Chapter 2
| 1 Ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἀνέστη Ματταθίας υἱὸς Ἰωάννου τοῦ Συμεὼν ἱερεὺς τῶν υἱῶν Ἰωαρὶβ ἀπὸ Ἱερουσαλὴμ καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἐν Μωδεΐν. | 1 In those days arose Mattathias the son of John, the son of Simeon, a priest of the sons of Joarib, from Jerusalem, and dwelt in Modin. |
| 2 καὶ αὐτῷ υἱοὶ πέντε Ἰωάννης ὁ ἐπικαλούμενος Γαδδί, | 2 And he had five sons, Joannan, called Caddis: |
| 3 Σίμων ὁ καλούμενος Θασσί, | 3 Simon; called Thassi: |
| 4 Ἰούδας ὁ καλούμενος Μακκαβαῖος, | 4 Judas, who was called Maccabeus: |
| 5 Ἐλεάζαρ ὁ καλούμενος Αὐαράν, Ἰωνάθης ὁ καλούμενος Ἀπφούς. | 5 Eleazar, called Avaran: and Jonathan, whose surname was Apphus. |
| 6 καὶ εἶδεν τὰς βλασφημίας τὰς γινομένας ἐν Ἰούδα καὶ ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ | 6 And when he saw the blasphemies that were committed in Juda and Jerusalem, |
| 7 καὶ εἶπεν οἴμμοι, ἵνα τί τοῦτο ἐγεννήθην ἰδεῖν τὸ σύντριμμα τοῦ λαοῦ μου καὶ τὸ σύντριμμα τῆς ἁγίας πόλεως καὶ καθίσαι ἐκεῖ ἐν τῷ δοθῆναι αὐτὴν ἐν χειρὶ ἐχθρῶν τὸ ἁγίασμα ἐν χειρὶ ἀλλοτρίων; | 7 He said, Woe is me! wherefore was I born to see this misery of my people, and of the holy city, and to dwell there, when it was delivered into the hand of the enemy, and the sanctuary into the hand of strangers? |
| 8 ἐγένετο ὁ ναὸς αὐτῆς ὡς ἀνὴρ ἄδοξος, | 8 Her temple is become as a man without glory. |
| 9 τὰ σκεύη τῆς δόξης αὐτῆς αἰχμάλωτα ἀπήχθη, ἀπεκτάνθη τὰ νήπια αὐτῆς ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις αὐτῆς, οἱ νεανίσκοι αὐτῆς ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ ἐχθροῦ. | 9 Her glorious vessels are carried away into captivity, her infants are slain in the streets, her young men with the sword of the enemy. |
| 10 ποῖον ἔθνος οὐκ ἐκληρονόμησεν βασίλεια καὶ οὐκ ἐκράτησεν τῶν σκύλων αὐτῆς; | 10 What nation hath not had a part in her kingdom and gotten of her spoils? |
| 11 πᾶς ὁ κόσμος αὐτῆς ἀφῃρέθη, ἀντὶ ἐλευθέρας ἐγένετο εἰς δούλην. | 11 All her ornaments are taken away; of a free woman she is become a bondslave. |
| 12 καὶ ἰδοὺ τὰ ἅγια ἡμῶν καὶ ἡ καλλονὴ ἡμῶν καὶ ἡ δόξα ἡμῶν ἠρημώθη, καὶ ἀποδιδόναι αὐτὰ τὰ ἔθνη. | 12 And, behold, our sanctuary, even our beauty and our glory, is laid waste, and the Gentiles have profaned it. |
| 13 ἵνα τί ἡμῖν ἔτι ζωή; | 13 To what end therefore shall we live any longer? |
| 14 καὶ διέρρηξεν Ματταθίας καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῶν καὶ περιεβάλοντο σάκκους καὶ ἐπένθησαν σφόδρα. | 14 Then Mattathias and his sons rent their clothes, and put on sackcloth, and mourned very sore. |
| 15 καὶ ἦλθον οἱ παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως οἱ καταναγκάζοντες τὴν ἀποστασίαν εἰς Μωδεῒν τὴν πόλιν ἵνα θυσιάσωσιν. | 15 In the mean while the king’s officers, such as compelled the people to revolt, came into the city Modin, to make them sacrifice. |
| 16 καὶ πολλοὶ ἀπὸ Ἰσραὴλ πρὸς αὐτοὺς προσῆλθον· καὶ Ματταθίας καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ συνήχθησαν. | 16 And when many of Israel came unto them, Mattathias also and his sons came together. |
| 17 καὶ ἀπεκρίθησαν οἱ παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ εἶπον τῷ Ματταθίᾳ λέγοντες ἄρχων καὶ ἔνδοξος καὶ μέγας εἶ ἐν τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ καὶ ἐστηρισμένος υἱοῖς καὶ ἀδελφοῖς· | 17 Then answered the king’s officers, and said to Mattathias on this wise, Thou art a ruler, and an honourable and great man in this city, and strengthened with sons and brethren: |
| 18 νῦν πρόσελθε πρῶτος καὶ ποίησον τὸ πρόσταγμα τοῦ βασιλέως, ὡς ἐποίησαν πάντα τὰ ἔθνη καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες Ἰούδα καὶ οἱ καταλειφθέντες ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ, καὶ ἔσῃ σὺ καὶ οἱ υἱοί σου τῶν φίλων τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ σὺ καὶ οἱ υἱοί σου δοξασθήσεσθε ἀργυρίῳ καὶ χρυσίῳ καὶ ἀποστολαῖς πολλαῖς. | 18 Now therefore come thou first, and fulfil the king’s commandment, like as all the heathen have done, yea, and the men of Juda also, and such as remain at Jerusalem: so shalt thou and thy house be in the number of the king’s friends, and thou and thy children shall be honoured with silver and gold, and many rewards. |
| 19 καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Ματταθίας καὶ εἶπεν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ εἰ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη τὰ ἐν οἴκῳ τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ βασιλέως ἀκούουσιν αὐτοῦ ἀποστῆναι ἕκαστος ἀπὸ λατρείας πατέρων αὐτοῦ καὶ ᾑρετίσαντο ἐν ταῖς ἐντολαῖς αὐτοῦ, | 19 Then Mattathias answered and spake with a loud voice, Though all the nations that are under the king’s dominion obey him, and fall away every one from the religion of their fathers, and give consent to his commandments: |
| 20 κἀγὼ καὶ οἱ υἱοί μου καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί μου πορευσόμεθα ἐν διαθήκῃ πατέρων ἡμῶν· | 20 Yet will I and my sons and my brethren walk in the covenant of our fathers. |
| 21 ἵλεως ἡμῖν καταλιπεῖν νόμον καὶ δικαιώματα· | 21 God forbid that we should forsake the law and the ordinances. |
| 22 τῶν λόγων τοῦ βασιλέως οὐκ ἀκουσόμεθα παρελθεῖν τὴν λατρείαν ἡμῶν δεξιὰν ἢ ἀριστεράν. | 22 We will not hearken to the king’s words, to go from our religion, either on the right hand, or the left. |
| 23 καὶ ὡς ἐπαύσατο λαλῶν τοὺς λόγους τούτους προσῆλθεν ἀνὴρ Ἰουδαῖος ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς πάντων θυσιάσαι ἐπὶ τοῦ βωμοῦ ἐν Μωδεῒν κατὰ τὸ πρόσταγμα τοῦ βασιλέως. | 23 Now when he had left speaking these words, there came one of the Jews in the sight of all to sacrifice on the altar which was at Modin, according to the king’s commandment. |
| 24 καὶ εἶδεν Ματταθίας καὶ ἐζήλωσεν, καὶ ἐτρόμησαν οἱ νεφροὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀνήνεγκεν θυμὸν κατὰ τὸ κρίμα καὶ δραμὼν ἔσφαξεν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὸν βωμόν· | 24 Which thing when Mattathias saw, he was inflamed with zeal, and his reins trembled, neither could he forbear to shew his anger according to judgment: wherefore he ran, and slew him upon the altar. |
| 25 καὶ τὸν ἄνδρα τοῦ βασιλέως τὸν ἀναγκάζοντα θύειν ἀπέκτεινεν ἐν τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ καὶ τὸν βωμὸν καθεῖλεν. | 25 Also the king’s commissioner, who compelled men to sacrifice, he killed at that time, and the altar he pulled down. |
| 26 καὶ ἐζήλωσεν τῷ νόμῳ καθὼς ἐποίησεν Φινεὲς τῷ Ζαμβρὶ υἱῷ Σαλώμ. | 26 Thus dealt he zealously for the law of God like as Phinees did unto Zambri the son of Salom. |
| 27 καὶ ἀνέκραξεν Ματταθίας ἐν τῇ πόλει φωνῇ μεγάλῃ λέγων πᾶς ὁ ζηλῶν τῷ νόμῳ καὶ ἱστῶν διαθήκην ἐξελθέτω ὀπίσω μου. | 27 And Mattathias cried throughout the city with a loud voice, saying, Whosoever is zealous of the law, and maintaineth the covenant, let him follow me. |
| 28 καὶ ἔφυγεν αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὰ ὄρη καὶ ἐγκατέλιπον ὅσα εἶχον ἐν τῇ πόλει. | 28 So he and his sons fled into the mountains, and left all that ever they had in the city. |
| 29 τότε κατέβησαν πολλοὶ ζητοῦντες δικαιοσύνην καὶ κρίμα εἰς τὴν ἔρημον καθίσαι ἐκεῖ, | 29 Then many that sought after justice and judgment went down into the wilderness, to dwell there: |
| 30 αὐτοὶ καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτῶν καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες αὐτῶν καὶ τὰ κτήνη αὐτῶν, ὅτι ἐσκληρύνθη ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς τὰ κακά. | 30 Both they, and their children, and their wives; and their cattle; because afflictions increased sore upon them. |
| 31 καὶ ἀνηγγέλη τοῖς ἀνδράσιν τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ ταῖς δυνάμεσιν, αἳ ἦσαν ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ πόλει Δαυὶδ ὅτι κατέβησαν ἄνδρες, οἵτινες διεσκέδασαν τὴν ἐντολὴν τοῦ βασιλέως, εἰς τοὺς κρύφους ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ. | 31 Now when it was told the king’s servants, and the host that was at Jerusalem, in the city of David, that certain men, who had broken the king’s commandment, were gone down into the secret places in the wilderness, |
| 32 καὶ ἔδραμον ὀπίσω αὐτῶν πολλοὶ καὶ κατελάβοντο αὐτοὺς καὶ παρενέβαλον ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς καὶ συνεστήσαντο πρὸς αὐτοὺς πόλεμον ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῶν σαββάτων | 32 They pursued after them a great number, and having overtaken them, they camped against them, and made war against them on the sabbath day. |
| 33 καὶ εἶπον πρὸς αὐτούς ἕως τοῦ νῦν· ἐξελθόντες ποιήσατε κατὰ τὸν λόγον τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ ζήσεσθε. | 33 And they said unto them, Let that which ye have done hitherto suffice; come forth, and do according to the commandment of the king, and ye shall live. |
| 34 καὶ εἶπον οὐκ ἐξελευσόμεθα οὐδὲ ποιήσομεν τὸν λόγον τοῦ βασιλέως βεβηλῶσαι τὴν ἡμέραν τῶν σαββάτων. | 34 But they said, We will not come forth, neither will we do the king’s commandment, to profane the sabbath day. |
| 35 καὶ ἐτάχυναν ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς πόλεμον. | 35 So then they gave them the battle with all speed. |
| 36 καὶ οὐκ ἀπεκρίθησαν αὐτοῖς οὐδὲ λίθον ἐνετίναξαν αὐτοῖς οὐδὲ ἐνέφραξαν τοὺς κρύφους | 36 Howbeit they answered them not, neither cast they a stone at them, nor stopped the places where they lay hid; |
| 37 λέγοντες ἀποθάνωμεν πάντες ἐν τῇ ἁπλότητι ἡμῶν· μαρτυρεῖ ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ ὅτι ἀκρίτως ἀπόλλυτε ἡμᾶς. | 37 But said, Let us die all in our innocency: heaven and earth will testify for us, that ye put us to death wrongfully. |
| 38 καὶ ἀνέστησαν ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς ἐν πολέμῳ τοῖς σάββασιν, καὶ ἀπέθανον αὐτοὶ καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες αὐτῶν καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν καὶ τὰ κτήνη αὐτῶν ἕως χιλίων ψυχῶν ἀνθρώπων. | 38 So they rose up against them in battle on the sabbath, and they slew them, with their wives and children and their cattle, to the number of a thousand people. |
| 39 καὶ ἔγνω Ματταθίας καὶ οἱ φίλοι αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπένθησαν ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς σφόδρα. | 39 Now when Mattathias and his friends understood hereof, they mourned for them right sore. |
| 40 καὶ εἶπεν ἀνὴρ τῷ πλησίον αὐτοῦ ἐὰν πάντες ποιήσωμεν ὡς οἱ ἀδελφοὶ ἡμῶν ἐποίησαν καὶ μὴ πολεμήσωμεν πρὸς τὰ ἔθνη ὑπὲρ τῆς ψυχῆς ἡμῶν καὶ τῶν δικαιωμάτων ἡμῶν, νῦν τάχιον ὀλεθρεύσουσιν ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς. | 40 And one of them said to another, If we all do as our brethren have done, and fight not for our lives and laws against the heathen, they will now quickly root us out of the earth. |
| 41 καὶ ἐβουλεύσαντο τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ λέγοντες πᾶς ἄνθρωπος, ὃς ἐὰν ἔλθῃ ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς εἰς πόλεμον τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῶν σαββάτων, πολεμήσωμεν κατέναντι αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀποθάνωμεν πάντες καθὼς ἀπέθανον οἱ ἀδελφοὶ ἡμῶν ἐν τοῖς κρύφοις. | 41 At that time therefore they decreed, saying, Whosoever shall come to make battle with us on the sabbath day, we will fight against him; neither will we die all, as our brethren that were murdered in the secret places. |
| 42 τότε συνήχθησαν πρὸς αὐτοὺς συναγωγὴ Ἁσιδαίων, ἰσχυροὶ δυνάμει ἀπὸ Ἰσραήλ, πᾶς ὁ ἑκουσιαζόμενος τῷ νόμῳ· | 42 Then came there unto him a company of Assideans who were mighty men of Israel, even all such as were voluntarily devoted unto the law. |
| 43 καὶ πάντες οἱ φυγαδεύοντες ἀπὸ τῶν κακῶν προσετέθησαν αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐγένοντο αὐτοῖς εἰς στήριγμα. | 43 Also all they that fled for persecution joined themselves unto them, and were a stay unto them. |
| 44 καὶ συνεστήσαντο δύναμιν καὶ ἐπάταξαν ἁμαρτωλοὺς ἐν ὀργῇ αὐτῶν καὶ ἄνδρας ἀνόμους ἐν θυμῷ αὐτῶν· καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ ἔφυγον εἰς τὰ ἔθνη σωθῆναι. | 44 So they joined their forces, and smote sinful men in their anger, and wicked men in their wrath: but the rest fled to the heathen for succour. |
| 45 καὶ ἐκύκλωσεν Ματταθίας καὶ οἱ φίλοι αὐτοῦ καὶ καθεῖλον τοὺς βωμοὺς | 45 Then Mattathias and his friends went round about, and pulled down the altars: |
| 46 καὶ περιέτεμον τὰ παιδάρια τὰ ἀπερίτμητα, ὅσα εὗρον ἐν ὁρίοις Ἰσραήλ, ἐν ἰσχύϊ | 46 And what children soever they found within the coast of Israel uncircumcised, those they circumcised valiantly. |
| 47 καὶ ἐδίωξαν τοὺς υἱοὺς τῆς ὑπερηφανίας, καὶ κατευοδώθη τὸ ἔργον ἐν χειρὶ αὐτῶν· | 47 They pursued also after the proud men, and the work prospered in their hand. |
| 48 καὶ ἀντελάβοντο τοῦ νόμου ἐκ χειρὸς τῶν ἐθνῶν καὶ τῶν βασιλέων καὶ οὐκ ἔδωκαν κέρας τῷ ἁμαρτωλῷ. | 48 So they recovered the law out of the hand of the Gentiles, and out of the hand of kings, neither suffered they the sinner to triumph. |
| 49 καὶ ἤγγισαν αἱ ἡμέραι Ματταθίου ἀποθανεῖν, καὶ εἶπεν τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτοῦ νῦν ἐστηρίσθη ὑπερηφανία καὶ ἐλεγμὸς καὶ καιρὸς καταστροφῆς καὶ ὀργὴ θυμοῦ. | 49 Now when the time drew near that Mattathias should die, he said unto his sons, Now hath pride and rebuke gotten strength, and the time of destruction, and the wrath of indignation: |
| 50 νῦν, τέκνα, ζηλώσατε τῷ νόμῳ καὶ δότε τὰς ψυχὰς ὑμῶν ὑπὲρ διαθήκης πατέρων ἡμῶν | 50 Now therefore, my sons, be ye zealous for the law, and give your lives for the covenant of your fathers. |
| 51 καὶ μνήσθητε τὰ ἔργα τῶν πατέρων, ἃ ἐποίησαν ἐν ταῖς γενεαῖς αὐτῶν, καὶ δέξασθε δόξαν μεγάλην καὶ ὄνομα αἰώνιον. | 51 Call to remembrance what acts our fathers did in their time; so shall ye receive great honour and an everlasting name. |
| 52 Ἁβραὰμ οὐχὶ ἐν πειρασμῷ εὑρέθη πιστός, καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην; | 52 Was not Abraham found faithful in temptation, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness? |
| 53 Ἰωσὴφ ἐν καιρῷ στενοχωρίας αὐτοῦ ἐφύλαξεν ἐντολὴν καὶ ἐγένετο κύριος Αἰγύπτου. | 53 Joseph in the time of his distress kept the commandment and was made lord of Egypt. |
| 54 Φινεὲς ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν ἐν τῷ ζηλῶσαι ζῆλον ἔλαβεν διαθήκην ἱερωσύνης αἰωνίας. | 54 Phinees our father in being zealous and fervent obtained the covenant of an everlasting priesthood. |
| 55 Ἰησοῦς ἐν τῷ πληρῶσαι λόγον ἐγένετο κριτὴς ἐν Ἰσραήλ. | 55 Jesus for fulfilling the word was made a judge in Israel. |
| 56 Χαλὲβ ἐν τῷ μαρτύρασθαι ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ ἔλαβεν γῆς κληρονομίαν. | 56 Caleb for bearing witness before the congregation received the heritage of the land. |
| 57 Δαυὶδ ἐν τῷ ἐλέει αὐτοῦ ἐκληρονόμησεν θρόνον βασιλείας εἰς αἰῶνας. | 57 David for being merciful possessed the throne of an everlasting kingdom. |
| 58 Ἠλίας ἐν τῷ ζηλῶσαι ζῆλον νόμου ἀνελήμφθη εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν. | 58 Elias for being zealous and fervent for the law was taken up into heaven. |
| 59 Ἀνανίας, Ἀζαρίας, Μισαὴλ πιστεύσαντες ἐσώθησαν ἐκ φλογός. | 59 Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, by believing were saved out of the flame. |
| 60 Δανιὴλ ἐν τῇ ἁπλότητι αὐτοῦ ἐρρύσθη ἐκ στόματος λεόντων. | 60 Daniel for his innocency was delivered from the mouth of lions. |
| 61 καὶ οὕτως ἐννοήθητε κατὰ γενεὰν καὶ γενεάν, ὅτι πάντες οἱ ἐλπίζοντες ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν οὐκ ἀσθενήσουσιν. | 61 And thus consider ye throughout all ages, that none that put their trust in him shall be overcome. |
| 62 καὶ ἀπὸ λόγων ἀνδρὸς ἁμαρτωλοῦ μὴ φοβηθῆτε, ὅτι ἡ δόξα αὐτοῦ εἰς κόπρια καὶ εἰς σκώληκας· | 62 Fear not then the words of a sinful man: for his glory shall be dung and worms. |
| 63 σήμερον ἐπαρθήσεται καὶ αὔριον οὐ μὴ εὑρεθῇ, ὅτι ἐπέστρεψεν εἰς τὸν χοῦν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὁ διαλογισμὸς αὐτοῦ ἀπολεῖται. | 63 To day he shall be lifted up and to morrow he shall not be found, because he is returned into his dust, and his thought is come to nothing. |
| 64 τέκνα ἀνδρίζεσθε καὶ ἰσχύσατε ἐν τῷ νόμῳ ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ δοξασθήσεσθε. | 64 Wherefore, ye my sons, be valiant and shew yourselves men in the behalf of the law; for by it shall ye obtain glory. |
| 65 καὶ ἰδοὺ Συμεὼν ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὑμῶν, οἶδα ὅτι ἀνὴρ βουλῆς ἐστιν, αὐτοῦ ἀκούετε πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας, αὐτὸς ἔσται ὑμῶν πατήρ. | 65 And behold, I know that your brother Simon is a man of counsel, give ear unto him alway: he shall be a father unto you. |
| 66 καὶ Ἰούδας Μακκαβαῖος ἰσχυρὸς δυνάμει ἐκ νεότητος αὐτοῦ, αὐτὸς ἔσται ὑμῖν ἄρχων στρατιᾶς καὶ πολεμήσει πόλεμον λαῶν. | 66 As for Judas Maccabeus, he hath been mighty and strong, even from his youth up: let him be your captain, and fight the battle of the people. |
| 67 καὶ ὑμεῖς προσάξετε πρὸς ὑμᾶς πάντας τοὺς ποιητὰς τοῦ νόμου καὶ ἐκδικήσατε ἐκδίκησιν τοῦ λαοῦ ὑμῶν· | 67 Take also unto you all those that observe the law, and avenge ye the wrong of your people. |
| 68 ἀνταπόδοτε ἀνταπόδομα τοῖς ἔθνεσιν καὶ προσέχετε εἰς πρόσταγμα τοῦ νόμου. — | 68 Recompense fully the heathen, and take heed to the commandments of the law. |
| 69 καὶ εὐλόγησεν αὐτούς· καὶ προσετέθη πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας αὐτοῦ. | 69 So he blessed them, and was gathered to his fathers. |
| 70 καὶ ἀπέθανεν ἐν τῷ ἕκτῳ καὶ τεσσαρακοστῷ καὶ ἑκατοστῷ ἔτει καὶ ἐτάφη ἐν τάφοις πατέρων αὐτοῦ ἐν Μωδεΐν, καὶ ἐκόψαντο αὐτὸν πᾶς Ἰσραὴλ κοπετὸν μέγαν. | 70 And he died in the hundred forty and sixth year, and his sons buried him in the sepulchres of his fathers at Modin, and all Israel made great lamentation for him. |