2 Maccabees 1

DOUAI-RHEIMS	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 To the brethren the Jews that are I throughout Egypt, the brethren, the Jews that are in Jerusalem, and in the land of Judea, send health, and good peace.	1 The Jews in Jerusalem and in the land of Judea send greetings to their brethren, the Jews in Egypt, and wish them true peace!
2 May God be gracious to you, and remember his covenant that he made with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, his faithful servants:	2 May God bless you and remember his covenant with his faithful servants, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
3 And give you all a heart to worship him, and to do his will with a great heart, and a willing mind.	3 May he give to all of you a heart to worship him and to do his will readily and generously.
4 May he open your heart in his law, and in his commandments, and send you peace.	4 May he open your heart to his law and his commandments and grant you peace.
5 May he hear your prayers, and be reconciled unto you, and never forsake you in the evil time.	5 May he hear your prayers, and be reconciled to you, and never forsake you in time of adversity.
6 And now here we are praying for you.	6 Even now we are praying for you here.
7 When Demetrius reigned, in the year one hundred and sixty-nine, we Jews wrote to you, in the trouble, and violence, that came upon us in those years, after Jason withdrew himself from the holy land, and from the kingdom.	7 In the reign of Demetrius, the year one hundred and sixty-nine, we Jews wrote to you during the trouble and violence that overtook us in those years after Jason and his followers had revolted against the holy land and the kingdom,
8 They burnt the gate, and shed innocent blood: then we prayed to the Lord, and were heard, and we offered sacrifices, and fine flour, and lighted the lamps, and set forth the leaves.	8 setting fire to the gatehouse and shedding innocent blood. But we prayed to the Lord, and our prayer was heard; we offered sacrifices and fine flour; we lighted the lamps and set out the loaves of bread.
9 And now celebrate ye the days of Scenopegia in the month of Casleu.	9 We are now reminding you to celebrate the feast of Booths in the month of Chislev.
10 In the year Bone hundred and eightyeight, the people that is at Jerusalem, and in Judea, and the senate, and Judas, to Aristobolus, the preceptor of king Ptolemee, who is of the stock of the anointed priests, and to the Jews that are in Egypt, health and welfare.	10 Dated in the year one hundred and eighty-eight. The people of Jerusalem and Judea, the senate, and Judas send greetings and good wishes to Aristobulus, counselor of King Ptolemy and member of the family of the anointed priests, and to the Jews in Egypt.
11 Having been delivered by God out of great dangers, we give him great thanks, forasmuch as we have been in war with such a king.	11 Since we have been saved by God from grave dangers, we give him great thanks for having fought on our side against the king;
12 For he made numbers of men swarm out of Persia that have fought against us, and the holy city.	12 it was he who drove out those who fought against the holy city.
13 For when the leader himself was in Persia, and with him a very great army, he fell in the temple of Nanea, being deceived by the counsel of the priests of Nanea.	13 When their leader arrived in Persia with his seemingly irresistible army, they were cut to pieces in the temple of the goddess Nanea through a deceitful stratagem employed by Nanea's priests.
14 For Antiochus, with his friends, came to the place as though he would marry her, and that he might receive great sums of money under the title of a dowry.	14 On the pretext of marrying the goddess, Antiochus with his Friends had come to the place to get its great treasures by way of dowry.
15 And when the priests of Nanea had set it forth, and he with a small company had entered into the compass of the temple, they shut the temple,	15 When the priests of the Nanaeon had displayed the treasures, Antiochus with a few attendants came to the temple precincts. As soon as he entered the temple, the priests locked the doors.
16 When Antiochus was came in: and opening a secret entrance of the temple, they cast stones and slew the leader, and them that were with him, and hewed them in pieces, and cutting off their heads they threw them forth.	16 Then they opened a hidden trapdoor in the ceiling, hurled stones at the leader and his companions and struck them down. They dismembered the bodies, cut off their heads and tossed them to the people outside.
17 Blessed be God in all things, who hath delivered up the wicked.	17 Forever blessed be our God, who has thus punished the wicked!
18 Therefore whereas we purpose to keep the purification of the temple on the five and twentieth day of the month of Casleu, we thought it necessary to signify it to you: that you also may keep the day of Scenopegia, and the day of the fire, that was given when Nehemias offered sacrifice, after the temple and the altar was built.	18 We shall be celebrating the purification of the temple on the twenty-fifth day of the month Chislev, so we thought it right to inform you, that you too may celebrate the feast of Booths and of the fire that appeared when Nehemiah, the rebuilder of the temple and the altar, offered sacrifices.
19 For when our fathers were led in Persia, the priests that then were worshippers of God took privately the fire from the altar, and hid it in a valley where there was a deep pit without water, and there they kept it safe,	19 When our fathers were being exiled to Persia, devout priests of the time took some of the fire from the altar and hid it secretly in the hollow of a dry cistern, making sure that the place would be unknown to anyone.
20 But when many years had passed, and it pleased God that Nehemias should be sent by the king of Persia, he sent some of the posterity of those priests that had hid it, to seek for the fire: and as they told us, they found no fire, but thick water.	20 Many years later, when it so pleased God, Nehemiah, commissioned by the king of Persia, sent the descendants of the priests who had hidden the fire to look for it.
21 Then he bade them draw it up, and bring it to him: and the priest Nehemias commanded the sacrifices that were laid on, to be sprinkled with the same water, both the wood, and the things that were laid upon it.	21 When they informed us that they could not find any fire, but only muddy water, he ordered them to scoop some out and bring it. After the material for the sacrifices had been prepared, Nehemiah ordered the priests to sprinkle with the water the wood and what lay on it.
22 And when this was done, and the time came that the sun shone out, which before was in a cloud, there was a great fire kindled, so that all wondered.	22 When this was done and in time the sun, which had been clouded over, began to shine, a great fire blazed up, so that everyone marveled.
23 And all the priests made prayer, while the sacrifice was consuming, Jonathan beginning, and the rest answering.	23 While the sacrifice was being burned, the priests recited a prayer, and all present joined in with them, Jonathan leading and the rest responding with Nehemiah.
24 And the prayer of Nehemias was after this manner: 0 Lord God, Creator of all things, dreadful and strong, just and merciful, who alone art the goad king,	24 The prayer was as follows: "Lord, Lord God, creator of all things, awesome and strong, just and merciful, the only king and benefactor,
25 Who alone art gracious, who alone art just, and almighty, and eternal, who deliverest Israel from all evil, who didst choose the fathers and didst sanctify them :	25 who alone are gracious, just, almighty, and eternal, Israel's savior from all evil, who chose our forefathers and sanctified them:
26 Receive the sacrifice for all thy people Israel, and preserve thy own portion, and sanctify it.	26 accept this sacrifice on behalf of all your people Israel and guard and sanctify your heritage.
27 Gather together our scattered people, deliver them that are slaves to the Gentiles, and look upon them that are despised and abhorred: that the Gentiles may know that thou art our God.	27 Gather together our scattered people, free those who are the slaves of the Gentiles, look kindly on those who are despised and detested, and let the Gentiles know that you are our God.
28 Punish them that oppress us, and that treat us injuriously with pride.	28 Punish those who tyrannize over us and arrogantly mistreat us.
29 Establish thy people in thy holy place, as Moses hath spoken.	29 Plant your people in your holy place, as Moses promised."
30 And the priests sung hymns till the sacrifice was consumed.	30 Then the priests began to sing hymns.
31 And when the sacrifice was consumed, Nehemias commanded the water that was left to be poured out upon the great stones.	31 After the sacrifice was burned, Nehemiah ordered the rest of the liquid to be poured upon large stones.
32 Which being done, there -was kindled a dame from them: but it was consumed by the light that shined from the altar.	32 As soon as this was done, a flame blazed up, but its light was lost in the brilliance cast from a light on the altar.
33 And when this matter became public, it was told to the king of Persia, that in the place where the priests that were led away, had hid the fire, there appeared water, with which Nehemias and they that were with him had purified the sacrifices.	33 When the event became known and the king of the Persians was told that, in the very place where the exiled priests had hidden the fire, a liquid was found with which Nehemiah and his people had burned the sacrifices,
34 And the king considering, and diligently examining the matter, made a temple for it, that he might prove what had happened.	34 the king, after verifying the fact, fenced the place off and declared it sacred.
35 And when he had proved it, he gave the priests many goods, and divers presents, and he took end distributed them to them with his own hand.	35 To those on whom the king wished to bestow favors he distributed the large revenues he received there.
36 And Nehemias called this place Nephthar, which is interpreted purification. But many call it Nephi.	36 Nehemiah and his companions called the liquid nephthar, meaning purification, but most people named it naphtha.
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90 that the place was unknown to all men.