2 Maccabees 11

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	LXX
1 Very soon afterward, Lysias, guardian and kinsman of the king and head of the government, being greatly displeased at what had happened,	1 μετ' ολιγον δε παντελως χρονισκον λυσιας επιτροπος του βασιλεως και συγγενης και επι των πραγματων λιαν βαρεως φερων επι τοις γεγονοσι
2 mustered about eighty thousand infantry and all his cavalry and marched against the Jews. His plan was to make Jerusalem a Greek settlement;	2 συναθροισας περι τας οκτω μυριαδας και την ιππον απασαν παρεγινετο επι τους ιουδαιους λογιζομενος την μεν πολιν ελλησιν οικητηριον ποιησειν
3 to levy tribute on the temple, as he did on the sanctuaries of the other nations; and to put the high priesthood up for sale every year.	3 το δε ιερον αργυρολογητον καθως τα λοιπα των εθνων τεμενη πρατην δε κατα ετος την αρχιερωσυνην ποιησειν
4 He did not take God's power into account at all, but felt exultant confidence in his myriads of foot soldiers, his thousands of horsemen, and his eighty elephants.	4 ουδαμως επιλογιζομενος το του θεου κρατος πεφρενωμενος δε ταις μυριασιν των πεζων και ταις χιλιασιν των ιππεων και τοις ελεφασιν τοις ογδοηκοντα
5 So he invaded Judea, and when he reached Beth-zur, a fortified place about twenty miles from Jerusalem, launched a strong attack against it.	5 εισελθων δε εις την ιουδαιαν και συνεγγισας βαιθσουρα οντι μεν ερυμνω χωριω ιεροσολυμων δε απεχοντι ωσει σταδιους πεντε τουτο εθλιβεν
6 When Maccabeus and his men learned that Lysias was besieging the strongholds, they and all the people begged the Lord with lamentations and tears to send a good angel to save Israel.	6 ως δε μετελαβον οι περι τον μακκαβαιον πολιορκουντα αυτον τα οχυρωματα μετα οδυρμων και δακρυων ικετευον συν τοις οχλοις τον κυριον αγαθον αγγελον αποστειλαι προς σωτηριαν τω ισραηλ
7 Maccabeus himself was the first to take up arms, and he exhorted the others to join him in risking their lives to help their kinsmen. Then they resolutely set out together.	7 αυτος δε πρωτος ο μακκαβαιος αναλαβων τα οπλα προετρεψατο τους αλλους αμα αυτω διακινδυνευοντας επιβοηθειν τοις αδελφοις αυτων ομου δε και προθυμως εξωρμησαν
8 Suddenly, while they were still near Jerusalem, a horseman appeared at their head, clothed in white garments and brandishing gold weapons.	8 αυτοθι δε προς τοις ιεροσολυμοις οντων εφανη προηγουμενος αυτων εφιππος εν λευκη εσθητι πανοπλιαν χρυσην κραδαινων
9 Then all of them together thanked God for his mercy, and their hearts were filled with such courage that they were ready to assault not only men, but the most savage beasts, yes, even walls of iron.	9 ομου δε παντες ευλογησαν τον ελεημονα θεον και επερρωσθησαν ταις ψυχαις ου μονον ανθρωπους θηρας δε τους αγριωτατους και σιδηρα τειχη τιτρωσκειν οντες ετοιμοι
10 Now that the Lord had shown his mercy toward them, they advanced in battle order with the aid of their heavenly ally.	10 προηγον εν διασκευη τον απ' ουρανου συμμαχον εχοντες ελεησαντος αυτους του κυριου
11 Hurling themselves upon the enemy like lions, they laid low eleven thousand foot soldiers and sixteen hundred horsemen, and put all the rest to flight.	11 λεοντηδον δε εντιναξαντες εις τους πολεμιους κατεστρωσαν αυτων χιλιους προς τοις μυριοις ιππεις δε εξακοσιους προς τοις χιλιοις τους δε παντας ηναγκασαν φευγειν
12 Most of those who got away were wounded and stripped of their arms, while Lysias himself escaped only by shameful flight.	12 οι πλειονες δε αυτων τραυματιαι γυμνοι διεσωθησαν και αυτος δε ο λυσιας αισχρως φευγων διεσωθη
13 But Lysias was not a stupid man. He reflected on the defeat he had suffered, and came to realize that the Hebrews were invincible because the mighty God was their ally. He therefore sent a message	13 ουκ ανους δε υπαρχων προς εαυτον αντιβαλλων το γεγονος περι αυτον ελαττωμα και συννοησας ανικητους ειναι τους εβραιους του δυναμενου θεου συμμαχουντος αυτοις
14 persuading them to settle everything on just terms, and promising to persuade the king also, and to induce him to become their friend.	14 προσαποστειλας επεισεν συλλυεσθαι επι πασι τοις δικαιοις και διοτι και τον βασιλεα πεισει φιλον αυτοις αναγκαζων γενεσθαι
15 Maccabeus, solicitous for the common good, agreed to all that Lysias proposed; and the king, on his part, granted in behalf of the Jews all the written requests of Maccabeus to Lysias.	15 επενευσεν δε ο μακκαβαιος επι πασιν οις ο λυσιας παρεκαλει του συμφεροντος φροντιζων οσα γαρ ο μακκαβαιος επεδωκεν τω λυσια δια γραπτων περι των ιουδαιων συνεχωρησεν ο βασιλευς
16 These are the terms of the letter which Lysias wrote to the Jews: "Lysias sends greetings to the Jewish people.	16 ησαν γαρ αι γεγραμμεναι τοις ιουδαιοις επιστολαι παρα μεν λυσιου περιεχουσαι τον τροπον τουτον λυσιας τω πληθει των ιουδαιων χαιρειν
17 John and Absalom, your envoys, have presented your signed communication and asked about the matters contained in it.	17 ιωαννης και αβεσσαλωμ οι πεμφθεντες παρ' υμων επιδοντες τον υπογεγραμμενον χρηματισμον ηξιουν περι των δι' αυτου σημαινομενων
18 Whatever had to be referred to the king I called to his attention, and the things that were acceptable he has granted.	18 οσα μεν ουν εδει και τω βασιλει προσενεχθηναι διεσαφησα α δε ην ενδεχομενα συνεχωρησεν
19 If you maintain your loyalty to the government, I will endeavor to further your interests in the future.	19 εαν μεν ουν συντηρησητε την εις τα πραγματα ευνοιαν και εις το λοιπον πειρασομαι παραιτιος αγαθων γενεσθαι
20 On the details of these matters I have authorized my representatives, as well as your envoys, to confer with you.	20 υπερ δε τουτων και των κατα μερος εντεταλμαι τουτοις τε και τοις παρ' εμου διαλεχθηναι υμιν
21 Farewell." The year one hundred and forty-eight, the twenty-fourth of Dioscorinthius.	21 ερρωσθε ετους εκατοστου τεσσαρακοστου ογδοου διος κορινθιου τετραδι και εικαδι
22 The king's letter read thus: "King Antiochus sends greetings to his brother Lysias.	22 η δε του βασιλεως επιστολη περιειχεν ουτως βασιλευς αντιοχος τω αδελφω λυσια χαιρειν
23 Now that our father has taken his place among the gods, we wish the subjects of our kingdom to be undisturbed in conducting their own affairs.	23 του πατρος ημων εις θεους μετασταντος βουλομενοι τους εκ της βασιλειας αταραχους οντας γενεσθαι προς την των ιδιων επιμελειαν
24 We understand that the Jews do not agree with our father's policy concerning Greek customs but prefer their own way of life. They are petitioning us to let them retain their own customs.	24 ακηκοοτες τους ιουδαιους μη συνευδοκουντας τη του πατρος επι τα ελληνικα μεταθεσει αλλα την εαυτων αγωγην αιρετιζοντας αξιουντας συγχωρηθηναι αυτοις τα νομιμα
25 Since we desire that this people too should be undisturbed, our decision is that their temple be restored to them and that they live in keeping with the customs of their ancestors.	25 αιρουμενοι ουν και τουτο το εθνος εκτος ταραχης ειναι κρινομεν το τε ιερον αποκατασταθηναι αυτοις και πολιτευεσθαι κατα τα επι των προγονων αυτων εθη
26 Accordingly, please send them messengers to give them our assurances of friendship, so that, when they learn of our decision, they may have nothing to worry about but may contentedly go about their own business."	26 ευ ουν ποιησεις διαπεμψαμενος προς αυτους και δους δεξιας οπως ειδοτες την ημετεραν προαιρεσιν ευθυμοι τε ωσιν και ηδεως διαγινωνται προς τη των ιδιων αντιλημψει
27 The king's letter to the people was as follows: "King Antiochus sends greetings to the Jewish senate and to the rest of the Jews.	27 προς δε το εθνος η του βασιλεως επιστολη τοιαδε ην βασιλευς αντιοχος τη γερουσια των ιουδαιων και τοις αλλοις ιουδαιοις χαιρειν
28 If you are well, it is what we desire. We too are in good health.	28 ει ερρωσθε ειη αν ως βουλομεθα και αυτοι δε υγιαινομεν
29 Menelaus has told us of your wish to return home and attend to your own affairs.	29 ενεφανισεν ημιν μενελαος βουλεσθαι κατελθοντας υμας γινεσθαι προς τοις ιδιοις
30 Therefore, those who return by the thirtieth of Xanthicus will have our assurance of full permission	30 τοις ουν καταπορευομενοις μεχρι τριακαδος ξανθικου υπαρξει δεξια μετα της αδειας
31 to observe their dietary laws and other laws, just as before, and none of the Jews shall be molested in any way for faults committed through ignorance.	31 χρησθαι τους ιουδαιους τοις εαυτων δαπανημασιν και νομοις καθα και το προτερον και ουδεις αυτων κατ' ουδενα τροπον παρενοχληθησεται περι των ηγνοημενων
32 I have also sent Menelaus to reassure you.	32 πεπομφα δε και τον μενελαον παρακαλεσοντα υμας
33 Farewell." In the year one hundred and forty-eight, the fifteenth of Xanthicus.	33 ερρωσθε ετους εκατοστου τεσσαρακοστου ογδοου ξανθικου πεντεκαιδεκατη
34 The Romans also sent them a letter as follows: "Quintus Memmius and Titus Manius, legates of the Romans, send greetings to the Jewish people.	34 επεμψαν δε και οι ρωμαιοι προς αυτους επιστολην εχουσαν ουτως κοιντος μεμμιος τιτος μανιος πρεσβυται ρωμαιων τω δημω των ιουδαιων χαιρειν
35 Whatever Lysias, kinsman of the king, has granted you, we also approve.	35 υπερ ων λυσιας ο συγγενης του βασιλεως συνεχωρησεν υμιν και ημεις συνευδοκουμεν
36 But the matters on which he passed judgment should be submitted to the king. As soon as you have considered them, send someone to us with your decisions so that we may present them to your advantage, for we are on our way to Antioch.	36 α δε εκρινεν προσανενεχθηναι τω βασιλει πεμψατε τινα παραχρημα επισκεψαμενοι περι τουτων ινα εκθωμεν ως καθηκει υμιν ημεις γαρ προσαγομεν προς αντιοχειαν
37 Make haste, then, to send us those who can inform us of your intentions.	37 διο σπευσατε και πεμψατε τινας οπως και ημεις επιγνωμεν οποιας εστε γνωμης
38 Farewell." In the year one hundred and forty-eight, the fifteenth of Xanthicus.	38 υγιαινετε ετους εκατοστου τεσσαρακοστου ογδοου ξανθικου πεντεκαιδεκατη