Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Jude 1:16

"These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their lusts (and their mouth speaketh great swelling [words]), showing respect of persons for the sake of advantage." — Jude 1:16 (ASV)

The stress is on two words, each used four times: “all” (GK 4246) and “ungodly” (GK 813–815; cf. v.4). Jude finds Enoch’s prophecy a good summary of the universal divine judgment on the impious and all their deeds.

Verse 16 completes Jude’s denunciation of the false teachers as “grumblers” (GK 1199). In 1 Corinthians 10:10 Paul uses the related verb (GK 1197) of the rebels in the wilderness (cf. Exodus 16–17; Numbers 14–17). Jude also calls the false teachers “faultfinders” (GK 3523), a term that underlines their critical attitude and habitual complaining. “They follow their own evil desires” might be translated “they live by their passions.” “They boast about themselves” is can be rendered “and their mouth speaks haughty [or bombastic] words,” which reminds one of Antiochus Epiphanes (cf. Daniel 7:8–11; 11:36). “Flatter others for their own advantage” reinforces Jude’s stress on the venality of the false teachers.