Written by Paul J Bucknell on November, 11, 2025
Jude 14-15 Who is the Prophet Enoch?
Jude 14-15 quotes Enoch’s prediction of God’s judgment of the wicked. Since it is not included in the Bible, what is the Book of Enoch?
The Bible’s canon does not officially include The Book of Enoch, but quotes from it appear in Jude 14-15 and are considered authentic.
Jude 14-15
“14 It was also about these men that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, 15 to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”” (Jude 14-15, NASB)
The Background of Enoch
Enoch, seventh in line from Adam, was Noah's great-grandfather. The Scriptures mention little about Enoch’s life, so it’s important to distinguish him from another Enoch in Genesis 4. What is recorded about him is significant: “Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him” (Gen 5:24).
Genesis 5:21-24
“21 Enoch lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Methuselah. 22 Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters. 23 So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. 24 Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.”(Genesis 5:21-24)
Enoch avoided experiencing death because of his close relationship with the Lord. The author of Hebrews supports this view and speaks highly of him, urging us to cherish our time with God.
“By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God” (Heb 11:5).
The phrase “taken up” is quite unusual. It can be viewed as one of those extraordinary life events resulting from God’s intervention in the world. While it's understandable to associate his prophecy with his close relationship with God, this does not imply that Enoch himself authored the Book of Enoch.
The Book of Enoch
The Book of Enoch is not included in the official canon and was composed after the Old Testament was finalized. It is considered Scripture only by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Jude was aware of The Book of Enoch and other texts, but it should not be regarded as Scripture—rather, it is simply intriguing reading. The prophecy Jude references originates from Enoch 2.0 (or 1:9).
2.0 Behold, he comes with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon them, and destroy the wicked, and reprove all the carnal for everything which the sinful and ungodly have done, and committed against him. (Quoted by Jude, vss. 14, 15.)
Where can we find the Book of Enoch? It's readily available online in our information age. However, be cautious of numerous books and beliefs related to it, especially the cultic Gnostic texts. People’s views can differ greatly from Scripture. My book, The Origins of the Bible, explores those books sometimes considered part of the Scripture. The Book of Enoch is on two lists:
- The OT apocrypha - Books considered by some to be part of the Canon (only accepted by the Ethiopian church; not by the Jewish leaders). “Tertullian wanted to Canonize Enoch because of Jude’s quote; Chrysostom says that the authenticity of Jude was in doubt because of the quote from Enoch.”
- OT pseudepigrapha - Books titled after a Bible character often appear to be authored by that figure. For example, the Book of Enoch is linked to Enoch, but likely only certain sections, such as this prophecy, were actually written by him.
Many believe that The Book of Enoch was written by early Christians due to multiple references to the Messiah, the Christ. However, later discoveries of sections of Enoch among the Qumran Scrolls showed it was composed before Christ’s era—before Christianity existed. The church has never included the Book of Enoch in the Bible canon or the Apocrypha, although some denominations accept the Apocrypha as Scripture.
A Conclusion
Enoch probably would not want us to concentrate on him as the author but instead on the truth of the judgment detailed in Jude 14-15. This theme recurs strongly throughout The Book of Jude. He understood the reality of an impending judgment and was ready to proclaim it, a message that is greatly needed in our world today. Although The Book of Enoch bears his name and contains his prophecy, we cannot definitively say he authored the entire book or that it copies his words exactly. Keeping these points in mind, it is safe to approach The Book of Enoch.
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