Jude 1:12

These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds [they are] without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

These {G3778} are {G1526} spots {G4694} in {G1722} your {G5216} feasts of charity {G26}, when they feast {G4910} with you {G5213}, feeding {G4165} themselves {G1438} without fear {G870}: clouds {G3507} they are without water {G504}, carried about {G4064} of {G5259} winds {G417}; trees {G1186} whose fruit withereth {G5352}, without fruit {G175}, twice {G1364} dead {G599}, plucked up by the roots {G1610};

These men are filthy spots at your festive gatherings meant to foster love; they share your meals without a qualm, while caring only for themselves. They are waterless clouds carried along by the winds; trees without fruit even in autumn, and doubly dead because they have been uprooted;

These men are hidden reefs in your love feasts, shamelessly feasting with you but shepherding only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried along by the wind; fruitless trees in autumn, twice dead after being uprooted.

These are they who are hidden rocks in your love-feasts when they feast with you, shepherds that without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

Commentary

Jude 1:12 delivers a powerful and stark warning against the destructive nature of ungodly individuals who infiltrate the Christian community. Using vivid metaphors, the apostle Jude exposes their true character and ultimate destiny, contrasting their deceptive outward appearance with their inward spiritual barrenness.

Context

This verse is part of Jude's urgent appeal to believers to "contend earnestly for the faith" (Jude 1:3) against certain men who have "crept in unawares" (Jude 1:4). These individuals, described as ungodly and sensual, distort grace and deny Christ. Jude 1:12 specifically targets their behavior within the fellowship, particularly their presence at "feasts of charity" (often referred to as agape feasts), which were communal meals shared by early Christians, sometimes preceding or accompanying the Lord's Supper. Their participation was a "spot" or blemish, signifying their corrupting influence.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Hypocrisy and Selfishness: The phrase "feeding themselves without fear" highlights their self-serving nature and lack of reverence for God or concern for others. They exploit the community's resources and fellowship for personal gain, showing no humility or accountability.
  • Spiritual Barrenness and Deception: The metaphors of "clouds without water" and "trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit" powerfully convey their spiritual emptiness. Just as a cloud promises rain but delivers none, or a tree appears healthy but produces no fruit, these individuals offer no spiritual refreshment or genuine good works. They are deceptive, appearing to be part of the community but lacking true spiritual life. This echoes the warning in Matthew 7:16, "Ye shall know them by their fruits."
  • Certainty of Judgment: "Twice dead, plucked up by the roots" emphasizes their complete spiritual demise and the inevitability of divine judgment. "Twice dead" could refer to being dead in sin and then spiritually dead through rejection of Christ, or being cut off from God's grace with no hope of revival. "Plucked up by the roots" signifies a permanent and utter removal, leaving no possibility of growth or restoration. This strong imagery underscores the severe consequences for those who persist in such ungodly ways.

Linguistic Insights

  • The term "spots" comes from the Greek word spilades (σπιλάδες), which can mean "blemishes" or "hidden rocks." In the context of maritime navigation, hidden rocks are dangerous hazards that can cause shipwrecks. This suggests that these false teachers are not merely minor imperfections but hidden dangers that threaten to destroy the faith of others within the church.
  • "Feasts of charity" translates the Greek agape (ἀγάπη) feasts, communal meals that demonstrated the love and fellowship of early believers. The presence of these ungodly individuals corrupted the very essence of these gatherings of love.
  • The phrase "twice dead" (δὶς ἀποθανόντα, dis apothanonta) is a striking intensifier, emphasizing the absolute and irreversible nature of their spiritual condition, often implying a state of being dead in sin and then further condemned by their rejection of the truth.

Practical Application

Jude 1:12 serves as a timeless warning for believers to be discerning. We are called to:

  • Discern True from False: We must look beyond outward appearances and evaluate individuals by their spiritual fruit (Matthew 7:20) and their teaching, especially concerning the nature of Christ and the grace of God.
  • Guard the Purity of Fellowship: The church community, like the ancient agape feasts, should be a place of genuine love, spiritual nourishment, and truth. Believers are called to uphold the integrity of the fellowship and protect it from those who would exploit or corrupt it.
  • Pursue Genuine Fruitfulness: In contrast to the barrenness described, believers are exhorted to live lives that bear the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), demonstrating true spiritual vitality and contributing positively to the body of Christ.

This verse, like 2 Peter 2:17 which uses similar imagery of "wells without water" and "clouds that are carried with a tempest," underscores the severe spiritual danger posed by false teachers and the certainty of their judgment.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 2 Peter 2:17

    These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.

  • 2 Peter 2:20

    For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

  • Matthew 15:13

    But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.

  • Ezekiel 34:8

    [As] I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because [there was] no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;

  • Ephesians 4:14

    That we [henceforth] be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, [and] cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

  • Proverbs 25:14

    ¶ Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift [is like] clouds and wind without rain.

  • Philippians 3:19

    Whose end [is] destruction, whose God [is their] belly, and [whose] glory [is] in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
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