1 Maccabees 2

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
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 About then, Mattathias son of John, son of Simeon, a priest of the line of Joarib, left Jerusalem andsettled in Modein.
2 He had five sons: John, who was called Gaddi;	2 He had five sons, John known as Gaddi,
3 Simon, who was called Thassi;	3 Simon cal ed Thassi,
4 Judas, who was called Maccabeus;	4 Judas cal ed Maccabaeus,
5 Eleazar, who was called Avaran; and Jonathan, who was called Apphus.	5 Eleazar, cal ed Avaran, and Jonathan cal ed Apphus.
6 When he saw the sacrileges that were being committed in Judah and in Jerusalem,	6 When he saw the blasphemies being committed in Judah 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, 'Alas that I should have been born to witness the ruin of my people and the ruin of the HolyCity, and to sit by while she is delivered over to her enemies, and the sanctuary into the hand of foreigners.
8 "Her temple has become like a man disgraced,	8 'Her Temple has become like someone of no repute,
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 the vessels that were her glory have been carried off as booty, her babies have been slaughtered inher streets, her young men by the enemy's sword.
10 What nation has not taken its share of her realm, and laid its hand on her possessions?	10 Is there a nation that has not claimed a share of her royal prerogatives, that has not taken some of herspoils?
11 All her adornment has been taken away. From being free, she has become a slave.	11 Al her ornaments have been snatched from her, her former freedom has become slavery.
12 We see our sanctuary and our beauty and our glory laid waste, And the Gentiles have defiled them!	12 See how the Holy Place, our beauty, our glory, is now laid waste, see how the gentiles have profanedit!
13 Why are we still alive?"	13 What have we left to live for?'
14 Then Mattathias and his sons tore their garments, put on sackcloth, and mourned bitterly.	14 Mattathias and his sons tore their garments, put on sackcloth, and observed deep mourning.
15 The officers of the king in charge of enforcing the apostasy came to the city of Modein to organize the sacrifices.	15 The king's commissioners who were enforcing the apostasy came to the town of Modein for thesacrifices.
16 Many of Israel joined them, but Mattathias and his sons gathered in a group apart.	16 Many Israelites gathered round them, but Mattathias and his sons drew apart.
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 The king's commissioners then addressed Mattathias as fol ows, 'You are a respected leader, a greatman in this town; you have sons and brothers to support you.
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 Be the first to step forward and conform to the king's decree, as all the nations have done, and theleaders of Judah and the survivors in Jerusalem; you and your sons shal be reckoned among the Friends of theKing, you and your sons wil be honoured with gold and silver and many presents.'
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 Raising his voice, Mattathias retorted, 'Even if every nation living in the king's dominions obeys him,each forsaking its ancestral religion to conform to his decrees,
20 yet I and my sons and my kinsmen will keep to the covenant of our fathers.	20 I, my sons and my brothers will stil fol ow the covenant of our ancestors.
21 God forbid that we should forsake the law and the commandments.	21 May Heaven preserve us from forsaking the Law and its observances.
22 We will not obey the words of the king nor depart from our religion in the slightest degree."	22 As for the king's orders, we will not fol ow them: we shal not swerve from our own religion either toright or to 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 As he finished speaking, a Jew came forward in the sight of al to offer sacrifice on the altar in Modeinas the royal edict required.
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 When Mattathias saw this, he was fired with zeal; stirred to the depth of his being, he gave vent to hislegitimate anger, threw himself on the man and slaughtered him on 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 At the same time he killed the king's commissioner who was there to enforce the sacrifice, and toredown the altar.
26 Thus he showed his zeal for the law, just as Phinehas did with Zimri, son of Salu.	26 In his zeal for the Law he acted as Phinehas had against Zimri son of Salu.
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 Then Mattathias went through the town, shouting at the top of his voice, 'Let everyone who has anyzeal for the Law and takes his stand on the covenant come out and follow me.'
28 Thereupon he fled to the mountains with his sons, leaving behind in the city all their possessions.	28 Then he fled with his sons into the hills, leaving al their possessions behind in the town.
29 Many who sought to live according to righteousness and religious custom went out into the desert to settle there,	29 Many people who were concerned for virtue and justice went down to the desert and stayed there,
30 they and their sons, their wives and their cattle, because misfortunes pressed so hard on them.	30 taking with them their sons, their wives and their cattle, so oppressive had their sufferings become.
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 Word was brought to the royal officials and forces stationed in Jerusalem, in the City of David, thatthose who had repudiated the king's edict had gone down to the hiding places in the desert.
32 Many hurried out after them, and having caught up with them, camped opposite and prepared to attack them on the sabbath.	32 A strong detachment went after them, and when it came up with them ranged itself against them inbattle formation, preparing to attack 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 said, 'Enough of this! Come out and do as the king orders and you will be spared.'
34 But they replied, "We will not come out, nor will we obey the king's command to profane the sabbath."	34 The others, however, replied, 'We refuse to come out, and we wil not obey the king's orders andprofane the Sabbath day.'
35 Then the enemy attacked them at once;	35 The royal forces at once went into action,
36 but they did not retaliate; they neither threw stones, nor blocked up their own hiding places.	36 but the others offered no opposition; not a stone was thrown, there was no barricading of the hidingplaces.
37 They said, "Let us all die without reproach; heaven and earth are our witnesses that you destroy us unjustly."	37 They only said, 'Let us all die innocent; let heaven and earth bear witness that you are massacring uswith no pretence of justice.'
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 The attack was pressed home on the Sabbath itself, and they were slaughtered, with their wives andchildren and cattle, to the number of one thousand persons.
39 When Mattathias and his friends heard of it, they mourned deeply for them.	39 When the news reached Mattathias and his friends, they mourned them bitterly
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 said to one another, 'If we al do as our brothers have done, and refuse to fight the gentiles for ourlives and institutions, they wil only destroy us the sooner from 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 So then and there they came to this decision, 'If anyone attacks us on the Sabbath day, whoever hemay be, we shall resist him; we must not al be kil ed, as our brothers were in the hiding places.'
42 Then they were joined by a group of Hasideans, valiant Israelites, all of them devout followers of the law.	42 Soon they were joined by the Hasidaean party, stout fighting men of Israel, each one a volunteer onthe side of the Law.
43 And all those who were fleeing from the disaster joined them and supported them.	43 Al the refugees from the persecution ral ied to them, giving them added support.
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 They organised themselves into an armed force, striking down the sinners in their anger, and therenegades in their fury, and those who escaped them fled to the gentiles for safety.
45 Mattathias and his friends went about and tore down the pagan altars;	45 Mattathias and his friends made a tour, overthrowing the altars
46 they also enforced circumcision for any uncircumcised boys whom they found in the territory of Israel.	46 and forcibly circumcising al the boys they found uncircumcised in the territories of Israel.
47 They put to flight the arrogant, and the work prospered in their hands.	47 They hunted down the upstarts and managed their campaign to good effect.
48 They saved the law from the hands of the Gentiles and of the kings and did not let the sinner triumph.	48 They wrested the Law out of the control of the gentiles and the kings and reduced the sinners toimpotence.
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 As the days of Mattathias were drawing to a close, he said to his sons, 'Arrogance and outrage arenow in the ascendant; it is a period of turmoil and bitter hatred.
50 Therefore, my sons, be zealous for the law and give your lives for the covenant of our fathers.	50 This is the time, my children, for you to have a burning zeal for the Law and to give your lives for thecovenant of our ancestors.
51 "Remember the deeds that our fathers did in their times, and you shall win great glory and an everlasting name.	51 Remember the deeds performed by our ancestors, each in his generation, and you wil win greathonour and everlasting renown.
52 Was not Abraham found faithful in trial, and it was reputed to him as uprightness?	52 Was not Abraham tested and found faithful, was that not considered as justifying him?
53 Joseph, when in distress, kept the commandment, and he became master of Egypt.	53 Joseph in the time of his distress maintained the Law, and so became lord of Egypt.
54 Phinehas our father, for his burning zeal, received the covenant of an everlasting priesthood.	54 Phinehas, our father, in return for his burning zeal, received the covenant of everlasting priesthood.
55 Joshua, for executing his commission, became a judge in Israel.	55 Joshua, for carrying out his task, became judge of Israel.
56 Caleb, for bearing witness before the assembly, received an inheritance in the land.	56 Caleb, for his testimony before the assembled people, received an inheritance in the land.
57 David, for his piety, received as a heritage a throne of everlasting royalty.	57 David for his generous heart inherited the throne of an everlasting kingdom.
58 Elijah, for his burning zeal for the law, was taken up to heaven.	58 Elijah for his consuming fervour for the Law was caught up to heaven itself.
59 Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael, for their faith, were saved from the fire.	59 Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael, for their fidelity, were saved from the flame.
60 Daniel, for his innocence, was delivered from the jaws of lions.	60 Daniel for his singleness of heart was rescued from the lion's jaws.
61 And so, consider this from generation to generation, that none who hope in him shall fail in strength.	61 Know then that, generation after generation, no one who hopes in him will be overcome.
62 Do not fear the words of a sinful man, for his glory ends in corruption and worms.	62 Do not fear the threats of the sinner, al his brave show must come to the dunghill and the 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 Exalted today, tomorrow he is nowhere to be found, for he has returned to the dust he came from andhis scheming is brought to nothing.
64 Children! be courageous and strong in keeping the law, for by it you shall be glorified.	64 My children, be resolute and courageous for the Law, for it wil bring you 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 'Here is your brother Simeon, I know he is a man of sound judgement. Listen to him al your lives; lethim take your father's place.
66 And Judas Maccabeus, a warrior from his youth, shall be the leader of your army and direct the war against the nations.	66 Judas Maccabaeus, strong and brave from his youth, let him be your general and conduct the waragainst the gentiles.
67 You shall also gather about you all who observe the law, and you shall avenge the wrongs of your people.	67 The rest of you are to enrol in your ranks al those who keep the Law, and to assure the vengeance ofyour people.
68 Pay back the Gentiles what they deserve, and observe the precepts of the law."	68 Pay back the gentiles to the ful , and hold fast to the ordinance of the Law.'
69 Then he blessed them, and he was united with his fathers.	69 Then he blessed them and was joined to his ancestors.
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 He died in the year 146 and was buried in his ancestral tomb at Modein, and al Israel mourned himdeeply.