1 Maccabees 14

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
1 In the year one hundred and seventy-two, King Demetrius assembled his army and marched into Media to obtain help so that he could fight Trypho.	1 In the one hundred and seventy-second year * Demetrius the king assembled his forces and marched into Media to secure help, so that he could make war against Trypho.
2 When Arsaces, king of Persia and Media, heard that Demetrius had invaded his territory, he sent one of his generals to take him alive.	2 When Arsaces the king of Persia and Media heard that Demetrius had invaded his territory, he sent one of his commanders to take him alive.
3 The general went forth and defeated the army of Demetrius; he captured him and brought him to Arsaces, who put him in prison.	3 And he went and defeated the army of Demetrius, and seized him and took him to Arsaces, who put him under guard.
4 The land was at rest all the days of Simon, who sought the good of his nation. His people were delighted with his power and his magnificence throughout his reign.	4 The land * had rest all the days of Simon. He sought the good of his nation; his rule was pleasing to them, as was the honor shown him, all his days.
5 As his crowning glory he captured the port of Joppa and made it a gateway to the isles of the sea.	5 To crown all his honors he took Joppa for a harbor, and opened a way to the isles of the sea.
6 He enlarged the borders of his nation and gained control of the country.	6 He extended the borders of his nation, and gained full control of the country.
7 He took many enemies prisoners of war and made himself master of Gazara, Beth-zur, and the citadel. He cleansed the citadel of its impurities; there was no one to withstand him.	7 He gathered a host of captives; he ruled over Gazara and Beth-zur and the citadel, and he removed its uncleanness from it; and there was none to oppose him.
8 The people cultivated their land in peace; the land yielded its produce and the trees of the field their fruit.	8 They tilled their land in peace; the ground gave its increase, and the trees of the plains their fruit.
9 Old men sat in the squares, all talking about the good times, while the young men wore the glorious apparel of war.	9 Old men sat in the streets; they all talked together of good things; and the youths donned the glories and garments of war.
10 He supplied the cities with food and equipped them with means of defense, till his glorious name reached the ends of the earth.	10 He supplied the cities with food, and furnished them with the means of defense, till his renown spread to the ends of the earth.
11 He brought peace to the land, and Israel was filled with happiness.	11 He established peace in the land, and Israel rejoiced with great joy.
12 Every man sat under his vine and his fig tree, with no one to disturb him.	12 Each man sat under his vine and his fig tree, and there was none to make them afraid.
13 No one was left to attack them in their land; the kings in those days were crushed.	13 No one was left in the land to fight them, and the kings were crushed in those days.
14 He strengthened all the lowly among his people and was zealous for the law; he suppressed all the lawless and the wicked.	14 He strengthened all the humble of his people; he sought out the law, and did away with every lawless and wicked man.
15 He made the temple splendid and enriched its equipment.	15 He made the sanctuary glorious, and added to the vessels of the sanctuary.
16 When people heard in Rome and even in Sparta that Jonathan had died, they were deeply grieved.	16 It was heard in Rome, and as far away as Sparta, that Jonathan had died, and they were deeply grieved.
17 But when the Romans heard that his brother Simon had been made high priest in his place and was master of the country and the cities,	17 When they heard that Simon his brother had become high priest in his place, and that he was ruling over the country and the cities in it
18 they sent him inscribed tablets of bronze to renew with him the friendship and alliance that they had established with his brothers Judas and Jonathan.	18 they wrote to him on bronze tablets to renew with him the friendship and alliance which they had established with Judas and Jonathan his brothers.
19 These were read before the assembly in Jerusalem.	19 And these were read before the assembly in Jerusalem.
20 This is a copy of the letter that the Spartans sent: "The rulers and the citizens of Sparta send greetings to Simon the high priest, the elders, the priests, and the rest of the Jewish people, our brothers.	20 This is a copy of the letter which the Spartans sent: "The rulers and the city of the Spartans to Simon the high priest and to the elders and the priests and the rest of the Jewish people, our brethren, greeting.
21 The envoys you sent to our people have informed us of your glory and fame, and we were happy that they came.	21 The envoys who were sent to our people have told us about your glory and honor, and we rejoiced at their coming.
22 In accordance with what they said we have recorded the following in the public decrees: Since Numenius, son of Antiochus, and Antipater, son of Jason, envoys of the Jews, have come to us to renew their friendship with us,	22 And what they said we have recorded in our public decrees, as follows, 'Numenius the son of Antiochus and Antipater the son of Jason, envoys of the Jews, have come to us to renew their friendship with us.
23 the people have voted to receive the men with honor, and to deposit a copy of their words in the public archives, so that the people of Sparta may have a record of them. A copy of this decree has been made for Simon the high priest."	23 It has pleased our people to receive these men with honor and to put a copy of their words in the public archives, so that the people of the Spartans may have a record of them. And they have sent a copy of this to Simon the high priest.'"
24 After this, Simon sent Numenius to Rome with a great gold shield weighing a thousand minas, to confirm the alliance with the Romans.	24 After this Simon sent Numenius to Rome with a large gold shield weighing a thousand minas, to confirm the alliance with the Romans. *
25 When the people heard of these things, they said, "How can we thank Simon and his sons?	25 When the people heard these things they said, "How shall we thank Simon and his sons?
26 He and his brothers and his father's house have stood firm and repulsed Israel's enemies. They have thus preserved its liberty." So they made an inscription on bronze tablets, which they affixed to pillars on Mount Zion.	26 For he and his brothers and the house of his father have stood firm; they have fought and repulsed Israel's enemies and established its freedom."
27 The following is a copy of the inscription: "On the eighteenth day of Elul, in the year one hundred and seventy-two, that is, the third year under Simon the high priest in Asaramel,	27 So they made a record on bronze tablets and put it upon pillars on Mount Zion. This is a copy of what they wrote: "On the eighteenth day of Elul, in the one hundred and seventy-second year, * which is the third year of Simon the great high priest,
28 in a great assembly of priests, people, rulers of the nation, and elders of the country, the following proclamation was made:	28 in Asaramel, * in the great assembly of the priests and the people and the rulers of the nation and the elders of the country, the following was proclaimed to us:
29 "'Since there have often been wars in our country, Simon, son of the priest Mattathias, descendant of Joarib, and his brothers have put themselves in danger and resisted the enemies of their nation, so that their sanctuary and law might be maintained, and they have thus brought great glory to their nation.	29 "Since wars often occurred in the country, Simon the son of Mattathias, a priest of the sons * of Joarib, and his brothers, exposed themselves to danger and resisted the enemies of their nation, in order that their sanctuary and the law might be perserved; and they brought great glory to their nation.
30 After Jonathan had rallied his nation and become their high priest, he was gathered to his kinsmen.	30 Jonathan rallied the * nation, and became their high priest, and was gathered to his people.
31 When the enemies of the Jews sought to invade and devastate their country and to lay hands on their temple,	31 And when their enemies decided to invade their country and lay hands on their sanctuary,
32 Simon rose up and fought for his nation, spending large sums of his own money to equip the men of his nation's armed forces and giving them their pay.	32 then Simon rose up and fought for his nation. He spent great sums of his own money; he armed the men of his nation's forces and paid them wages.
33 He fortified the cities of Judea, especially the frontier city of Beth-zur, where he stationed a garrison of Jewish soldiers, and where previously the enemy's arms had been stored.	33 He fortified the cities of Judea, and Beth-zur on the borders of Judea, where formerly the arms of the enemy had been stored, and he placed there a garrison of Jews.
34 He also fortified Joppa by the sea and Gazara on the border of Azotus, a place previously occupied by the enemy; these cities he resettled with Jews, and furnished them with all that was necessary for their restoration.	34 He also fortified Joppa, which is by the sea, and Gazara, which is on the borders of Azotus, where the enemy formerly dwelt. He settled Jews there, and provided in those cities * whatever was necessary for their restoration.
35 When the Jewish people saw Simon's loyalty and the glory he planned to bring to his nation, they made him their leader and high priest because of all he had accomplished and the loyalty and justice he had shown his nation. In every way he sought to exalt his people.	35 "The people saw Simon's faithfulness * and the glory which he had resolved to win for his nation, and they made him their leader and high priest, because he had done all these things and because of the justice and loyalty which he had maintained toward his nation. He sought in every way to exalt his people.
36 "'In his time and under his guidance they succeeded in driving the Gentiles out of their country, especially those in the City of David in Jerusalem, who had built for themselves a citadel from which they used to sally forth to defile the environs of the temple and inflict grave injury on its purity.	36 And in his days things prospered in his hands, so that the Gentiles were put out of the * country, as were also the men in the city of David in Jerusalem, who had built themselves a citadel from which they used to sally forth and defile the environs of the sanctuary and do great damage to its purity.
37 In this citadel he stationed Jewish soldiers, and he strengthened its fortifications for the defense of the land and the city, while he also raised the wall of Jerusalem to a greater height.	37 He settled Jews in it, and fortified it for the safety of the country and of the city, and built the walls of Jerusalem higher.
38 Consequently, King Demetrius confirmed him in the high priesthood,	38 "In view of these things King Demetrius confirmed him in the high priesthood,
39 made him one of his Friends, and conferred the highest honors on him.	39 and he made him one of the king's * friends and paid him high honors.
40 He had indeed heard that the Romans had addressed the Jews as friends, allies, and brothers and that they had received Simon's envoys with honor.	40 For he had heard that the Jews were addressed by the Romans as friends and allies and brethren, and that the Romans * had received the envoys of Simon with honor.
41 "'The Jewish people and their priest have, therefore, made the following decisions. Simon shall be their permanent leader and high priest until a true prophet arises.	41 "And * the Jews and their priests decided that Simon should be their leader and high priest for ever, until a trustworthy prophet should arise,
42 He shall act as governor general over them, and shall have charge of the temple, to make regulations concerning its functions and concerning the country, its weapons and strongholds,	42 and that he should be governor over them and that he should take charge of the sanctuary and appoint men over its tasks and over the country and the weapons and the strongholds, and that he should take charge of the sanctuary,
43 he shall be obeyed by all. All contracts made in the country shall be dated by his name. He shall have the right to wear royal purple and gold ornaments.	43 and that he should be obeyed by all, and that all contracts in the country should be written in his name, and that he should be clothed in purple and wear gold.
44 It shall not be lawful for any of the people or priests to nullify any of these decisions, or to contradict the orders given by him, or to convene an assembly in the country without his consent, to be clothed in royal purple or wear an official gold brooch.	44 "And none of the people or priests shall be permitted to nullify any of these decisions or to oppose what he says, or to convene an assembly in the country without his permission, or to be clothed in purple or put on a gold buckle.
45 Whoever acts otherwise or violates any of these prescriptions shall be liable to punishment.	45 Whoever acts contrary to these decisions or nullifies any of them shall be liable to punishment."
46 "'All the people approved of granting Simon the right to act in accord with these decisions,	46 And all the people agreed to grant Simon the right to act in accord with these decisions.
47 and Simon accepted and agreed to act as high priest, governor general, and ethnarch of the Jewish people and priests and to exercise supreme authority over all.'"	47 So Simon accepted and agreed to be high priest, to be commander and ethnarch of the Jews and priests, and to be protector of them all. *
48 It was decreed that this inscription should be engraved on bronze tablets, to be set up in a conspicuous place in the precincts of the temple,	48 And they gave orders to inscribe this decree upon bronze tablets, to put them up in a conspicuous place in the precincts of the sanctuary,
49 and that copies of it should be deposited in the treasury, where they would be available to Simon and his sons.	49 and to deposit copies of them in the treasury, so that Simon and his sons might have them.