1 Maccabees 1

NEW JERUSALEM	Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
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 son of Philip, the Macedonian, who came from the land of Kittim, had defeated * Darius, king of the Persians and the Medes, he succeeded him as king. (He had previously become king of Greece.)
2 He undertook many campaigns, gained possession of many fortresses, and put the local kings todeath.	2 He fought many battles, conquered strongholds, and put to death the kings of the earth.
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, and plundered many nations. When the earth became quiet before him, he was exalted, and his heart was lifted up.
4 He assembled very powerful forces and subdued provinces, nations and princes, and they became histributaries.	4 He gathered a very strong army and ruled over countries, nations, and princes, and they became tributary to him.
5 But the time came when Alexander took to his bed, in the knowledge that he was dying.	5 After this he fell sick and perceived that he was dying.
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 So he summoned his most honored officers, who had been brought up with him from youth, and divided his kingdom among them while he was still alive.
7 Alexander had reigned twelve years when he died.	7 And after Alexander had reigned twelve years, he died.
8 Each of his officers established himself in his own region.	8 Then his officers began to rule, each in his own place.
9 Al assumed crowns after his death, they and their heirs after them for many years, bringing increasingevils on the world.	9 They all put on crowns after his death, and so did their sons after them for many years; and they caused many evils on 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 From them came forth a sinful root, Antiochus Epiphanes, son of Antiochus the king; he had been a hostage in Rome. He began to reign in the one hundred and thirty-seventh year 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 lawless men came forth from Israel, and misled many, saying, "Let us go and make a covenant with the Gentiles round about us, for since we separated from them many evils have come upon us."
12 This proposal proved acceptable,	12 This proposal pleased them,
13 and a number of the people eagerly approached the king, who authorised them to practise thegentiles' observances.	13 and some of the people eagerly went to the king. He authorized them to observe the ordinances of the Gentiles.
14 So they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem, such as the gentiles have,	14 So they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem, according to Gentile custom,
15 disguised their circumcision, and abandoned the holy covenant, submitting to gentile rule as willingslaves of impiety.	15 and removed the marks of circumcision, and abandoned the holy covenant. They joined with the Gentiles and sold themselves to do evil.
16 Once Antiochus had seen his authority established, he determined to make himself king of Egypt andthe ruler of both kingdoms.	16 When Antiochus saw that his kingdom was established, he determined to become king of the land of Egypt, that he might reign over both kingdoms.
17 He invaded Egypt in massive strength, with chariots and elephants (and cavalry) and a large fleet.	17 So he invaded Egypt with a strong force, with chariots and elephants and cavalry 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 He engaged Ptolemy king of Egypt in battle, and Ptolemy turned and fled before him, and many were wounded and fell.
19 The fortified cities of Egypt were captured, and Antiochus plundered the country.	19 And they captured the fortified cities in the land of Egypt, and he 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 subduing Egypt, Antiochus returned in the one hundred and forty-third year. * He went up against Israel and came 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 arrogantly entered the sanctuary and took the golden altar, the lampstand for the light, and all its utensils.
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 He took also the table for the bread of the Presence, the cups for drink offerings, the bowls, the golden censers, the curtain, the crowns, and the gold decoration on the front of the temple; he stripped it all off.
23 He made off with the silver and gold and precious vessels; he discovered the secret treasures andseized them	23 He took the silver and the gold, and the costly vessels; he took also the hidden treasures which he found.
24 and, removing all these, he went back to his own country, having shed much blood and uttered wordsof extreme arrogance.	24 Taking them all, he departed to his own land. He committed deeds of murder, and spoke with great arrogance.
25 There was deep mourning for Israel throughout the country:	25 Israel mourned deeply in every community,
26 Rulers and elders groaned; girls and young men wasted away; the women's beauty suffered achange;	26 rulers and elders groaned, maidens and young men became faint, the beauty of women faded.
27 every bridegroom took up a dirge, the bride sat grief-stricken on her marriage-bed.	27 Every bridegroom took up the lament; she who sat in the bridal chamber was mourning.
28 The earth quaked because of its inhabitants and the whole House of Jacob was clothed with shame.	28 Even the land shook for its inhabitants, and all the house of Jacob was clothed 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 to the cities of Judah a chief collector of tribute, and he came to Jerusalem with a large 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 Deceitfully he spoke peaceable words to them, and they believed him; but he suddenly fell upon the city, dealt it a severe blow, and destroyed many people of Israel.
31 He pil aged the city and set it on fire, tore down its houses and encircling wal ,	31 He plundered the city, burned it with fire, and tore down its houses and its surrounding walls.
32 took the women and children captive and commandeered the cattle.	32 And they 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 fortified the city of David with a great strong 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 And they stationed there a sinful people, lawless men. These strengthened their position;
35 storing arms and provisions, and depositing there the loot they had collected from Jerusalem; theywere to prove a great trouble.	35 they stored up arms and food, and collecting the spoils of Jerusalem they stored them there, and became a great snare.
36 It became an ambush for the sanctuary, an evil adversary for Israel at all times.	36 It became an ambush against the sanctuary, an evil adversary of Israel continually.
37 They shed innocent blood al round the sanctuary and defiled the sanctuary itself.	37 On every side of the sanctuary they shed innocent blood; they even 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 residents of Jerusalem fled; she became a dwelling of strangers; she became strange to her 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 became desolate as a desert; her feasts were turned into mourning, her sabbaths into a reproach, her honor into contempt.
40 Her dishonour now ful y matched her former glory, her greatness was turned into grief.	40 Her dishonor now grew as great as her glory; her exaltation 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 and that each should give up his customs.
43 and many Israelites chose to accept his religion, sacrificing to idols and profaning the Sabbath.	43 All the Gentiles accepted the command of the king. Many even from Israel gladly adopted 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 And the king sent letters by messengers to Jerusalem and the cities of Judah; he directed them to follow customs strange to the land,
45 banning burnt offerings, sacrifices and libations from the sanctuary, profaning Sabbaths and feasts,	45 to forbid burnt offerings and sacrifices and drink offerings in the sanctuary, to profane sabbaths and feasts,
46 defiling the sanctuary and everything holy,	46 to defile the sanctuary and the priests,
47 building altars, shrines and temples for idols, sacrificing pigs and unclean beasts,	47 to build altars and sacred precincts and shrines for idols, to sacrifice swine and unclean animals,
48 leaving their sons uncircumcised, and prostituting themselves to al kinds of impurity and abomination,	48 and to leave their sons uncircumcised. They were to make themselves abominable by everything unclean and profane,
49 so that they should forget the Law and revoke all observance of it.	49 so that they should forget the law and change all the ordinances.
50 Anyone not obeying the king's command was to be put to death.	50 "And whoever does not obey the command of the king shall die."
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 In such words he wrote to his whole kingdom. And he appointed inspectors over all the people and commanded the cities of Judah to offer sacrifice, city by city.
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, every one who forsook the law, joined them, and they did evil in the land;
53 forcing Israel into hiding in any possible place of refuge.	53 they drove Israel into hiding in every place of refuge they had.
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 Now on the fifteenth day of Chislev, in the one hundred and forty-fifth year, * they erected a desolating sacrilege upon the altar of burnt offering. They also built altars in the surrounding cities of Judah,
55 and incense offered at the doors of houses and in the streets.	55 and burned incense at the doors of the houses and in the streets.
56 Any books of the Law that came to light were torn up and burned.	56 The books of the law which they found they tore to pieces and burned with fire.
57 Whenever anyone was discovered possessing a copy of the covenant or practising the Law, theking's decree sentenced him to death.	57 Where the book of the covenant was found in the possession of any one, or if any one adhered to the law, the decree of the king condemned him to death.
58 Month after month they took harsh action against any offenders they discovered in the towns of Israel.	58 They kept using violence against Israel, against those found month after 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 And on the twenty-fifth day of the month they offered sacrifice on the altar which was upon the altar of burnt offering.
60 Women who had had their children circumcised were put to death according to the edict	60 According to the decree, they put to death the women who had their children circumcised,
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 and their families and those who circumcised them; and they hung the infants from their mothers' necks.
62 Yet there were many in Israel who stood firm and found the courage to refuse unclean food.	62 But many in Israel stood firm and were resolved in their hearts not to eat unclean food.
63 They chose death rather than contamination by such fare or profanation of the holy covenant, andthey were executed.	63 They chose to die rather than to be defiled by food or to profane the holy covenant; and they did die.
64 It was a truly dreadful retribution that visited Israel.	64 And very great wrath came upon Israel.