2 Maccabees 12

NEW JERUSALEM	GREEK BIBLE
1 These agreements once concluded, Lysias returned to the king and the Jews went back to theirfarming.	1 γενομενων δε των συνθηκων τουτων ο μεν λυσιας απηει προς τον βασιλεα οι δε ιουδαιοι περι την γεωργιαν εγινοντο
2 Among the local generals, Timotheus and Apol onius son of Gennaeus, as also Hieronymus andDemophon, and Nicanor the Cypriarch as wel , would not allow the Jews to live in peace and quiet.	2 των δε κατα τοπον στρατηγων τιμοθεος και απολλωνιος ο του γενναιου ετι δε ιερωνυμος και δημοφων προς δε τουτοις νικανωρ ο κυπριαρχης ουκ ειων αυτους ευσταθειν και τα της ησυχιας αγειν
3 The people of Joppa committed a particularly wicked crime: they invited the Jews living among themto go aboard some boats they had lying ready, taking their wives and children. There was no hint of any intentionto harm them;	3 ιοππιται δε τηλικουτο συνετελεσαν το δυσσεβημα παρακαλεσαντες τους συν αυτοις οικουντας ιουδαιους εμβηναι εις τα παρακατασταθεντα υπ' αυτων σκαφη συν γυναιξιν και τεκνοις ως μηδεμιας ενεστωσης προς αυτους δυσμενειας
4 there had been a public vote by the citizens, and the Jews accepted, as wel they might, beingpeaceable people with no reason to suspect anything. But once out in the open sea they were al sent to thebottom, a company of at least two hundred.	4 κατα δε το κοινον της πολεως ψηφισμα και τουτων επιδεξαμενων ως αν ειρηνευειν θελοντων και μηδεν υποπτον εχοντων επαναχθεντας αυτους εβυθισαν οντας ουκ ελαττον των διακοσιων
5 When Judas heard of the cruel fate of his countrymen, he issued his orders to his men	5 μεταλαβων δε ιουδας την γεγονυιαν εις τους ομοεθνεις ωμοτητα παραγγειλας τοις περι αυτον ανδρασιν
6 and after invoking God, the just judge, he attacked his brothers' murderers. Under cover of dark heset fire to the port, burned the boats and put to the sword everyone who had taken refuge there.	6 και επικαλεσαμενος τον δικαιον κριτην θεον παρεγενετο επι τους μιαιφονους των αδελφων και τον μεν λιμενα νυκτωρ ενεπρησεν και τα σκαφη κατεφλεξεν τους δε εκει συμφυγοντας εξεκεντησεν
7 As the town gates were closed, he withdrew, intending to come back and wipe out the wholecommunity of Joppa.	7 του δε χωριου συγκλεισθεντος ανελυσεν ως παλιν ηξων και το συμπαν των ιοππιτων εκριζωσαι πολιτευμα
8 But hearing that the people of Jamnia were planning to treat their resident Jews in the same way,	8 μεταλαβων δε και τους εν ιαμνεια τον αυτον επιτελειν βουλομενους τροπον τοις παροικουσιν ιουδαιοις
9 he made a night attack on the Jamnites and fired the port with its fleet; the glow of the flames wasseen as far off as Jerusalem, thirty miles away.	9 και τοις ιαμνιταις νυκτος επιβαλων υφηψεν τον λιμενα συν τω στολω ωστε φαινεσθαι τας αυγας του φεγγους εις τα ιεροσολυμα σταδιων οντων διακοσιων τεσσαρακοντα
10 When they had left the town barely a mile behind them in their advance on Timotheus, Judas wasattacked by an Arab force of at least five thousand foot soldiers, with five hundred cavalry.	10 εκειθεν δε αποσπασαντες σταδιους εννεα ποιουμενων την πορειαν επι τον τιμοθεον προσεβαλον αραβες αυτω ουκ ελαττους των πεντακισχιλιων ιππεις δε πεντακοσιοι
11 A fierce engagement fol owed, and with God's help Judas' men won the day; the defeated nomadsbegged Judas to offer them the right hand of friendship, and promised to surrender their herds and makethemselves general y useful to him.	11 γενομενης δε καρτερας μαχης και των περι τον ιουδαν δια την παρα του θεου βοηθειαν ευημερησαντων ελαττονωθεντες οι νομαδες ηξιουν δουναι τον ιουδαν δεξιας αυτοις υπισχνουμενοι και βοσκηματα δωσειν και εν τοις λοιποις ωφελησειν αυτους
12 Realising that they might indeed prove valuable in many ways, Judas consented to make peace withthem and after an exchange of pledges the Arabs withdrew to their tents.	12 ιουδας δε υπολαβων ως αληθως εν πολλοις αυτους χρησιμους επεχωρησεν ειρηνην αξειν προς αυτους και λαβοντες δεξιας εις τας σκηνας εχωρισθησαν
13 Judas also attacked a certain fortified town, closed by ramparts and inhabited by a medley of races;its name was Caspin.	13 επεβαλεν δε και επι τινα πολιν γεφυραις οχυραν και τειχεσιν περιπεφραγμενην και παμμειγεσιν εθνεσιν κατοικουμενην ονομα δε κασπιν
14 Confident in the strength of their wal s and their stock of provisions, the besieged adopted aninsolent attitude to Judas and his men, reinforcing their insults with blasphemies and profanity.	14 οι δε ενδον πεποιθοτες τη των τειχεων ερυμνοτητι τη τε των βρωματων παραθεσει αναγωγοτερον εχρωντο τοις περι τον ιουδαν λοιδορουντες και προσετι βλασφημουντες και λαλουντες α μη θεμις
15 But Judas and his men invoked the great Sovereign of the world who without battering-ram or siege-engine had overthrown Jericho in the days of Joshua; they then made a fierce assault on the wall.	15 οι δε περι τον ιουδαν επικαλεσαμενοι τον μεγαν του κοσμου δυναστην τον ατερ κριων και μηχανων οργανικων κατακρημνισαντα την ιεριχω κατα τους ιησου χρονους ενεσεισαν θηριωδως τω τειχει
16 By God's wil , having captured the town, they made such indescribable slaughter that the nearbylake, a quarter of a mile across, seemed fil ed to overflowing with blood.	16 καταλαβομενοι τε την πολιν τη του θεου θελησει αμυθητους εποιησαντο σφαγας ωστε την παρακειμενην λιμνην το πλατος εχουσαν σταδιους δυο καταρρυτον αιματι πεπληρωμενην φαινεσθαι
17 Ninety-five miles further on from there, they reached the Charax, in the country of Jews known asTubians.	17 εκειθεν δε αποσπασαντες σταδιους επτακοσιους πεντηκοντα διηνυσαν εις τον χαρακα προς τους λεγομενους τουβιανους ιουδαιους
18 They did not find Timotheus himself in that neighbourhood; he had already left the district, havingachieved nothing apart from leaving a very strong garrison at one point.	18 και τιμοθεον μεν επι των τοπων ου κατελαβον απρακτον τοτε απο των τοπων εκλελυκοτα καταλελοιποτα δε φρουραν εν τινι τοπω και μαλα οχυραν
19 Dositheus and Sosipater, two of the Maccabaean generals, marched out and destroyed the forceTimotheus had left behind in the fortress, amounting to more than ten thousand men.	19 δοσιθεος δε και σωσιπατρος των περι τον μακκαβαιον ηγεμονων εξοδευσαντες απωλεσαν τους υπο τιμοθεου καταλειφθεντας εν τω οχυρωματι πλειους των μυριων ανδρων
20 Maccabaeus himself divided his army into cohorts to which he assigned commanders, and thenhurried in pursuit of Timotheus, whose troops numbered one hundred and twenty thousand infantry and twothousand five hundred cavalry.	20 ο δε μακκαβαιος διαταξας την περι αυτον στρατιαν σπειρηδον κατεστησεν αυτους επι των σπειρων και επι τον τιμοθεον ωρμησεν εχοντα περι αυτον μυριαδας δωδεκα πεζων ιππεις δε δισχιλιους προς τοις πεντακοσιοις
21 Timotheus' first move on learning of Judas' advance was to send away the women and children andthe rest of the baggage train to the place called the Carnaim, since it was an impregnable position, difficult ofaccess owing to the narrowness of al the approaches.	21 την δε εφοδον μεταλαβων ιουδου προεξαπεστειλεν ο τιμοθεος τας γυναικας και τα τεκνα και την αλλην αποσκευην εις το λεγομενον καρνιον ην γαρ δυσπολιορκητον και δυσπροσιτον το χωριον δια την παντων των τοπων στενοτητα
22 Judas' cohort came into sight first. The enemy, seized with fright and panic-stricken by themanifestation of the Al -seeing, began to flee, one running this way, one running that, often wounding oneanother in consequence and running on the points of one another's swords.	22 επιφανεισης δε της ιουδου σπειρας πρωτης και γενομενου δεους επι τους πολεμιους φοβου τε εκ της του τα παντα εφορωντος επιφανειας γενομενης επ' αυτους εις φυγην ωρμησαν αλλος αλλαχη φερομενος ωστε πολλακις υπο των ιδιων βλαπτεσθαι και ταις των ξιφων ακμαις αναπειρεσθαι
23 Judas pursued them with a wil , cutting the sinners to pieces and kil ing something like thirtythousand men.	23 εποιειτο δε τον διωγμον ευτονωτερον ο ιουδας συγκεντων τους αλιτηριους διεφθειρεν τε εις μυριαδας τρεις ανδρων
24 Timotheus himself, having fal en into the hands of Dositheus and Sosipater and their men, verycraftily pleaded with them to let him go with his life, on the grounds that he had the relatives and even thebrothers of many of them in his power, and that these could otherwise expect short shrift.	24 αυτος δε ο τιμοθεος εμπεσων τοις περι τον δοσιθεον και σωσιπατρον ηξιου μετα πολλης γοητειας εξαφειναι σωον αυτον δια το πλειονων μεν γονεις ων δε αδελφους εχειν και τουτους αλογηθηναι συμβησεται
25 When at long last he convinced them that he would honour his promise and return these people safeand sound, they let him go for the sake of saving their brothers.	25 πιστωσαντος δε αυτου δια πλειονων τον ορισμον αποκαταστησαι τουτους απημαντους απελυσαν αυτον ενεκα της των αδελφων σωτηριας
26 Reaching the Carnaim and the Atargateion, Judas slaughtered twenty-five thousand men.	26 εξελθων δε επι το καρνιον και το ατεργατειον κατεσφαξεν μυριαδας σωματων δυο και πεντακισχιλιους
27 Having defeated and destroyed them, he led his army against Ephron, a fortified town, whereLysanias was living. Stalwart young men drawn up outside the walls offered vigorous resistance, while insidethere were quantities of war-engines and missiles in reserve.	27 μετα δε την τουτων τροπην και απωλειαν επεστρατευσεν και επι εφρων πολιν οχυραν εν η κατωκει λυσιας και παμφυλα πληθη νεανιαι δε ρωμαλεοι προ των τειχεων καθεστωτες ευρωστως απεμαχοντο ενθα δε οργανων και βελων πολλαι παραθεσεις υπηρχον
28 But the Jews, having invoked the Sovereign who by his power shatters enemies' defences, gainedcontrol of the town and cut down nearly twenty-five thousand of the people inside.	28 επικαλεσαμενοι δε τον δυναστην τον μετα κρατους συντριβοντα τας των πολεμιων αλκας ελαβον την πολιν υποχειριον κατεστρωσαν δε των ενδον εις μυριαδας δυο πεντακισχιλιους
29 Moving off from there, they pressed on to Scythopolis,	29 αναζευξαντες δε εκειθεν ωρμησαν επι σκυθων πολιν απεχουσαν απο ιεροσολυμων σταδιους εξακοσιους
30 seventy-five miles from Jerusalem. But as the Jews who had settled there assured Judas that thepeople of Scythopolis had always treated them wel and had been particularly kind to them when times were attheir worst,	30 απομαρτυρησαντων δε των εκει καθεστωτων ιουδαιων ην οι σκυθοπολιται εσχον προς αυτους ευνοιαν και εν τοις της ατυχιας καιροις ημερον απαντησιν
31 he and his men thanked them and urged them to extend the same friendship to his race in the future.They reached Jerusalem shortly before the feast of Weeks.	31 ευχαριστησαντες και προσπαρακαλεσαντες και εις τα λοιπα προς το γενος ευμενεις ειναι παρεγενηθησαν εις ιεροσολυμα της των εβδομαδων εορτης ουσης υπογυου
32 After Pentecost, as it is cal ed, they marched against Gorgias, the general commanding Idumaea.	32 μετα δε την λεγομενην πεντηκοστην ωρμησαν επι γοργιαν τον της ιδουμαιας στρατηγον
33 He came out at the head of three thousand infantry and four hundred cavalry;	33 εξηλθεν δε μετα πεζων τρισχιλιων ιππεων δε τετρακοσιων
34 in the course of the ensuing battle a few Jews lost their lives.	34 παραταξαμενους δε συνεβη πεσειν ολιγους των ιουδαιων
35 A man called Dositheus, a horseman of the Tubian contingent, a valiant man, overpowered Gorgiasand, gripping him by the cloak, was forcibly dragging him along, intending to take the accursed man alive, butone of the Thracian cavalry, hurling himself on Dositheus, slashed his shoulder, and Gorgias escaped to Marisa.	35 δοσιθεος δε τις των του βακηνορος εφιππος ανηρ και καρτερος ειχετο του γοργιου και λαβομενος της χλαμυδος ηγεν αυτον ευρωστως και βουλομενος τον καταρατον λαβειν ζωγριαν των ιππεων τινος θρακων επενεχθεντος αυτω και τον ωμον καθελοντος διεφυγεν ο γοργιας εις μαρισα
36 Meanwhile, since Esdrias and his men had been fighting for a long time and were exhausted, Judascal ed on the Lord to show himself their ally and leader in battle.	36 των δε περι τον εσδριν επι πλειον μαχομενων και κατακοπων οντων επικαλεσαμενος ιουδας τον κυριον συμμαχον φανηναι και προοδηγον του πολεμου
37 Then, chanting the battle cry and hymns at the top of his voice in his ancestral tongue, by a surpriseattack he routed Gorgias' troops.	37 καταρξαμενος τη πατριω φωνη την μεθ' υμνων κραυγην ενσεισας απροσδοκητως τοις περι τον γοργιαν τροπην αυτων εποιησατο
38 Judas then ral ied his army and moved on to the town of Adul am where, as it was the seventh day ofthe week, they purified themselves according to custom and kept the Sabbath.	38 ιουδας δε αναλαβων το στρατευμα ηκεν εις οδολλαμ πολιν της δε εβδομαδος επιβαλλουσης κατα τον εθισμον αγνισθεντες αυτοθι το σαββατον διηγαγον
39 Next day, they came to find Judas (since the necessity was by now urgent) to have the bodies of thefal en taken up and laid to rest among their relatives in their ancestral tombs.	39 τη δε εχομενη ηλθον οι περι τον ιουδαν καθ' ον χρονον το της χρειας εγεγονει τα σωματα των προπεπτωκοτων ανακομισασθαι και μετα των συγγενων αποκαταστησαι εις τους πατρωους ταφους
40 But when they found on each of the dead men, under their tunics, objects dedicated to the idols ofJamnia, which the Law prohibits to Jews, it became clear to everyone that this was why these men had lost theirlives.	40 ευρον δε εκαστου των τεθνηκοτων υπο τους χιτωνας ιερωματα των απο ιαμνειας ειδωλων αφ' ων ο νομος απειργει τους ιουδαιους τοις δε πασι σαφες εγενετο δια τηνδε την αιτιαν τουσδε πεπτωκεναι
41 Al then blessed the ways of the Lord, the upright judge who brings hidden things to light,	41 παντες ουν ευλογησαντες τα του δικαιοκριτου κυριου τα κεκρυμμενα φανερα ποιουντος
42 and gave themselves to prayer, begging that the sin committed might be completely forgiven. Next,the valiant Judas urged the soldiers to keep themselves free from al sin, having seen with their own eyes theeffects of the sin of those who had fal en;	42 εις ικετειαν ετραπησαν αξιωσαντες το γεγονος αμαρτημα τελειως εξαλειφθηναι ο δε γενναιος ιουδας παρεκαλεσε το πληθος συντηρειν αυτους αναμαρτητους ειναι υπ' οψιν εωρακοτας τα γεγονοτα δια την των προπεπτωκοτων αμαρτιαν
43 after this he took a col ection from them individual y, amounting to nearly two thousand drachmas,and sent it to Jerusalem to have a sacrifice for sin offered, an action altogether fine and noble, prompted by hisbelief in the resurrection.	43 ποιησαμενος τε κατ' ανδρολογιαν εις αργυριου δραχμας δισχιλιας απεστειλεν εις ιεροσολυμα προσαγαγειν περι αμαρτιας θυσιαν πανυ καλως και αστειως πραττων υπερ αναστασεως διαλογιζομενος
44 For had he not expected the fallen to rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to prayfor the dead,	44 ει μη γαρ τους προπεπτωκοτας αναστηναι προσεδοκα περισσον και ληρωδες υπερ νεκρων ευχεσθαι
45 whereas if he had in view the splendid recompense reserved for those who make a pious end, thethought was holy and devout. Hence, he had this expiatory sacrifice offered for the dead, so that they might bereleased from their sin.	45 ειτε' εμβλεπων τοις μετ' ευσεβειας κοιμωμενοις καλλιστον αποκειμενον χαριστηριον οσια και ευσεβης η επινοια οθεν περι των τεθνηκοτων τον εξιλασμον εποιησατο της αμαρτιας απολυθηναι