1 Maccabees 2

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 In those days Mattathias, son of John, son of Simeon, a priest of the family of Joarib, left Jerusalem and settled in Modein.	1 In those days arose Mattathias the son of John, the son of Simeon, a priest of the sons of Joarib, from Jerusalem, and dwelt in Modin.
2 He had five sons: John, who was called Gaddi;	2 And he had five sons, Joannan, called Caddis:
3 Simon, who was called Thassi;	3 Simon; called Thassi:
4 Judas, who was called Maccabeus;	4 Judas, who was called Maccabeus:
5 Eleazar, who was called Avaran; and Jonathan, who was called Apphus.	5 Eleazar, called Avaran: and Jonathan, whose surname was Apphus.
6 When he saw the sacrileges that were being committed in Judah and in Jerusalem,	6 And when he saw the blasphemies that were committed in Juda and Jerusalem,
7 he said: "Woe is me! Why was I born to see the ruin of my people and the ruin of the holy city, and to sit idle while it is given into the hands of enemies, and the sanctuary into the hands of strangers?	7 He said, Woe is me! wherefore was I born to see this misery of my people, and of the holy city, and to dwell there, when it was delivered into the hand of the enemy, and the sanctuary into the hand of strangers?
8 "Her temple has become like a man disgraced,	8 Her temple is become as a man without glory.
9 her glorious ornaments have been carried off as spoils, Her infants have been murdered in her streets, her young men by the sword of the enemy.	9 Her glorious vessels are carried away into captivity, her infants are slain in the streets, her young men with the sword of the enemy.
10 What nation has not taken its share of her realm, and laid its hand on her possessions?	10 What nation hath not had a part in her kingdom and gotten of her spoils?
11 All her adornment has been taken away. From being free, she has become a slave.	11 All her ornaments are taken away; of a free woman she is become a bondslave.
12 We see our sanctuary and our beauty and our glory laid waste, And the Gentiles have defiled them!	12 And, behold, our sanctuary, even our beauty and our glory, is laid waste, and the Gentiles have profaned it.
13 Why are we still alive?"	13 To what end therefore shall we live any longer?
14 Then Mattathias and his sons tore their garments, put on sackcloth, and mourned bitterly.	14 Then Mattathias and his sons rent their clothes, and put on sackcloth, and mourned very sore.
15 The officers of the king in charge of enforcing the apostasy came to the city of Modein to organize the sacrifices.	15 In the mean while the king's officers, such as compelled the people to revolt, came into the city Modin, to make them sacrifice.
16 Many of Israel joined them, but Mattathias and his sons gathered in a group apart.	16 And when many of Israel came unto them, Mattathias also and his sons came together.
17 Then the officers of the king addressed Mattathias: "You are a leader, an honorable and great man in this city, supported by sons and kinsmen.	17 Then answered the king's officers, and said to Mattathias on this wise, Thou art a ruler, and an honourable and great man in this city, and strengthened with sons and brethren:
18 Come now, be the first to obey the king's command, as all the Gentiles and the men of Judah and those who are left in Jerusalem have done. Then you and your sons shall be numbered among the King's Friends, and shall be enriched with silver and gold and many gifts."	18 Now therefore come thou first, and fulfil the king's commandment, like as all the heathen have done, yea, and the men of Juda also, and such as remain at Jerusalem: so shalt thou and thy house be in the number of the king's friends, and thou and thy children shall be honoured with silver and gold, and many rewards.
19 But Mattathias answered in a loud voice: "Although all the Gentiles in the king's realm obey him, so that each forsakes the religion of his fathers and consents to the king's orders,	19 Then Mattathias answered and spake with a loud voice, Though all the nations that are under the king's dominion obey him, and fall away every one from the religion of their fathers, and give consent to his commandments:
20 yet I and my sons and my kinsmen will keep to the covenant of our fathers.	20 Yet will I and my sons and my brethren walk in the covenant of our fathers.
21 God forbid that we should forsake the law and the commandments.	21 God forbid that we should forsake the law and the ordinances.
22 We will not obey the words of the king nor depart from our religion in the slightest degree."	22 We will not hearken to the king's words, to go from our religion, either on the right hand, or the left.
23 As he finished saying these words, a certain Jew came forward in the sight of all to offer sacrifice on the altar in Modein according to the king's order.	23 Now when he had left speaking these words, there came one of the Jews in the sight of all to sacrifice on the altar which was at Modin, according to the king's commandment.
24 When Mattathias saw him, he was filled with zeal; his heart was moved and his just fury was aroused; he sprang forward and killed him upon the altar.	24 Which thing when Mattathias saw, he was inflamed with zeal, and his reins trembled, neither could he forbear to shew his anger according to judgment: wherefore he ran, and slew him upon the altar.
25 At the same time, he also killed the messenger of the king who was forcing them to sacrifice, and he tore down the altar.	25 Also the king's commissioner, who compelled men to sacrifice, he killed at that time, and the altar he pulled down.
26 Thus he showed his zeal for the law, just as Phinehas did with Zimri, son of Salu.	26 Thus dealt he zealously for the law of God like as Phinees did unto Zambri the son of Salom.
27 Then Mattathias went through the city shouting, "Let everyone who is zealous for the law and who stands by the covenant follow after me!"	27 And Mattathias cried throughout the city with a loud voice, saying, Whosoever is zealous of the law, and maintaineth the covenant, let him follow me.
28 Thereupon he fled to the mountains with his sons, leaving behind in the city all their possessions.	28 So he and his sons fled into the mountains, and left all that ever they had in the city.
29 Many who sought to live according to righteousness and religious custom went out into the desert to settle there,	29 Then many that sought after justice and judgment went down into the wilderness, to dwell there:
30 they and their sons, their wives and their cattle, because misfortunes pressed so hard on them.	30 Both they, and their children, and their wives; and their cattle; because afflictions increased sore upon them.
31 It was reported to the officers and soldiers of the king who were in the City of David, in Jerusalem, that certain men who had flouted the king's order had gone out to the hiding places in the desert.	31 Now when it was told the king's servants, and the host that was at Jerusalem, in the city of David, that certain men, who had broken the king's commandment, were gone down into the secret places in the wilderness,
32 Many hurried out after them, and having caught up with them, camped opposite and prepared to attack them on the sabbath.	32 They pursued after them a great number, and having overtaken them, they camped against them, and made war against them on the sabbath day.
33 "Enough of this!" the pursuers said to them. "Come out and obey the king's command, and your lives will be spared."	33 And they said unto them, Let that which ye have done hitherto suffice; come forth, and do according to the commandment of the king, and ye shall live.
34 But they replied, "We will not come out, nor will we obey the king's command to profane the sabbath."	34 But they said, We will not come forth, neither will we do the king's commandment, to profane the sabbath day.
35 Then the enemy attacked them at once;	35 So then they gave them the battle with all speed.
36 but they did not retaliate; they neither threw stones, nor blocked up their own hiding places.	36 Howbeit they answered them not, neither cast they a stone at them, nor stopped the places where they lay hid;
37 They said, "Let us all die without reproach; heaven and earth are our witnesses that you destroy us unjustly."	37 But said, Let us die all in our innocency: heaven and earth will testify for us, that ye put us to death wrongfully.
38 So the officers and soldiers attacked them on the sabbath, and they died with their wives, their children and their cattle, to the number of a thousand persons.	38 So they rose up against them in battle on the sabbath, and they slew them, with their wives and children and their cattle, to the number of a thousand people.
39 When Mattathias and his friends heard of it, they mourned deeply for them.	39 Now when Mattathias and his friends understood hereof, they mourned for them right sore.
40 "If we all do as our kinsmen have done," they said to one another, "and do not fight against the Gentiles for our lives and our traditions, they will soon destroy us from the earth."	40 And one of them said to another, If we all do as our brethren have done, and fight not for our lives and laws against the heathen, they will now quickly root us out of the earth.
41 On that day they came to this decision: "Let us fight against anyone who attacks us on the sabbath, so that we may not all die as our kinsmen died in the hiding places."	41 At that time therefore they decreed, saying, Whosoever shall come to make battle with us on the sabbath day, we will fight against him; neither will we die all, as our brethren that were murdered im the secret places.
42 Then they were joined by a group of Hasideans, valiant Israelites, all of them devout followers of the law.	42 Then came there unto him a company of Assideans who were mighty men of Israel, even all such as were voluntarily devoted unto the law.
43 And all those who were fleeing from the disaster joined them and supported them.	43 Also all they that fled for persecution joined themselves unto them, and were a stay unto them.
44 They gathered an army and struck down sinners in their anger and lawbreakers in their wrath, and the survivors fled to the Gentiles for safety.	44 So they joined their forces, and smote sinful men in their anger, and wicked men in their wrath: but the rest fled to the heathen for succour.
45 Mattathias and his friends went about and tore down the pagan altars;	45 Then Mattathias and his friends went round about, and pulled down the altars:
46 they also enforced circumcision for any uncircumcised boys whom they found in the territory of Israel.	46 And what children soever they found within the coast of Israel uncircumcised, those they circumcised valiantly.
47 They put to flight the arrogant, and the work prospered in their hands.	47 They pursued also after the proud men, and the work prospered in their hand.
48 They saved the law from the hands of the Gentiles and of the kings and did not let the sinner triumph.	48 So they recovered the law out of the hand of the Gentiles, and out of the hand of kings, neither suffered they the sinner to triumph.
49 When the time came for Mattathias to die, he said to his sons: "Arrogance and scorn have now grown strong; it is a time of disaster and violent anger.	49 Now when the time drew near that Mattathias should die, he said unto his sons, Now hath pride and rebuke gotten strength, and the time of destruction, and the wrath of indignation:
50 Therefore, my sons, be zealous for the law and give your lives for the covenant of our fathers.	50 Now therefore, my sons, be ye zealous for the law, and give your lives for the covenant of your fathers.
51 "Remember the deeds that our fathers did in their times, and you shall win great glory and an everlasting name.	51 Call to remembrance what acts our fathers did in their time; so shall ye receive great honour and an everlasting name.
52 Was not Abraham found faithful in trial, and it was reputed to him as uprightness?	52 Was not Abraham found faithful in temptation, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness?
53 Joseph, when in distress, kept the commandment, and he became master of Egypt.	53 Joseph in the time of his distress kept the commandment and was made lord of Egypt.
54 Phinehas our father, for his burning zeal, received the covenant of an everlasting priesthood.	54 Phinees our father in being zealous and fervent obtained the covenant of an everlasting priesthood.
55 Joshua, for executing his commission, became a judge in Israel.	55 Jesus for fulfilling the word was made a judge in Israel.
56 Caleb, for bearing witness before the assembly, received an inheritance in the land.	56 Caleb for bearing witness before the congregation received the heritage of the land.
57 David, for his piety, received as a heritage a throne of everlasting royalty.	57 David for being merciful possessed the throne of an everlasting kingdom.
58 Elijah, for his burning zeal for the law, was taken up to heaven.	58 Elias for being zealous and fervent for the law was taken up into heaven.
59 Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael, for their faith, were saved from the fire.	59 Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, by believing were saved out of the flame.
60 Daniel, for his innocence, was delivered from the jaws of lions.	60 Daniel for his innocency was delivered from the mouth of lions.
61 And so, consider this from generation to generation, that none who hope in him shall fail in strength.	61 And thus consider ye throughout all ages, that none that put their trust in him shall be overcome.
62 Do not fear the words of a sinful man, for his glory ends in corruption and worms.	62 Fear not then the words of a sinful man: for his glory shall be dung and worms.
63 Today he is exalted, and tomorrow he is not to be found, because he has returned to his dust, and his schemes have perished.	63 To day he shall be lifted up and to morrow he shall not be found, because he is returned into his dust, and his thought is come to nothing.
64 Children! be courageous and strong in keeping the law, for by it you shall be glorified.	64 Wherefore, ye my sons, be valiant and shew yourselves men in the behalf of the law; for by it shall ye obtain glory.
65 "Here is your brother Simeon who I know is a wise man; listen to him always, and he will be a father to you.	65 And behold, I know that your brother Simon is a man of counsel, give ear unto him alway: he shall be a father unto you.
66 And Judas Maccabeus, a warrior from his youth, shall be the leader of your army and direct the war against the nations.	66 As for Judas Maccabeus, he hath been mighty and strong, even from his youth up: let him be your captain, and fight the battle of the people.
67 You shall also gather about you all who observe the law, and you shall avenge the wrongs of your people.	67 Take also unto you all those that observe the law, and avenge ye the wrong of your people.
68 Pay back the Gentiles what they deserve, and observe the precepts of the law."	68 Recompense fully the heathen, and take heed to the commandments of the law.
69 Then he blessed them, and he was united with his fathers.	69 So he blessed them, and was gathered to his fathers.
70 He died in the year one hundred and forty-six, and was buried in the tombs of his fathers in Modein, and all Israel mourned him greatly.	70 And he died in the hundred forty and sixth year, and his sons buried him in the sepulchres of his fathers at Modin, and all Israel made great lamentation for him.