“How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.”
King James Version (KJV)
1:16 These are murmurers - Against men. Complainers - Literally, complainers of their fate, against God. Walking - With regard to themselves. After their own foolish and mischievous desires. Having men's persons in admiration for the sake of gain - Admiring and commending them only for what they can get.
1:17 By the apostles - He does not exempt himself from the number of apostles. For in the next verse he says, they told you, not us.
1:19 These are they who separate themselves, sensual, not having the Spirit - Having natural senses and understanding only, not the Spirit of God; otherwise they could not separate. For that it is a sin, and a very heinous one, to separate from the church, is out of all question. But then it should be observed, That by the church is meant a body of living Christians, who are an habitation of God through the Spirit: That by separating is understood, renouncing all religious intercourse with them; no longer joining with them in solemn prayer, or the other public offices of religion: and, That we have no more authority from scripture to call even this schism, than to call it murder.
1:20 But ye, beloved, not separating, but building yourselves up in your most holy faith - Than which none can be more holy in itself, or more conducive to the most refined and exalted holiness. Praying through the Holy Spirit - Who alone is able to build you up, as he alone laid the foundation. In this and the following verse St. Jude mentions the Father, Son, and Spirit, together with faith, love, and hope.
Jude 1:18 They told you there would be mockers. See 2Pe 3:3 1Ti 4:1 2Ti 3:1. In the last time. In the last dispensation.