The Meaning of Jude 1:20 Explained

Jude 1:20

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

YLT: And ye, beloved, on your most holy faith building yourselves up, in the Holy Spirit praying,

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

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Jude 1:20 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The contrast Jude introduced with "But" distinguishes Jude"s readers from the false teachers. Since we are God"s temples under attack by hostile enemy forces, we need to build ourselves up, to strengthen ourselves spiritually (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:9-17; Ephesians 2:20-22; 2 Peter 3:18).
"The best thing believers can do to withstand the malady is to develop their spiritual immunological resources." [1]
This is the first of several commands, and it is a general order. What follows clarifies how to do this.
""Building up" (epoikodomountes) depicts this growth under the familiar figure of the erection of a house or temple. The compound verb points to the superstructure being reared on an existing foundation. The present tense underlines the fact that the building of a strong and stable Christian character is an ongoing process." [2]
". . . one can destroy in just a few hours that which has taken years to construct. However, to be a builder is much more fulfilling than being a destroyer!" [3]
"Your most holy faith" is the faith "once for all delivered to the saints" ( Jude 1:3). This is the foundation of our Christian life.
Second, true believers are not devoid of the Spirit ( Jude 1:19). We have Him and can pray in Him, namely, pray for God"s help in harmony with the Spirit"s desires ( Ephesians 6:18; Romans 8:26-27; 1 Corinthians 12:3; Galatians 4:6). Our greatest resource is God Himself. We secure His help through prayer.
"The development of spiritual maturity is vitally related to the practice of prayer at all times and in all places." [4]

Context Summary

Jude 1:12-25 - Beware Of The Touch Of The Ungodly
What traps and pitfalls beset us! How many have fallen who had as good or a better chance than we! The angels kept not their first estate; Adam, though created in innocency, fell; Cain was rejected; Balaam, who saw with open eyes, was slain; Korah, who had carried a censer filled with holy fire, was hurled into the abyss! How can we expect to stand! Be of good cheer! He is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless, Judges 1:24.
In the succession of terrible metaphors in Judges 1:12-13, notice that in each case there is promise without fulfillment and appearance without reality. Such is much of the Christian profession of the present day. And from time to time, as Enoch foretold, the day of the Lord comes, with its retribution for all such.
The four exquisite admonitions of Judges 1:20-21 are worth pondering. Keep yourselves in the main current of God's love. Build your character after the likeness of Christ. Pray in the Holy Spirit; keep at the oriel window of hope. Christ is able to keep, and when at last we are presented by Him to the Father, we shall realize how much we owe Him [source]

Chapter Summary: Jude 1

1  He exhorts them to be constant in the profession of the faith
4  false teachers crept in to seduce them, for whose evil doctrine a horrible punishment is prepared;
20  whereas the godly may persevere, grow in grace, and keep the faith

Greek Commentary for Jude 1:20

Building up [εποικοδομουντες]
Present active participle of εποικοδομεω — epoikodomeō old compound with metaphor of a house (οικος — oikos), common in Paul (1 Corinthians 3:9-17; Colossians 2:7; Ephesians 2:20). [source]
On your most holy faith [τηι αγιωτατηι υμων πιστει]
For the spiritual temple see also 1 Peter 2:3-5. See πιστις — pistis (faith) in this sense (cf. Hebrews 11:1) in 2 Peter 1:5 with the list of graces added. A true superlative here αγιωτατηι — hagiōtatēi not elative.Praying in the Holy Spirit (εν πνευματι αγιωι προσευχομενοι — en pneumati hagiōi proseuchomenoi). This is the way to build themselves up on their faith. [source]
Praying in the Holy Spirit [εν πνευματι αγιωι προσευχομενοι]
This is the way to build themselves up on their faith. [source]

What do the individual words in Jude 1:20 mean?

You however beloved building up yourselves in the most holy of you faith in [the] Spirit Holy praying
Ὑμεῖς δέ ἀγαπητοί ἐποικοδομοῦντες ἑαυτοὺς τῇ ἁγιωτάτῃ ὑμῶν πίστει ἐν Πνεύματι Ἁγίῳ προσευχόμενοι

δέ  however 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
ἀγαπητοί  beloved 
Parse: Adjective, Vocative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀγαπητός  
Sense: beloved, esteemed, dear, favourite, worthy of love.
ἐποικοδομοῦντες  building  up 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ἐποικοδομέω  
Sense: to build upon, build up.
ἑαυτοὺς  yourselves 
Parse: Reflexive Pronoun, Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἑαυτοῦ  
Sense: himself, herself, itself, themselves.
τῇ  in  the 
Parse: Article, Dative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἁγιωτάτῃ  most  holy 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Feminine Singular, Superlative
Root: ἅγιος  
Sense: most holy thing, a saint.
ὑμῶν  of  you 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
πίστει  faith 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: πίστις  
Sense: conviction of the truth of anything, belief; in the NT of a conviction or belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervour born of faith and joined with it.
Πνεύματι  [the]  Spirit 
Parse: Noun, Dative Neuter Singular
Root: πνεῦμα  
Sense: a movement of air (a gentle blast.
Ἁγίῳ  Holy 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Neuter Singular
Root: ἅγιος  
Sense: most holy thing, a saint.
προσευχόμενοι  praying 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: προσεύχομαι  
Sense: to offer prayers, to pray.