6:1 Brothers and sisters, 1 if a person 2 is discovered in some sin, 3 you who are spiritual 4 restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness. 5 Pay close attention 6 to yourselves, so that you are not tempted too.
1 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:11.
2 tn Here ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used in a generic sense, referring to both men and women.
3 tn Or “some transgression” (L&N 88.297).
4 sn Who are spiritual refers to people who are controlled and directed by God’s Spirit.
5 tn Or “with a gentle spirit” or “gently.”
6 tn Grk “taking careful notice.”
7 tn Grk “and save.”
8 tn Grk “and have mercy.”
9 tn Grk “with fear.” But as this contrasts with ἀφόβως (afobw") in v. 12 (without reverence), the posture of the false teachers, it most likely refers to reverence for God.
10 sn The imagery here suggests that the things close to the sinners are contaminated by them, presumably during the process of sinning.
11 tn Grk “hating even the tunic spotted by the flesh.” The “flesh” in this instance could refer to the body or to the sin nature. It makes little difference in one sense: Jude is thinking primarily of sexual sins, which are borne of the sin nature and manifest themselves in inappropriate deeds done with the body. At the same time, he is not saying that the body is intrinsically bad, a view held by the opponents of Christianity. Hence, it is best to see “flesh” as referring to the sin nature here and the language as metaphorical.