1 Maccabees 1

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 And it happened, after that Alexander son of Philip, the Macedonian, who came out of the land of Chettiim, had smitten Darius king of the Persians and Medes, that he reigned in his stead, the first over Greece,	1 After Alexander the Macedonian, Philip's son, who came from the land of Kittim, had defeated Darius, king of the Persians and Medes, he became king in his place, having first ruled in Greece.
2 And made many wars, and won many strong holds, and slew the kings of the earth,	2 He fought many campaigns, captured fortresses, and put kings to death.
3 And went through to the ends of the earth, and took spoils of many nations, insomuch that the earth was quiet before him; whereupon he was exalted and his heart was lifted up.	3 He advanced to the ends of the earth, gathering plunder from many nations; the earth fell silent before him, and his heart became proud and arrogant.
4 And he gathered a mighty strong host and ruled over countries, and nations, and kings, who became tributaries unto him.	4 He collected a very strong army and conquered provinces, nations, and rulers, and they became his tributaries.
5 And after these things he fell sick, and perceived that he should die.	5 But after all this he took to his bed, realizing that he was going to die.
6 Wherefore he called his servants, such as were honourable, and had been brought up with him from his youth, and parted his kingdom among them, while he was yet alive.	6 He therefore summoned his officers, the nobles, who had been brought up with him from his youth, to divide his kingdom among them while he was still alive.
7 So Alexander reigned twelves years, and then died.	7 Alexander had reigned twelve years when he died.
8 And his servants bare rule every one in his place.	8 So his officers took over his kingdom, each in his own territory,
9 And after his death they all put crowns upon themselves; so did their sons after them many years: and evils were multiplied in the earth.	9 and after his death they all put on royal crowns, and so did their sons after them for many years, causing much distress over the earth.
10 And there came out of them a wicked root Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes, son of Antiochus the king, who had been an hostage at Rome, and he reigned in the hundred and thirty and seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.	10 There sprang from these a sinful offshoot, Antiochus Epiphanes, son of King Antiochus, once a hostage at Rome. He became king in the year one hundred and thirty-seven of the kingdom of the Greeks.
11 In those days went there out of Israel wicked men, who persuaded many, saying, Let us go and make a covenant with the heathen that are round about us: for since we departed from them we have had much sorrow.	11 In those days there appeared in Israel men who were breakers of the law, and they seduced many people, saying: "Let us go and make an alliance with the Gentiles all around us; since we separated from them, many evils have come upon us."
12 So this device pleased them well.	12 The proposal was agreeable;
13 Then certain of the people were so forward herein, that they went to the king, who gave them licence to do after the ordinances of the heathen:	13 some from among the people promptly went to the king, and he authorized them to introduce the way of living of the Gentiles.
14 Whereupon they built a place of exercise at Jerusalem according to the customs of the heathen:	14 Thereupon they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem according to the Gentile custom.
15 And made themselves uncircumcised, and forsook the holy covenant, and joined themselves to the heathen, and were sold to do mischief.	15 They covered over the mark of their circumcision and abandoned the holy covenant; they allied themselves with the Gentiles and sold themselves to wrongdoing.
16 Now when the kingdom was established before Antiochus, he thought to reign over Egypt that he might have the dominion of two realms.	16 When his kingdom seemed secure, Antiochus proposed to become king of Egypt, so as to rule over both kingdoms.
17 Wherefore he entered into Egypt with a great multitude, with chariots, and elephants, and horsemen, and a great navy,	17 He invaded Egypt with a strong force, with chariots and elephants, and with a large fleet,
18 And made war against Ptolemee king of Egypt: but Ptolemee was afraid of him, and fled; and many were wounded to death.	18 to make war on Ptolemy, king of Egypt. Ptolemy was frightened at his presence and fled, leaving many casualties.
19 Thus they got the strong cities in the land of Egypt and he took the spoils thereof.	19 The fortified cities in the land of Egypt were captured, and Antiochus plundered the land of Egypt.
20 And after that Antiochus had smitten Egypt, he returned again in the hundred forty and third year, and went up against Israel and Jerusalem with a great multitude,	20 After Antiochus had defeated Egypt in the year one hundred and forty-three, he returned and went up to Israel and to Jerusalem with a strong force.
21 And entered proudly into the sanctuary, and took away the golden altar, and the candlestick of light, and all the vessels thereof,	21 He insolently invaded the sanctuary and took away the golden altar, the lampstand for the light with all its fixtures,
22 And the table of the shewbread, and the pouring vessels, and the vials. and the censers of gold, and the veil, and the crown, and the golden ornaments that were before the temple, all which he pulled off.	22 the offering table, the cups and the bowls, the golden censers, the curtain, the crowns, and the golden ornament on the facade of the temple. He stripped off everything,
23 He took also the silver and the gold, and the precious vessels: also he took the hidden treasures which he found.	23 and took away the gold and silver and the precious vessels; he also took all the hidden treasures he could find.
24 And when he had taken all away, he went into his own land, having made a great massacre, and spoken very proudly.	24 Taking all this, he went back to his own country, after he had spoken with great arrogance and shed much blood.
25 Therefore there was a great mourning in Israel, in every place where they were;	25 And there was great mourning for Israel, in every place where they dwelt,
26 So that the princes and elders mourned, the virgins and young men were made feeble, and the beauty of women was changed.	26 and the rulers and the elders groaned. Virgins and young men languished, and the beauty of the women was disfigured.
27 Every bridegroom took up lamentation, and she that sat in the marriage chamber was in heaviness,	27 Every bridegroom took up lamentation, she who sat in the bridal chamber mourned,
28 The land also was moved for the inhabitants thereof, and all the house of Jacob was covered with confusion.	28 And the land was shaken on account of its inhabitants, and all the house of Jacob was covered with shame.
29 And after two years fully expired the king sent his chief collector of tribute unto the cities of Juda, who came unto Jerusalem with a great multitude,	29 Two years later, the king sent the Mysian commander to the cities of Judah, and he came to Jerusalem with a strong force.
30 And spake peaceable words unto them, but all was deceit: for when they had given him credence, he fell suddenly upon the city, and smote it very sore, and destroyed much people of Israel.	30 He spoke to them deceitfully in peaceful terms, and won their trust. Then he attacked the city suddenly, in a great onslaught, and destroyed many of the people in Israel.
31 And when he had taken the spoils of the city, he set it on fire, and pulled down the houses and walls thereof on every side.	31 He plundered the city and set fire to it, demolished its houses and its surrounding walls,
32 But the women and children took they captive, and possessed the cattle.	32 took captive the women and children, and seized the cattle.
33 Then builded they the city of David with a great and strong wall, and with mighty towers, and made it a strong hold for them.	33 Then they built up the City of David with a high, massive wall and strong towers, and it became their citadel.
34 And they put therein a sinful nation, wicked men, and fortified themselves therein.	34 There they installed a sinful race, perverse men, who fortified themselves inside it,
35 They stored it also with armour and victuals, and when they had gathered together the spoils of Jerusalem, they laid them up there, and so they became a sore snare:	35 storing up weapons and provisions, and depositing there the plunder they had collected from Jerusalem. And they became a great threat.
36 For it was a place to lie in wait against the sanctuary, and an evil adversary to Israel.	36 The citadel became an ambush against the sanctuary, and a wicked adversary to Israel at all times.
37 Thus they shed innocent blood on every side of the sanctuary, and defiled it:	37 And they shed innocent blood around the sanctuary; they defiled the sanctuary.
38 Insomuch that the inhabitants of Jerusalem fled because of them: whereupon the city was made an habitation of strangers, and became strange to those that were born in her; and her own children left her.	38 Because of them the inhabitants of Jerusalem fled away, and she became the abode of strangers. She became a stranger to her own offspring, and her children forsook her.
39 Her sanctuary was laid waste like a wilderness, her feasts were turned into mourning, her sabbaths into reproach her honour into contempt.	39 Her sanctuary was as desolate as a wilderness; her feasts were turned into mourning, Her sabbaths to shame, her honor to contempt.
40 As had been her glory, so was her dishonour increased, and her excellency was turned into mourning.	40 Her dishonor was as great as her glory had been, and her exalation was turned into mourning.
41 Moreover king Antiochus wrote to his whole kingdom, that all should be one people,	41 Then the king wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one people,
42 And every one should leave his laws: so all the heathen agreed according to the commandment of the king.	42 each abandoning his particular customs. All the Gentiles conformed to the command of the king,
43 Yea, many also of the Israelites consented to his religion, and sacrificed unto idols, and profaned the sabbath.	43 and many Israelites were in favor of his religion; they sacrificed to idols and profaned the sabbath.
44 For the king had sent letters by messengers unto Jerusalem and the cities of Juda that they should follow the strange laws of the land,	44 The king sent messengers with letters to Jerusalem and to the cities of Judah, ordering them to follow customs foreign to their land;
45 And forbid burnt offerings, and sacrifice, and drink offerings, in the temple; and that they should profane the sabbaths and festival days:	45 to prohibit holocausts, sacrifices, and libations in the sanctuary, to profane the sabbaths and feast days,
46 And pollute the sanctuary and holy people:	46 to desecrate the sanctuary and the sacred ministers,
47 Set up altars, and groves, and chapels of idols, and sacrifice swine's flesh, and unclean beasts:	47 to build pagan altars and temples and shrines, to sacrifice swine and unclean animals,
48 That they should also leave their children uncircumcised, and make their souls abominable with all manner of uncleanness and profanation:	48 to leave their sons uncircumcised, and to let themselves be defiled with every kind of impurity and abomination,
49 To the end they might forget the law, and change all the ordinances.	49 so that they might forget the law and change all their observances.
50 And whosoever would not do according to the commandment of the king, he said, he should die.	50 Whoever refused to act according to the command of the king should be put to death.
51 In the selfsame manner wrote he to his whole kingdom, and appointed overseers over all the people, commanding the cities of Juda to sacrifice, city by city.	51 Such were the orders he published throughout his kingdom. He appointed inspectors over all the people, and he ordered the cities of Judah to offer sacrifices, each city in turn.
52 Then many of the people were gathered unto them, to wit every one that forsook the law; and so they committed evils in the land;	52 Many of the people, those who abandoned the law, joined them and committed evil in the land.
53 And drove the Israelites into secret places, even wheresoever they could flee for succour.	53 Israel was driven into hiding, wherever places of refuge could be found.
54 Now the fifteenth day of the month Casleu, in the hundred forty and fifth year, they set up the abomination of desolation upon the altar, and builded idol altars throughout the cities of Juda on every side;	54 On the fifteenth day of the month Chislev, in the year one hundred and forty-five, the king erected the horrible abomination upon the altar of holocausts, and in the surrounding cities of Judah they built pagan altars.
55 And burnt incense at the doors of their houses, and in the streets.	55 They also burnt incense at the doors of houses and in the streets.
56 And when they had rent in pieces the books of the law which they found, they burnt them with fire.	56 Any scrolls of the law which they found they tore up and burnt.
57 And whosoever was found with any the book of the testament, or if any committed to the law, the king's commandment was, that they should put him to death.	57 Whoever was found with a scroll of the covenant, and whoever observed the law, was condemned to death by royal decree.
58 Thus did they by their authority unto the Israelites every month, to as many as were found in the cities.	58 So they used their power against Israel, against those who were caught, each month, in the cities.
59 Now the five and twentieth day of the month they did sacrifice upon the idol altar, which was upon the altar of God.	59 On the twenty-fifth day of each month they sacrificed on the altar erected over the altar of holocausts.
60 At which time according to the commandment they put to death certain women, that had caused their children to be circumcised.	60 Women who had had their children circumcised were put to death, in keeping with the decree,
61 And they hanged the infants about their necks, and rifled their houses, and slew them that had circumcised them.	61 with the babies hung from their necks; their families also and those who had circumcised them were killed.
62 Howbeit many in Israel were fully resolved and confirmed in themselves not to eat any unclean thing.	62 But many in Israel were determined and resolved in their hearts not to eat anything unclean;
63 Wherefore the rather to die, that they might not be defiled with meats, and that they might not profane the holy covenant: so then they died.	63 they preferred to die rather than to be defiled with unclean food or to profane the holy covenant; and they did die. Terrible affliction was upon Israel.
64 And there was very great wrath upon Israel.