What is the most accurate (original Greek text), and (translation) of Jude 1:4?

Question

KJV of Jude 1:4 declares that God is the only lord, beside the lord Jesus Christ, i.e: it may means that the only Lord is God the father, beside the lord Jesus Christ.

Like KJV, also, World English Bible and Young's Literal Translation.

Douay-Rheims Bible (DRB), doesn't mention God again, but it is clear that it's like KJV i.e: DRB includes one description to Jesus.

In other translations, they declare that Jesus Christ is both: Master and Lord.

Thus, it's clear that there's difference between the two translations.

Jude 1:4 (KJV):

4. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jude 1:4 (DRB):

For certain men are secretly entered in, (who were written of long ago unto this judgment,) ungodly men, turning the grace of our Lord God into riotousness, and denying the only sovereign Ruler, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

It's clear that DRB mentioned the word "God" one time only, but it seems like KJV.

Jude 1:4 (ASV):

4. For there are certain men crept in privily, {cf15i even} they who were of old written of beforehand unto this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Jude 1:4 (GNT):

4. παρεισέδυσαν γάρ τινες ἄνθρωποι, οἱ πάλαι προγεγραμμένοι εἰς τοῦτο τὸ κρῖμα, ἀσεβεῖς, τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν χάριτα μετατιθέντες εἰς ἀσέλγειαν καὶ τὸν μόνον δεσπότην καὶ Κύριον ἡμῶν ᾿Ιησοῦν Χριστὸν ἀρνούμενοι.

So, what is the most accurate (original Greek text), and (translation) of the verse?

Answer 1

The ASV and the KJV are based on a different set of Greek manuscripts, so this might account for part of the difference. According to the apparatus in the 27th edition of the Nestle-Aland Greek New Testament there are something like two dozen variants that can be constructed of Jude 4!

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The ASV dates back to 1900-1901 and I couldn't find out for sure which Greek text it is based on, but Wikipedia says that it is second only to the NASB in agreement with Nestle-Aland's 28th edition. This text is:

παρεισέδυσαν γάρ τινες ἄνθρωποι, οἱ πάλαι προγεγραμμένοι εἰς τοῦτο τὸ κρίμα, ἀσεβεῖς, τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν χάριτα μετατιθέντες εἰς ἀσέλγειαν καὶ τὸν μόνον δεσπότην καὶ κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν ἀρνούμενοι.

The King James Version is supposed to have followed closely Scrivener's 1881 Textus Receptus, which reads:

παρεισέδυσαν γάρ τινες ἄνθρωποι, οἱ πάλαι προγεγραμμένοι εἰς τοῦτο τὸ κρίμα, ἀσεβεῖς, τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν χάριν μετατιθέντες εἰς ἀσέλγειαν, καὶ τὸν μόνον δεσπότην Θεόν, καὶ Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν ἀρνούμενοι.

The words in bold are those that are different in the two versions.

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As we see above, the likely Greek text for the ASV literally reads:

... τὸν μόνον δεσπότην καὶ κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν
... the only master and Lord of us Jesus Christ

On the other hand, the wording in the KJV Textus Receptus seems to have been slightly different:

... τὸν μόνον δεσπότην Θεόν, καὶ Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν
... the only master God, and Lord of us Jesus Christ

The comparison is a little confusing here because the KJV chose to translate both δεσπότης (despotēs - viz. "despot") and κύριος (kyrios) as "Lord", whereas the ASV rightly (I think) makes a distinction between the two words.

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I think this might help explain the differences between the two translations here.

Answer 2

There is a difference in Greek texts at Jude 1:4. The last part of the verse reads one of two ways in the Greek MSS:

1. καὶ τὸν μόνον Δεσπότην καὶ Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν ἀρνούμενοι. (and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.) This reading is supported by (dates in brackets): P72(~300), P78(~300), 01(~350), 02(V), 03(IV), 04(V), 33(IX), 81(1044), 307(X), 436(~1200), and many more. This is the text listed in NA28, USB5, W&H, Souter, THGNT, SBL, NIVGNT, etc.
2. καὶ τὸν μόνον δεσπότην θεὸν καὶ κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν χριστὸν ἀρνούμενοι. (and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.) This reading is supported by (dates in brackets): 044(~900), 018(IX), 019(VIII), 025(IX), 5(XII), 1175(X), 1448(XII), 1611(XII), 1735(X), 2429(X), plus a few more. This is the text adopted by R&P Byzantine text, Majority Text, Textus Receptus, etc.

The NA28 text and UBS5 regard the first variant as almost certainly correct (marked {A}) as the second variant appears to have arisen much later (in the 9th century).

Answer 3

The truth is, we have to consider the text. What is being said about Jesus? The Trinitarian favored text says that Jesus is the Only Master and Lord. Yet, it makes no sense to name Jesus both the Superior rank and an inferior rank in the same sentence. To put it in more modern terms, it's like saying the Only King and Prince of ours Jesus Christ. Read Richard C. Trench's commentary that explains the difference between despotes and kyrios. You'll find that a despot has more dominion than a lord.

If Jesus is the only absolute ruling GOD, the Father and His Holy Spirit must be inferior to Jesus.

Yet, the NASB20 says that the One that made all things subject to Jesus is excluded from being subjected to Jesus. Then it goes on to say, that when all things are subjected to Jesus, Jesus will be subject to the One that subjected all to Jesus. That is, the same One that is excluded from being subjected to Jesus is the same One Jesus is subjected to.

1 Corinthians 15:27, 28 NASB20

²⁷ For He has put all things in subjection under his feet. But when He says, "All things are put in subjection," it is clear that this excludes the [Father] who put all things in subjection to Him. ²⁸ When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all.

I conclude that the author is not likely to call Jesus both "the Only despotes" and "kyrios" in the same sentence. I seriously doubt that the author would call any individual member of the Trinity the Only despotes. According to the creed, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are 3 separate persons, but all co-equal. The triune god can be the only despotes according to the creed, but not just one member.

It's possible that the later variants were changed to clear up this confusion. Regardless, they believed Jesus is God also. So, I doubt they tampered with scripture to benefit the Arian argument.