Jude 1 · Verse 20

Jude 1:20

But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
Jude 1:20, King James Version

Jude 1:20 in other translations

BSBBut you, beloved, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,
WEBBut you, beloved, keep building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.
ASVBut ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
YLTAnd ye, beloved, on your most holy faith building yourselves up, in the Holy Spirit praying,
DARBYBut ye, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
BBEBut you, my loved ones, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, and making prayers in the Holy Spirit,
WebsterBut ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying by the Holy Spirit,

What does Jude 1:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
20. Resuming Jude 17. building up yourselves--the opposite to the "separate themselves" (Jude 19): as "in the Holy Ghost" is opposed to "having not the Spirit." on--as on a foundation. Building on THE FAITH is equivalent to building on Christ, the object of faith. praying in the Holy Ghost--(Ro 8:26; Ep 6:18). The Holy Spirit teaches what we are to pray for, and how. None can pray aright save by being in the Spirit, that is, in the element of His influence. Chrysostom states that, among the charisms bestowed at the beginning of the New Testament dispensation, was the gift of prayer, bestowed on someone who prayed in the name of the rest, and taught others to pray. Moreover, their prayers so conceived and often used, were received and preserved among Christians, and out of them forms of prayer were framed. Such is the origin of liturgies [Hammond].

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 20. But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith. Comp. Jude 1:3. On the word building, 1Cor 3:9, seq. Eph 2:20. It is said here that they were to "build up themselves;" that is, they were to act as moral and responsible agents in this, or were to put forth their own proper exertions to do it. Dependent as we are, and as all persons with correct views will feel themselves to be, yet it is proper to endeavour to do the work of religion as if we had ample power of ourselves. Php 2:12. The phrase "most holy faith" here refers to the system of religion which was founded on faith; and the meaning is, that they should seek to establish themselves most firmly in the belief of the doctrines, and in the practice of the duties of that system of religion.

Praying in the Holy Ghost. Eph 6:18.

(e) "building up" Col 2:7 (f) "praying" Eph 6:18 (++) "Ghost" "By the Holy Spirit"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 Building up yourselves - Having the most holy faith - the Gospel of our Lord Jesus, and the writings of his apostles, for your foundation; founding all your expectations on these, and seeking from the Christ who is their sum and substance; all the grace and glory ye need. Praying in the Holy Ghost - Holding fast the Divine influence which ye have received, and under that influence making prayer and supplication to God. The prayer that is not sent up through the influence of the Holy Ghost is never likely to reach heaven.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Jude 1:17-23

Sensual men separate from Christ, and his church, and join themselves to the devil, the world, and the flesh, by ungodly and sinful practices. That is infinitely worse than to separate from any branch of the visible church on account of opinions, or modes and circumstances of outward government or worship. Sensual men have not the spirit of holiness, which whoever has not, does not belong to Christ. The grace of…

Read the full comment on Jude 1:17-23 →

Jude 1:20 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.

ὑμεῖςhumeisyou yourselvesG4771
δέ,dehowever,G1161
ἀγαπητοί,agapētoibeloved,G27
ἐποικοδομοῦντεςepoikodomountesbuilding upG2026
ἑαυτοὺςhe'autousyourselvesG1438
τῇtēain theG3588
ἁγιωτάτῃhagiōtatēmost holyG40
ὑμῶνhumōnof youG4771
πίστει,pisteifaithG4102
ἐνeninG1722
πνεύματιpneumati[the] SpiritG4151
ἁγίῳhagiōHolyG40
προσευχόμενοι,proseuchomenoipraying,G4336

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

Cross references for Jude 1:20

  • Ephesians 6:18

    Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

  • Romans 8:26-27

    Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

  • 1 Corinthians 14:15

    What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

  • Colossians 2:7

    Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:11

    Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

  • 1 Corinthians 14:4-5

    He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

  • Romans 8:15

    For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

  • Acts 9:31

    Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.

  • Ephesians 4:29

    Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

  • 1 Corinthians 14:26

    How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

  • Galatians 4:6

    And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

  • Ephesians 4:16

    From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
building.
Ac 9:31; Ro 15:2; 1Co 1:8; 10:23; 14:4,5,26; Eph 4:12,16,29; Col 2:7
1Th 5:11; 1Ti 1:4
Gr. most.
Ac 15:9; 26:18; 2Ti 1:5; Tit 1:1; Jas 2:22; 2Pe 1:1; 1Jo 5:4
Re 13:10
praying.
Zec 12:10; Ro 8:15,26,27; 1Co 14:15; Ga 4:6; Eph 6:18

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

Context

  • Jude 1:19

    These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.

  • Jude 1:20

    But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

  • Jude 1:21

    Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

Read all of Jude 1

Jude 1:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Mas vosotros, oh amados, edificándoos sobre vuestra santísima fe, orando por el Espíritu Santo,
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Mais vous, bien-aimés, vous édifiant vous-mêmes sur votre très sainte foi, priant par le Saint Esprit,
German
Elberfelder 1871
Ihr aber, Geliebte, euch selbst erbauend auf euren allerheiligsten Glauben, betend im Heiligen Geiste,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Vos autem carissimi superædificantes vosmetipsos sanctissimæ vestræ fidei, in Spiritu Sancto orantes,