1 Maccabees 2

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 About then, Mattathias son of John, son of Simeon, a priest of the line of Joarib, left Jerusalem andsettled in Modein.	1 In those days Mattathias, son of John, son of Simeon, a priest of the family of Joarib, left Jerusalem and settled in Modein.
2 He had five sons, John known as Gaddi,	2 He had five sons: John, who was called Gaddi;
3 Simon cal ed Thassi,	3 Simon, who was called Thassi;
4 Judas cal ed Maccabaeus,	4 Judas, who was called Maccabeus;
5 Eleazar, cal ed Avaran, and Jonathan cal ed Apphus.	5 Eleazar, who was called Avaran; and Jonathan, who was called Apphus.
6 When he saw the blasphemies being committed in Judah and Jerusalem,	6 When he saw the sacrileges that were being committed in Judah and in Jerusalem,
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.	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?
8 'Her Temple has become like someone of no repute,	8 "Her temple has become like a man disgraced,
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.	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.
10 Is there a nation that has not claimed a share of her royal prerogatives, that has not taken some of herspoils?	10 What nation has not taken its share of her realm, and laid its hand on her possessions?
11 Al her ornaments have been snatched from her, her former freedom has become slavery.	11 All her adornment has been taken away. From being free, she has become a slave.
12 See how the Holy Place, our beauty, our glory, is now laid waste, see how the gentiles have profanedit!	12 We see our sanctuary and our beauty and our glory laid waste, And the Gentiles have defiled them!
13 What have we left to live for?'	13 Why are we still alive?"
14 Mattathias and his sons tore their garments, put on sackcloth, and observed deep mourning.	14 Then Mattathias and his sons tore their garments, put on sackcloth, and mourned bitterly.
15 The king's commissioners who were enforcing the apostasy came to the town of Modein for thesacrifices.	15 The officers of the king in charge of enforcing the apostasy came to the city of Modein to organize the sacrifices.
16 Many Israelites gathered round them, but Mattathias and his sons drew apart.	16 Many of Israel joined them, but Mattathias and his sons gathered in a group apart.
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.	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.
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.'	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."
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,	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,
20 I, my sons and my brothers will stil fol ow the covenant of our ancestors.	20 yet I and my sons and my kinsmen will keep to the covenant of our fathers.
21 May Heaven preserve us from forsaking the Law and its observances.	21 God forbid that we should forsake the law and the commandments.
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.'	22 We will not obey the words of the king nor depart from our religion in the slightest degree."
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.	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.
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.	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.
25 At the same time he killed the king's commissioner who was there to enforce the sacrifice, and toredown 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.
26 In his zeal for the Law he acted as Phinehas had against Zimri son of Salu.	26 Thus he showed his zeal for the law, just as Phinehas did with Zimri, son of Salu.
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.'	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!"
28 Then he fled with his sons into the hills, leaving al their possessions behind in the town.	28 Thereupon he fled to the mountains with his sons, leaving behind in the city all their possessions.
29 Many people who were concerned for virtue and justice went down to the desert and stayed there,	29 Many who sought to live according to righteousness and religious custom went out into the desert to settle there,
30 taking with them their sons, their wives and their cattle, so oppressive had their sufferings become.	30 they and their sons, their wives and their cattle, because misfortunes pressed so hard on them.
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.	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.
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,	32 Many hurried out after them, and having caught up with them, camped opposite and prepared to attack them on the sabbath.
33 and said, 'Enough of this! Come out and do as the king orders and you will be spared.'	33 "Enough of this!" the pursuers said to them. "Come out and obey the king's command, and your lives will be spared."
34 The others, however, replied, 'We refuse to come out, and we wil not obey the king's orders andprofane the Sabbath day.'	34 But they replied, "We will not come out, nor will we obey the king's command to profane the sabbath."
35 The royal forces at once went into action,	35 Then the enemy attacked them at once;
36 but the others offered no opposition; not a stone was thrown, there was no barricading of the hidingplaces.	36 but they did not retaliate; they neither threw stones, nor blocked up their own hiding places.
37 They only said, 'Let us all die innocent; let heaven and earth bear witness that you are massacring uswith no pretence of justice.'	37 They said, "Let us all die without reproach; heaven and earth are our witnesses that you destroy us unjustly."
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.	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.
39 When the news reached Mattathias and his friends, they mourned them bitterly	39 When Mattathias and his friends heard of it, they mourned deeply for them.
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.'	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."
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.'	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."
42 Soon they were joined by the Hasidaean party, stout fighting men of Israel, each one a volunteer onthe side of the Law.	42 Then they were joined by a group of Hasideans, valiant Israelites, all of them devout followers of the law.
43 Al the refugees from the persecution ral ied to them, giving them added support.	43 And all those who were fleeing from the disaster joined them and supported them.
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.	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.
45 Mattathias and his friends made a tour, overthrowing the altars	45 Mattathias and his friends went about and tore down the pagan altars;
46 and forcibly circumcising al the boys they found uncircumcised in the territories of Israel.	46 they also enforced circumcision for any uncircumcised boys whom they found in the territory of Israel.
47 They hunted down the upstarts and managed their campaign to good effect.	47 They put to flight the arrogant, and the work prospered in their hands.
48 They wrested the Law out of the control of the gentiles and the kings and reduced the sinners toimpotence.	48 They saved the law from the hands of the Gentiles and of the kings and did not let the sinner triumph.
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.	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.
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.	50 Therefore, my sons, be zealous for the law and give your lives for the covenant of our fathers.
51 Remember the deeds performed by our ancestors, each in his generation, and you wil win greathonour and everlasting renown.	51 "Remember the deeds that our fathers did in their times, and you shall win great glory and an everlasting name.
52 Was not Abraham tested and found faithful, was that not considered as justifying him?	52 Was not Abraham found faithful in trial, and it was reputed to him as uprightness?
53 Joseph in the time of his distress maintained the Law, and so became lord of Egypt.	53 Joseph, when in distress, kept the commandment, and he became master of Egypt.
54 Phinehas, our father, in return for his burning zeal, received the covenant of everlasting priesthood.	54 Phinehas our father, for his burning zeal, received the covenant of an everlasting priesthood.
55 Joshua, for carrying out his task, became judge of Israel.	55 Joshua, for executing his commission, became a judge in Israel.
56 Caleb, for his testimony before the assembled people, received an inheritance in the land.	56 Caleb, for bearing witness before the assembly, received an inheritance in the land.
57 David for his generous heart inherited the throne of an everlasting kingdom.	57 David, for his piety, received as a heritage a throne of everlasting royalty.
58 Elijah for his consuming fervour for the Law was caught up to heaven itself.	58 Elijah, for his burning zeal for the law, was taken up to heaven.
59 Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael, for their fidelity, were saved from the flame.	59 Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael, for their faith, were saved from the fire.
60 Daniel for his singleness of heart was rescued from the lion's jaws.	60 Daniel, for his innocence, was delivered from the jaws of lions.
61 Know then that, generation after generation, no one who hopes in him will be overcome.	61 And so, consider this from generation to generation, that none who hope in him shall fail in strength.
62 Do not fear the threats of the sinner, al his brave show must come to the dunghill and the worms.	62 Do not fear the words of a sinful man, for his glory ends in corruption and worms.
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.	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.
64 My children, be resolute and courageous for the Law, for it wil bring you glory.	64 Children! be courageous and strong in keeping the law, for by it you shall be glorified.
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.	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.
66 Judas Maccabaeus, strong and brave from his youth, let him be your general and conduct the waragainst the gentiles.	66 And Judas Maccabeus, a warrior from his youth, shall be the leader of your army and direct the war against the nations.
67 The rest of you are to enrol in your ranks al those who keep the Law, and to assure the vengeance ofyour people.	67 You shall also gather about you all who observe the law, and you shall avenge the wrongs of your people.
68 Pay back the gentiles to the ful , and hold fast to the ordinance of the Law.'	68 Pay back the Gentiles what they deserve, and observe the precepts of the law."
69 Then he blessed them and was joined to his ancestors.	69 Then he blessed them, and he was united with his fathers.
70 He died in the year 146 and was buried in his ancestral tomb at Modein, and al Israel mourned himdeeply.	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.