect of persons to gain advantage.
ASVThese are murmurers, complainers, walking after their lusts (and their mouth speaketh great swelling words), showing respect of persons for the sake of advantage.
YLTThese are murmurers, repiners; according to their desires walking, and their mouth doth speak great swellings, giving admiration to persons for the sake of profit;
DARBYThese are murmurers, complainers, walking after their lusts; and their mouth speaks swelling words, admiring persons for the sake of profit.
BBEThese are the men who make trouble, ever desiring change, going after evil pleasures, using high-sounding words, respecting men's position in the hope of reward.
WebsterThese are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.

What does Jude 1:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
16. murmurers--in secret: muttering murmurs against God's ordinances and ministers in Church and state. Compare Jude 8, "speak evil of dignities"; Jude 15, "hard speeches"; against the Lord. complainers--never satisfied with their lot (Nu 11:1; compare the penalty, De 28:47, 48). walking after their own lusts--(Jude 18). The secret of their murmuring and complaining is the restless insatiability of their desires. great swelling words--(2Pe 2:18). men's persons--their mere outward appearance and rank. because of advantage--for the sake of what they may gain from them. While they talk great swelling words, they are really mean and fawning towards those of wealth and rank.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 16. These are murmurers. The word here used does not elsewhere occur, though the word murmur is frequent, Mt 20:11, Lk 5:30; Jn 6:41,43,61, 8:32, 1Cor 10:10. Comp. Jn 7:12, Acts 6:1, Php 2:14; 1Pet 4:9. The sense is that of repining or complaining under the allotments of Providence, or finding fault with God's plans, and purposes, and doings.

Complainers. Literally, finding fault with one's own lot (μεμψιμοιροι.) The word does not elsewhere occur in the New Testament; the thing often occurs in this world. Nothing is more common than for men to complain of their lot; to think that it is hard; to com- pare theirs with that of others, and to blame God for not having made their circumstances different. The poor complain that they are not rich like others; the sick that they are not well; the enslaved that they are not free; the bereaved that they are deprived of friends; the ugly that they are not beautiful; those in humble life that their lot was not east among the great and the gay. The virtue that is opposed to this is contentment--a virtue of inestimable value. Php 4:11.

Walking after their own lusts. Giving unlimited indulgence to their appetites and passions. 2Pet 3:3.

And their mouth speaketh great swelling words. 2Pet 2:18.

Having men's persons in admiration. Showing great respect to certain persons, particularly the rich and the great. The idea is, that they were not just in the esteem which they had for others, or that they did not appreciate them according to their real worth, but paid special attention to one class in order to promote their selfish ends.

Because of advantage. Because they hoped to derive some benefit to themselves.

(+) "advantage" "For gain's sake"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 16 These are murmurers - Grudging and grumbling at all men, and at all things; complainers, μεμψιμοιροι, complainers of their fate or destiny - finding fault with God and all his providential dispensations, making and governing worlds in their own way; persons whom neither God nor man can please. Walking after their own lusts - Taking their wild, disorderly, and impure passions for the rule of their conduct, and not the writings of the prophets and apostles. Great swelling words - Ὑπερογκα. See the explanation of this term in 2Pet 2:18. Having men's persons in admiration - Time-servers and flatterers; persons who pretend to be astonished at the greatness, goodness, sagacity, learning, wisdom; etc., of rich and great men, hoping thereby to acquire money, influence, power, friends, and the like. Because of advantage - Ωφελειας χαριν· For the sake of lucre. All the flatterers of the rich are of this kind; and especially those who profess to be ministers of the Gospel, and who, for the sake of a more advantageous settlement or living, will soothe the rich even in their sins. With such persons a rich man is every thing; and if he have but a grain of grace, his piety is extolled to the skies! I have known several ministers of this character, and wish them all to read the sixteenth verse of Jude.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Jude 1:8-16

False teachers are dreamers; they greatly defile and grievously wound the soul. These teachers are of a disturbed mind and a seditious spirit; forgetting that the powers that be, are ordained of God, Ro 13:1. As to the contest about the body of Moses, it appears that Satan wished to make the place of his burial known to the Israelites, in order to tempt them to worship him, but he was prevented, and vented his rage…

Read the full comment on Jude 1:8-16 →

Jude 1:16 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

οὗτοίhoutoiTheseG3778
εἰσινeisinareG1510
γογγυσταὶgongustaigrumblersG1113
μεμψίμοιροι,mempsimoiroidiscontented,G3202
κατὰkataafterG2596
τὰςtastheG3588
ἐπιθυμίαςepithumiaslustsG1939
ἑαυτῶνhe'autōnof themselvesG1438
πορευόμενοι,poreuomenoifollowing,G4198
καὶkaiandG2532
τὸtotheG3588
στόμαstomamouthG4750
αὐτῶνautōnof themG846
λαλεῖlaleispeaksG2980
ὑπέρογκα,huperogkagreat swelling [words],G5246
θαυμάζοντεςthaumazontesflatteringG2296
πρόσωπαprosōpafacesG4383
ὠφελείαςōpheleiasof profitG5622
χάριν.¶charinbecause.G5484

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Jude 1:16

  • 2 Peter 2:18

    For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.

  • Philippians 2:14

    Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

  • 2 Peter 2:10

    But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

  • 1 Timothy 6:5

    Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

  • Jude 1:18

    How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.

  • 2 Peter 3:3

    Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

  • 1 Corinthians 10:10

    Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

  • James 1:14-15

    But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

  • 1 Peter 2:11

    Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

  • 1 Peter 4:2

    That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

  • Leviticus 19:15

    Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.

  • 1 Peter 1:14

    As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
murmurers.
Nu 14:36; 16:11; De 1:27; Ps 106:25; Isa 29:24; Lu 5:30; 15:2; 19:7
Joh 6:41,61; 1Co 10:10; Php 2:14
walking.
18; Ga 5:16,24; 1Th 4:5; 2Ti 4:3; Jas 1:14,15; 1Pe 1:14; 2:11
1Pe 4:2; 2Pe 2:10; 3:3
their mouth.
15; Job 17:4,5; Ps 17:10; 73:9-11; 2Pe 2:18
having.
Le 19:15; Job 32:21; 34:19; Ps 15:4; Pr 28:21; 1Ti 6:5; Jas 2:1-9
2Pe 2:1-3

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Jude 1:15

    To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

  • Jude 1:16

    These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.

  • Jude 1:17

    But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Read all of Jude 1

Jude 1:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Estos son murmuradores, querellosos, andando según sus deseos; y su boca habla cosas soberbias, teniendo en admiración las personas por causa del provecho.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Ceux-ci, ils sont des murmurateurs, se plaignant de leur sort, marchant selon leurs propres convoitises (tandis que leur bouche prononce d’orgueilleux discours), et admirant les hommes en vue de leur propre profit.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Diese sind Murrende, mit ihrem Lose Unzufriedene, die nach ihren Lüsten wandeln; und ihr Mund redet stolze Worte, und Vorteils halber bewundern sie Personen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Hi sunt murmuratores querulosi, secundum desideria sua ambulantes, et os eorum loquitur superba, mirantes personas quæstus causa.