1 Maccabees 1

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Alexander of Macedon son of Philip had come from the land of Kittim and defeated Darius king of thePersians and Medes, whom he succeeded as ruler, at first of Hel as.	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 He undertook many campaigns, gained possession of many fortresses, and put the local kings todeath.	2 He fought many campaigns, captured fortresses, and put kings to death.
3 So he advanced to the ends of the earth, plundering nation after nation; the earth grew silent beforehim, and his ambitious heart swel ed with pride.	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 He assembled very powerful forces and subdued provinces, nations and princes, and they became histributaries.	4 He collected a very strong army and conquered provinces, nations, and rulers, and they became his tributaries.
5 But the time came when Alexander took to his bed, in the knowledge that he was dying.	5 But after all this he took to his bed, realizing that he was going to die.
6 He summoned his officers, noblemen who had been brought up with him from his youth, and dividedhis kingdom among them while he was stil 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 Alexander had reigned twelve years when he died.	7 Alexander had reigned twelve years when he died.
8 Each of his officers established himself in his own region.	8 So his officers took over his kingdom, each in his own territory,
9 Al assumed crowns after his death, they and their heirs after them for many years, bringing increasingevils on the world.	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 From these there grew a wicked offshoot, Antiochus Epiphanes son of King Antiochus; once ahostage in Rome, he became king in the 107th 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 It was then that there emerged from Israel a set of renegades who led many people astray. 'Come,'they said, 'let us al y ourselves with the gentiles surrounding us, for since we separated ourselves from themmany misfortunes have overtaken us.'	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 This proposal proved acceptable,	12 The proposal was agreeable;
13 and a number of the people eagerly approached the king, who authorised them to practise thegentiles' observances.	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 So they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem, such as the gentiles have,	14 Thereupon they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem according to the Gentile custom.
15 disguised their circumcision, and abandoned the holy covenant, submitting to gentile rule as willingslaves of impiety.	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 Once Antiochus had seen his authority established, he determined to make himself king of Egypt andthe ruler of both kingdoms.	16 When his kingdom seemed secure, Antiochus proposed to become king of Egypt, so as to rule over both kingdoms.
17 He invaded Egypt in massive strength, with chariots and elephants (and cavalry) and a large fleet.	17 He invaded Egypt with a strong force, with chariots and elephants, and with a large fleet,
18 He engaged Ptolemy king of Egypt in battle, and Ptolemy turned back and fled before his advance,leaving many casualties.	18 to make war on Ptolemy, king of Egypt. Ptolemy was frightened at his presence and fled, leaving many casualties.
19 The fortified cities of Egypt were captured, and Antiochus plundered the country.	19 The fortified cities in the land of Egypt were captured, and Antiochus plundered the land of Egypt.
20 After his conquest of Egypt, in the year 143, Antiochus turned about and advanced on Israel andJerusalem in massive strength.	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 Insolently breaking into the sanctuary, he removed the golden altar and the lamp-stand for the lightwith all its fittings,	21 He insolently invaded the sanctuary and took away the golden altar, the lampstand for the light with all its fixtures,
22 together with the table for the loaves of permanent offering, the libation vessels, the cups, the goldencensers, the veil, the crowns, and the golden decoration on the front of the Temple, which he stripped ofeverything.	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 made off with the silver and gold and precious vessels; he discovered the secret treasures andseized them	23 and took away the gold and silver and the precious vessels; he also took all the hidden treasures he could find.
24 and, removing all these, he went back to his own country, having shed much blood and uttered wordsof extreme arrogance.	24 Taking all this, he went back to his own country, after he had spoken with great arrogance and shed much blood.
25 There was deep mourning for Israel throughout the country:	25 And there was great mourning for Israel, in every place where they dwelt,
26 Rulers and elders groaned; girls and young men wasted away; the women's beauty suffered achange;	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 a dirge, the bride sat grief-stricken on her marriage-bed.	27 Every bridegroom took up lamentation, she who sat in the bridal chamber mourned,
28 The earth quaked because of its inhabitants and the whole House of Jacob was clothed with shame.	28 And the land was shaken on account of its inhabitants, and all the house of Jacob was covered with shame.
29 Two years later the king sent the Mysarch through the cities of Judah. He came to Jerusalem with animpressive force,	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 addressing them with what appeared to be peaceful words, he gained their confidence; thensuddenly he fell on the city, dealing it a terrible blow, and destroying many of the 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 He pil aged the city and set it on fire, tore down its houses and encircling wal ,	31 He plundered the city and set fire to it, demolished its houses and its surrounding walls,
32 took the women and children captive and commandeered the cattle.	32 took captive the women and children, and seized the cattle.
33 They then rebuilt the City of David with a great strong wal and strong towers and made this theirCitadel.	33 Then they built up the City of David with a high, massive wall and strong towers, and it became their citadel.
34 There they installed a brood of sinners, of renegades, who fortified themselves inside it,	34 There they installed a sinful race, perverse men, who fortified themselves inside it,
35 storing arms and provisions, and depositing there the loot they had collected from Jerusalem; theywere to prove a great trouble.	35 storing up weapons and provisions, and depositing there the plunder they had collected from Jerusalem. And they became a great threat.
36 It became an ambush for the sanctuary, an evil adversary for Israel at all times.	36 The citadel became an ambush against the sanctuary, and a wicked adversary to Israel at all times.
37 They shed innocent blood al round the sanctuary and defiled the sanctuary itself.	37 And they shed innocent blood around the sanctuary; they defiled the sanctuary.
38 The citizens of Jerusalem fled because of them, she became a dwelling-place of strangers; estrangedfrom her own offspring, her children forsook 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 became as forsaken as a desert, her feasts were turned into mourning, her Sabbathsinto a mockery, her honour into reproach.	39 Her sanctuary was as desolate as a wilderness; her feasts were turned into mourning, Her sabbaths to shame, her honor to contempt.
40 Her dishonour now ful y matched her former glory, her greatness was turned into grief.	40 Her dishonor was as great as her glory had been, and her exalation was turned into mourning.
41 The king then issued a proclamation to his whole kingdom that al were to become a single people,each nation renouncing its particular customs.	41 Then the king wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one people,
42 Al the gentiles conformed to the king's decree,	42 each abandoning his particular customs. All the Gentiles conformed to the command of the king,
43 and many Israelites chose to accept his religion, sacrificing to idols and profaning the Sabbath.	43 and many Israelites were in favor of his religion; they sacrificed to idols and profaned the sabbath.
44 The king also sent edicts by messenger to Jerusalem and the towns of Judah, directing them to adoptcustoms foreign to the country,	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 banning burnt offerings, sacrifices and libations from the sanctuary, profaning Sabbaths and feasts,	45 to prohibit holocausts, sacrifices, and libations in the sanctuary, to profane the sabbaths and feast days,
46 defiling the sanctuary and everything holy,	46 to desecrate the sanctuary and the sacred ministers,
47 building altars, shrines and temples for idols, sacrificing pigs and unclean beasts,	47 to build pagan altars and temples and shrines, to sacrifice swine and unclean animals,
48 leaving their sons uncircumcised, and prostituting themselves to al kinds of impurity and abomination,	48 to leave their sons uncircumcised, and to let themselves be defiled with every kind of impurity and abomination,
49 so that they should forget the Law and revoke all observance of it.	49 so that they might forget the law and change all their observances.
50 Anyone not obeying the king's command was to be put to death.	50 Whoever refused to act according to the command of the king should be put to death.
51 Writing in such terms to every part of his kingdom, the king appointed inspectors for the whole peopleand directed al the towns of Judah to offer 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 Many of the people -- that is, every apostate from the Law -- rallied to them and so committed evil inthe country,	52 Many of the people, those who abandoned the law, joined them and committed evil in the land.
53 forcing Israel into hiding in any possible place of refuge.	53 Israel was driven into hiding, wherever places of refuge could be found.
54 On the fifteenth day of Chislev in the year 145 the king built the appalling abomination on top of thealtar of burnt offering; and altars were built in the surrounding towns of Judah	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 incense offered at the doors of houses and in the streets.	55 They also burnt incense at the doors of houses and in the streets.
56 Any books of the Law that came to light were torn up and burned.	56 Any scrolls of the law which they found they tore up and burnt.
57 Whenever anyone was discovered possessing a copy of the covenant or practising the Law, theking's decree sentenced 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 Month after month they took harsh action against any offenders they discovered in the towns of Israel.	58 So they used their power against Israel, against those who were caught, each month, in the cities.
59 On the twenty-fifth day of each month, sacrifice was offered on the altar erected on top of the altar ofburnt offering.	59 On the twenty-fifth day of each month they sacrificed on the altar erected over the altar of holocausts.
60 Women who had had their children circumcised were put to death according to the edict	60 Women who had had their children circumcised were put to death, in keeping with the decree,
61 with their babies hung round their necks, and the members of their household and those who hadperformed the circumcision were executed with them.	61 with the babies hung from their necks; their families also and those who had circumcised them were killed.
62 Yet there were many in Israel who stood firm and found the courage to refuse unclean food.	62 But many in Israel were determined and resolved in their hearts not to eat anything unclean;
63 They chose death rather than contamination by such fare or profanation of the holy covenant, andthey were executed.	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 It was a truly dreadful retribution that visited Israel.