Good News [1976], GOOD NEWS BIBLE WITH DEUTEROCANONICALS / APOCRYPHA Today's English Version (AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY, New York) [word count] [B15000].
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The Treaty with the Romans
1 Judas had heard about the Romans
and their reputation as a
military power. He knew that they
welcomed all those who joined them
as allies and that those who came to
them could be sure of the friendship
of Rome.
2 People had told him
about the wars the Romans had
fought and their heroic acts among
the Gauls, whom they had conquered
and forced to pay taxes.
3 He
had been told what they had done in
Spain when they captured the silver
mines and the gold mines there.
4 By
careful planning and persistence,
they had conquered the whole country,
even though it was far from
Rome. They had overcome the kings
from distant lands who had fought
against them; they had defeated
them so badly that the survivors had
to pay annual taxes.
5 They had
fought and conquered Philip and
Perseus, kings of Macedonia, and all
who had joined them against Rome.
6 They had even defeated Antiochus
the Great, king of Syria, who had attacked
them with 120 elephants,
cavalry, chariots, and a powerful
army.
7 They took him alive and
forced him and his successors to pay
heavy taxes, to give hostages, and to
surrender
8 India, Media, Lydia, and
some of their best lands. They took
-- --
these and gave them to King Eumenes. note
9 When the Greeks made plans to
attack and destroy them,
10 the Romans
learned of the plans and sent a
general to fight against them. The
Romans killed many of the Greeks,
took their wives and children captive,
plundered their possessions, occupied
their land, tore down their
fortresses, and made them slaves, as
they are today.
11 They also destroyed
or made slaves of other
kingdoms, the islands, and everyone
who had ever fought against them.
12 But they maintained their friendship
with their allies and those who
relied on them for protection. They
conquered kings near and far, and
everyone who heard of their reputation
was afraid of them.
13 They
helped some men to become kings,
while they deposed others; they had
become a world power.
14 In spite of
all this, no Roman ever tried to advance
his own position by wearing a
crown or putting on royal robes.
15 They created a senate, and each
day 320 senators came together to
deliberate about the affairs of the
people and their well-being.
16 Each
year they entrusted to one man the
responsibility of governing them and
controlling their whole territory.
Everyone obeyed this one man, and
there was no envy or jealousy
among them.
17 Judas chose Eupolemus, the son
of John and grandson of Accos, and
Jason son of Eleazar and sent them
to Rome to make a treaty of friendship
and alliance with the Romans. note
18 He did this to eliminate Syrian oppression,
since the Jews clearly saw
that they were being reduced to
slavery.
19 After a long and difficult
journey, Eupolemus and Jason
reached Rome and entered the Senate.
They addressed the assembly in
these terms:
20 “Judas Maccabeus,
his brothers, and the Jewish people
have sent us here to make a mutual
defense treaty with you, so that we
may be officially recorded as your
friends and allies.”
21 The Romans accepted the proposal,
22 and what follows is a copy
of the letter which was engraved on
bronze tablets and sent to Jerusalem
to remain there as a record of the
treaty: note
23 “May things go well forever
for the Romans and for the Jewish
nation on land and sea! May
they never have enemies, and
may they never go to war!
24 But
if war is declared first against
Rome or any of her allies anywhere,
25 the Jewish nation will
come to her aid with wholehearted
support, as the situation
may require.
26 And to those at
war with her, the Jews shall not
give or supply food, arms, money,
or ships, as was agreed in
Rome. The Jews must carry out
their obligations without receiving
anything in return.
27 “In the same way, if war is
declared first against the Jewish
nation, the Romans will come to
their aid with hearty support, as
the situation may require.
28 And
to their enemies there shall not
be given or supplied food, arms,
money, or ships, as was agreed
in Rome. The Romans must carry
out their obligations without
deception.
29 “These are the terms of the
treaty that the Romans have
made with the Jewish people.
30 But if, in the future, both parties
shall agree to add or remove
anything, they shall act on their
decision, and whatever they add
or remove shall be valid.
31 “Furthermore, concerning
the wrongs which King Demetrius
is doing against the Jews,
we have written him as follows,
‘Why have you treated our
friends and allies, the Jews, so
harshly?
32 If they complain to us
about you one more time, we
will support their cause and go
to war against you on land and
sea.’”
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Good News [1976], GOOD NEWS BIBLE WITH DEUTEROCANONICALS / APOCRYPHA Today's English Version (AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY, New York) [word count] [B15000].
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