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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Judas Maccabeus Defeats Lysias
(1 Maccabees 4.26–35)
1 Not long after Timothy was
defeated, Lysias, the King's
guardian and relative, and head of
the government, heard what had
happened. He became angry
2 and
led 80,000 infantry and all his cavalry
against the Jews with the intention
of turning Jerusalem into a
Greek city.
3 The Temple would be
taxed, as were all Gentile places of
worship, and the office of High
Priest would be up for sale each
year.
4 Lysias was so pleased with
his tens of thousands of infantry, his
thousands of cavalry, and his eighty
elephants that he failed to take into
account the power of God.
5 He invaded
Judea and attacked the fort of
Bethzur, about twenty miles south
of Jerusalem.
6 When Judas and his men heard
that Lysias was laying siege to their
forts, they and all the people cried
and wept, begging the Lord to send a
good angel to save them.
7 Judas
was the first to take up his weapons,
and he urged the others to join him
in risking their lives to help their fellow
Jews. So with great eagerness
they all set out together.
8 But they
had not gone far from Jerusalem,
when suddenly they noticed they
-- --
were being led by a horseman
dressed in white and carrying gold
weapons.
9 Immediately all of them
together thanked God for his mercy;
he had made them brave enough to
attack not only men, but even the
most savage animals or even walls
of iron.
10 So they marched in battle
formation, and with them went the
one whom the Lord in his mercy had
sent to fight on their side.
11 Then
they charged into the enemy like
lions, killing 11,000 infantry and
1,600 cavalry, and forcing the rest to
run for their lives.
12 Most of those
who ran were wounded and had lost
their weapons, and Lysias himself
managed to escape only because he
ran away like a coward.
Lysias Makes Peace with the Jews
(1 Maccabees 6.56–61)
13 Lysias was no fool. As he
thought about the defeat he had suffered,
he realized it was because the
mighty God had fought for the Jews,
making it impossible for them to be
defeated. So he sent a message to
the Jews,
14 trying to persuade them
to agree to a just settlement and
promising to do all he could to make
the king friendly toward them. note
15 Judas Maccabeus considered what
would be best for the people, and so
he agreed to all the proposals Lysias
had made, since the king had
granted every written request that
Judas had presented to Lysias. note
The Letter of Lysias to the Jews
16 Here is a copy of the letter
which Lysias wrote to the Jews:
16 “Lysias to the Jewish people,
greetings.
17 Your representatives
John and Absalom have delivered
to me the official document
you sent with them, and
they have asked me to agree to
what is contained in it.
18 I have
informed the king of the matters
that needed to be brought to his
attention, and he has agreed to
do whatever is possible.
19 If you
continue to be loyal to the government,
I will do everything I
can in the future to benefit your
nation.
20 I have instructed your
representatives and mine to
meet with you to discuss the details
of these matters.
21 May all
go well with you. Dated the
twenty-fourth day of the month
of Dioscorinthius in the year
148.” note
The King's Letter to Lysias
22 Here is a copy of the King's letter:
22 “King Antiochus to the honorable
Lysias, greetings.
23 Now
that my father has gone to be
with the gods, I want the subjects
of my kingdom to conduct
their own affairs without interference.
24 I understand that the
Jews do not wish to adopt the
Greek way of life, as my father
had intended, but prefer their
own way of life and have requested
that they be allowed to
live according to their own customs.
25 Since I desire that they
live undisturbed like the other
nations in my empire, I hereby
decree that their Temple be restored
to them and that they be
allowed to live according to the
customs of their ancestors.
26 Please inform them of this decision
and assure them of my
friendship, so that they may conduct
their own affairs in peace,
without anything to worry
about.”
27 Here is a copy of the king's letter
to the Jewish people:
27 “King Antiochus to the Jewish
leaders and all the Jews, greetings.
28 I hope that all is going
well for you. I am in good health.
29 Menelaus has informed me of
your desire to return home and
attend to your own affairs.
30 So
then, those of you who return
home by the thirtieth of the
month of Xanthicus may rest assured
that you have nothing to
-- --
fear.
31 You may continue to observe
your food laws and other
laws, as you used to do, and no
Jew will be punished for any
crime done in ignorance.
32 I am
sending Menelaus to set your
minds at ease.
33 May all go well
with you. Dated the fifteenth day
of the month of Xanthicus in the
year 148.” note
The Letter of the Romans to the Jews
34 The Romans also sent the Jews
the following letter:
34 “Quintus Memmius and Titus
Manius, representatives of the
Romans, to the Jews, greetings.
35 We are in complete agreement
with all that has been granted to
you by the honorable Lysias.
36 We are now on our way to Antioch,
so please examine carefully
those matters that Lysias
referred to the king. Then send a
reply to us immediately so that
we can represent your best interests
before him. Do this as soon
as you can,
37 without delay, so
that we may know what you
have decided.
38 May all go well
with you. Dated the fifteenth day
of the month of Xanthicus in the
year 148.”
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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