The Koine Bible

After three years, Demetrius, the son of Seleucus, fell upon those around Judas, having sailed in through the harbor at Tripolis with a strong multitude and fleet.

that Antiochus had seized the country, and Lysias, his governor, having taken it back

But a certain Alcimus, who had formerly been high priest and had voluntarily defiled himself in the times of separation, having considered that in any way whatever there was no salvation for him nor any more access to the holy altar,

He came to King Demetrius in the hundred and fifty-first year, bringing him a golden crown and a palm branch, and besides these some of the branches considered to be of the temple, and on that day there was peace

And taking advantage of the time, having been summoned by Demetrius as a collaborator into the council, and having been asked in what disposition and purpose the Jews had been established toward these things, he said:

those called among the Jews the Hasideans, of whom Judas Maccabeus is leader, are making war and are fomenting sedition, not allowing the kingdom to attain stability

Therefore, having taken away the ancestral glory, I mean indeed the high priesthood, I have now come here.

first indeed, thinking sincerely on behalf of the things belonging to the king, and second also taking aim at his own fellow citizens, for by the recklessness of the aforesaid men our whole race is not a little deprived of its inheritance

But since you know each of these things, O king, both of the country and of our surrounding race, provide for us according to the humanity toward all which you have as easy to meet with.

For as long as Judas is still alive, it is impossible for affairs to obtain peace.

But when such things had been spoken by this man, the rest of the friends, having a hostile disposition toward Judas, quickly inflamed Demetrius more.

And having at once appointed Nicanor, the one who had become elephant commander, and having appointed him general of Judea, he sent him out.

giving orders to seize Judas himself, but to scatter those with him, and to appoint Alcimus high priest of the greatest sanctuary

But those who had been driven into exile from Judea were joining in a crowd with Nicanor, mixing with the nations, thinking that the misfortunes and calamities of the Jews would be their own prosperity

And when they heard of Nicanor’s approach and the attack of the nations, sprinkling themselves with dust, they were beseeching the one who established his own people until eternity, and always with manifest help taking hold of his own portion.

And when the leader had ordered it, immediately breaking camp from there he joined battle with them at the village of Dessau.

But Simon the brother of Judas had engaged Nicanor, and had stumbled slowly because of the sudden confusion of the opponents.

But nevertheless Nicanor, hearing of the valor which those around Judas had and their courage in the struggles for their country, was fearing to make the judgment by bloodshed

Therefore he sent Posidonius and Theodotus and Mattathias to give and receive right hands

And when a fuller inquiry about these things had taken place, and the leader had communicated them to the crowds, and a unanimous opinion had appeared, they assented to the treaties

And they fixed a day on which they would come together privately to the same place, and a palisade advanced from each side; they set up benches.

Judas ordered armed men ready in the strategic places, lest at any time from the enemies a sudden act of wrongdoing might occur; they made the fitting consultation together.

Nicanor was staying in Jerusalem and did nothing out of place, but he dismissed the crowds gathered together in herds.

And he had Judas all the time before him; he had inclined to the man with affection.

he urged him to marry and to beget children; he married, prospered, and shared in life

And Alcimus, perceiving the goodwill toward one another and the agreements that had been made, came to Demetrius and was saying that Nicanor was minded differently from the affairs, for he had appointed Judas, the conspirator against the kingdom, as his successor.

And the king, becoming enraged and provoked by the slanders of the utterly wicked man, wrote to Nicanor, saying that he took the treaties heavily, but commanding that he send the Maccabee as a prisoner to Antioch quickly.

But when these had fallen before Nikanor, he was greatly troubled and took it hard if he would nullify the things that had been ordered, since the man had done no wrong at all.

But since it was not the right time to resist the king, he was waiting to carry this out by stratagem.

But Maccabaeus, perceiving that Nicanor had dealt more harshly in the things toward him and understanding that he had held the customary meeting more boorishly, judging that the harshness was not from the best motive, having gathered together not a few of those about him, was hiding himself from Nicanor

But the other, perceiving that he had been outmaneuvered nobly by the man, coming to the greatest and most holy temple, while the priests were bringing the customary sacrifices, ordered that the man be handed over

But those with oaths saying that they did not know where at all the one being sought was

Stretching out his right hand toward the sanctuary, he swore that unless you hand over this Judas as a prisoner to me, I will make this temple a field and will tear down the altar, and I will set up here a shrine, conspicuous to Dionysus.

And having said so much, he went away; but the priests, stretching out their hands to heaven, were calling upon the one who is always the champion of our nation, saying these things:

You, Lord of all, being in need of nothing, were well pleased for the sanctuary of your dwelling to become among us.

And now, holy Lord of all sanctification, preserve forever this house that has been newly purified, undefiled.

And one Razis, of those from Jerusalem, an elder, was denounced to Nicanor, a man a lover of the city and very well spoken of and, according to his goodwill, called father of the Jews.

For in former times he had brought in a case against Judaism in his harmlessness, and had laid body and soul on the line for Judaism with all earnestness

But Nicanor, wishing to make plain the ill will which he had toward the Jews, sent more than five hundred soldiers to seize him.

For it seemed good, having seized that man, to work disaster upon them.

Now when the crowds were about to take the tower and were forcing the court gate and ordering fire to be brought and the doors to be set on fire, being surrounded on every side he laid his sword beneath himself

nobly wishing to die rather than to become subject to the lawless and to be insulted unworthily of his own nobility

But, not being able to face the wound because of the haste of the contest and the crowds rushing in through the gates, having run back bravely onto the wall, he threw himself down manfully into the crowds.

But when those who had turned back quickly had come to a distance, he came in the middle of the empty space.

But still breathing and inflamed with rage, rising up, with streams of blood flowing and the wounds being severe, having gone through the crowds at a run, and standing upon a certain broken rock

Now becoming wholly drained of blood, he cast out his entrails and, taking them in both hands, he hurled them at the crowds, and calling upon the Master of life and of spirit to give these back to him again, in this manner he died.