2 Maccabees 11

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Almost immediately afterwards, Lysias, the king's tutor and cousin, chief minister of the realm, muchdisturbed at the turn of events,	1 Very soon afterward, Lysias, guardian and kinsman of the king and head of the government, being greatly displeased at what had happened,
2 mustered about eighty thousand foot soldiers and his entire cavalry and advanced against the Jews,intending to make the city a place for Greeks to live in,	2 mustered about eighty thousand infantry and all his cavalry and marched against the Jews. His plan was to make Jerusalem a Greek settlement;
3 to levy a tax on the Temple as on other national shrines, and to put the office of high priest up for saleevery year;	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.
4 he took no account at al of the power of God, being sublimely confident in his tens of thousands ofinfantrymen, his thousands of cavalry, and his eighty elephants.	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.
5 Invading Judaea, he approached Beth-Zur, a fortified position about twenty miles from Jerusalem, andbegan to subject it to strong pressure.	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.
6 When Maccabaeus and his men learned that Lysias was besieging the fortresses, they and thepopulace with them begged the Lord with lamentation and tears to send a good angel to save Israel.	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.
7 Maccabaeus himself was the first to take up his weapons, and he urged the rest to risk their lives withhim in support of their brothers; so they sal ied out resolutely, as one man.	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.
8 They were stil near Jerusalem when a rider attired in white appeared at their head, brandishinggolden weapons.	8 Suddenly, while they were still near Jerusalem, a horseman appeared at their head, clothed in white garments and brandishing gold weapons.
9 With one accord they al blessed the God of mercy, and found themselves filled with such couragethat they were ready to lay low not men only but the fiercest beasts and wal s of iron.	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.
10 They advanced in battle order with the aid of their celestial al y, the Lord having had mercy on them.	10 Now that the Lord had shown his mercy toward them, they advanced in battle order with the aid of their heavenly ally.
11 Charging like lions on the enemy, they laid low eleven thousand of the infantry and sixteen hundredhorsemen, and routed al the rest.	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.
12 Of those, the majority got away, wounded and weaponless. Lysias himself escaped only byignominious flight.	12 Most of those who got away were wounded and stripped of their arms, while Lysias himself escaped only by shameful flight.
13 Now Lysias was not lacking in intel igence and, as he reflected on the reverse he had just suffered,he realised that the Hebrews were invincible because the mighty God fought for them. He therefore sent them adelegation	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
14 to persuade them to accept reasonable terms al round, and promised to compel the king to becometheir friend.	14 persuading them to settle everything on just terms, and promising to persuade the king also, and to induce him to become their friend.
15 Maccabaeus, thinking only of the common good, agreed to all that Lysias proposed, and whateverMaccabaeus submitted to Lysias in writing concerning the Jews was granted by the king.	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.
16 Here is the text of the letter Lysias wrote to the Jews: 'Lysias to the Jewish people, greetings.	16 These are the terms of the letter which Lysias wrote to the Jews: "Lysias sends greetings to the Jewish people.
17 'John and Absalom, your envoys, have delivered to me the communication transcribed below,requesting me to approve its provisions.	17 John and Absalom, your envoys, have presented your signed communication and asked about the matters contained in it.
18 Anything requiring the king's attention I have put before him; whatever was possible, I have granted.	18 Whatever had to be referred to the king I called to his attention, and the things that were acceptable he has granted.
19 Provided you maintain your goodwil towards the interests of the State, I shal do my best in thefuture to promote your well-being.	19 If you maintain your loyalty to the government, I will endeavor to further your interests in the future.
20 As regards the details, I have given orders for your envoys and my own officials to discuss thesewith you.	20 On the details of these matters I have authorized my representatives, as well as your envoys, to confer with you.
21 May you prosper. 'The twenty-fourth day of Dioscorus, in the year one hundred and forty-eight.'	21 Farewell." The year one hundred and forty-eight, the twenty-fourth of Dioscorinthius.
22 The king's letter ran as follows: 'King Antiochus to his brother Lysias, greetings.	22 The king's letter read thus: "King Antiochus sends greetings to his brother Lysias.
23 'Now that our father has taken his place among the gods, our wil is that the subjects of the realm beleft undisturbed to attend to their own affairs.	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.
24 We understand that the Jews do not approve our father's policy, the adoption of Greek customs, butprefer their own way of life and ask to be allowed to observe their own laws.	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.
25 Accordingly, since we intend this people to be free from vexation like any other, our ruling is that theTemple be restored to them and that they conduct their affairs according to the customs of their ancestors.	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.
26 'It wil therefore be your concern to send them a mission of friendship, so that on learning our policythey may have confidence and happily go about their business.'	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."
27 The king's letter to the Jewish nation was in these terms: 'King Antiochus to the Jewish Senate andthe rest of the Jews, greetings.	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.
28 'If you are well, that is as we would wish; we ourselves are in good health.	28 If you are well, it is what we desire. We too are in good health.
29 'Menelaus informs us that you wish to return home and attend to your own affairs.	29 Menelaus has told us of your wish to return home and attend to your own affairs.
30 Accordingly, al those who return before the thirtieth day of Xanthicus may rest assured that theyhave nothing to fear.	30 Therefore, those who return by the thirtieth of Xanthicus will have our assurance of full permission
31 The Jews may make use of their own kind of food and their own laws as formerly, and none of themis to be molested in any way for any unwitting offences.	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.
32 I am in fact sending Menelaus to set your minds at rest.	32 I have also sent Menelaus to reassure you.
33 Farewel . 'The fifteenth day of Xanthicus in the year one hundred and forty-eight.'	33 Farewell." In the year one hundred and forty-eight, the fifteenth of Xanthicus.
34 The Romans also sent the Jews a letter, which read as follows: 'Quintus Memmius, Titus Manilius,Manius Sergius, legates of the Romans, to the people of the Jews, greetings.	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.
35 'Whatever Lysias, the king's Cousin, has granted you we also approve.	35 Whatever Lysias, kinsman of the king, has granted you, we also approve.
36 As for the matters he decided to refer to the king, consider them careful y and send someone withoutdelay, if we are to interpret them to your advantage, because we are leaving for Antioch.	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.
37 Lose no time, therefore, in sending us those who can tel us what your intentions are.	37 Make haste, then, to send us those who can inform us of your intentions.
38 Farewel . 'The fifteenth day of Dioscorus in the year one hundred and forty-eight.'	38 Farewell." In the year one hundred and forty-eight, the fifteenth of Xanthicus.