What Does Jude 1:16 Mean in the King James?
These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The striking turn is that admiration has a price: the face receiving praise is chosen for the advantage it can return.
THE MEANING
This verse makes a living pattern visible: dissatisfaction mutters, desire sets the direction, and speech swells to win advantage. Praise is directed toward the person who can provide a benefit. The words expose the exchange underneath them.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that grand speech or flattering attention proves sincere regard. Here praise can be a transaction, aimed at whoever offers gain.
THE ROOT
πρόσωπα
prosōpa
GROWS FROM
πρόσωπον
prosōpon
Face, appearance, presence, or person.
The word translated “persons” is πρόσωπα (prosōpa), literally faces and also persons. The related word προσωπολημψία (prosōpolēmpsia), meaning partiality or respect of persons, preserves that face-language: Jude depicts attention directed selectively toward people, for the stated purpose of gain.
ALSO GROWS
prosōpon: Face, presence, or person.
πρόσωπον
The plural πρόσωπα (prosōpa) in Jude makes the praised people into faces being singled out.
prosōpolēmpsia: Partiality; respect of persons.
προσωπολημψία
James 2:9 uses this related word for favoring people, exposing the same face-based valuation.
ἐπιθυμίαις
epithymiais
GROWS FROM
θυμός
thymos
Heat or passion; an ardent impulse.
“lusts” in this verse is epithymiais. The word ἐπιθυμία (epithymia) means desire or longing, often strong desire; its family carries the sense of an impulse with heat behind it. “Walking after” these desires makes them a direction of movement: appetite leads the conduct, rather than remaining a passing thought.
ALSO GROWS
epithymia: Strong desire or longing.
ἐπιθυμία
The plural ἐπιθυμίαις (epithymiais) names the desires that set the direction of the walk.
epithymeō: To desire or long for.
ἐπιθυμέω
This verb from the same word family makes the active pull of desire visible.
ὑπέρογκα
hyperonka
GROWS FROM
ὄγκος
ogkos
Bulk, mass, or weight.
“great swelling words” in this verse is hyperonka. The Greek word ὑπέρογκα (hyperonka) pictures words grown bulky or excessive. The image is speech made large enough to impress, while the verse reveals the advantage that this display serves.
ALSO GROWS
ogkos: Bulk, mass, or weight.
ὄγκος
Hebrews 12:1 uses the same noun for a weight to be laid aside, sharing the image of something burdensome or excessive.
hyperogkos: Overgrown, extravagant, or bombastic.
ὑπέρογκος
This related form describes language swollen beyond ordinary measure, as in Jude’s “great swelling words.”
THE PATTERN
When desire governs the inner life, speech and regard can become instruments for gaining favor.
To have respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress.But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.THE THREAD
But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.James uses προσωπολημψία (prosōpolēmpsia), meaning partiality or respect of persons, from the same face-word family as Jude’s πρόσωπα (prosōpa), “persons.” Jude shows this partial regard aimed at gain; James names the same face-based valuation as a breach of the neighbor’s claim.
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