The Holy Scripture
Chapter II
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.
ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἀνέστη Ματταθιας υἱὸς Ιωαννου τοῦ Συμεων ἱερεὺς τῶν υἱῶν Ιωαριβ ἀπὸ Ιερουσαλημ καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἐν Μωδεϊν
And he had five sons, Joannan, called Caddis:
καὶ αὐτῷ υἱοὶ πέντε Ιωαννης ὁ ἐπικαλούμενος Γαδδι
Simon, called Thassi:
Σιμων ὁ καλούμενος Θασσι
Judas, who was called Maccabeus:
Ιουδας ὁ καλούμενος Μακκαβαῖος
Eleazar, called Avaran: and Jonathan, whose surname was Apphus.
Ελεαζαρ ὁ καλούμενος Αυαραν Ιωναθης ὁ καλούμενος Απφους
And when he saw the blasphemies that were committed in Juda and Jerusalem,
καὶ εἶδεν τὰς βλασφημίας τὰς γινομένας ἐν Ιουδα καὶ ἐν Ιερουσαλημ
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?
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
Her temple is become as a man without glory.
ἐγένετο ὁ ναὸς αὐτῆς ὡς ἀνὴρ ἄδοξος
Her glorious vessels are carried away into captivity, her infants are slain in the streets, her young men with the sword of the enemy.
τὰ σκεύη τῆς δόξης αὐτῆς αἰχμάλωτα ἀπήχθη ἀπεκτάνθη τὰ νήπια αὐτῆς ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις αὐτῆς οἱ νεανίσκοι αὐτῆς ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ ἐχθροῦ
What nation hath not had a part in [her] kingdom, and gotten of her spoils?
ποῖον ἔθνος οὐκ ἐκληρονόμησεν βασίλεια καὶ οὐκ ἐκράτησεν τῶν σκύλων αὐτῆς
All her ornaments are taken away; of a free woman she has become a bondslave.
πᾶς ὁ κόσμος αὐτῆς ἀφῃρέθη ἀντὶ ἐλευθέρας ἐγένετο εἰς δούλην
And, behold, our sanctuary, even our beauty and our glory, is laid waste, and the Gentiles have profaned it.
καὶ ἰδοὺ τὰ ἅγια ἡμῶν καὶ ἡ καλλονὴ ἡμῶν καὶ ἡ δόξα ἡμῶν ἠρημώθη καὶ ἐβεβήλωσαν αὐτὰ τὰ ἔθνη
To what end therefore shall we live any longer?
ἵνα τί ἡμῖν ἔτι ζωή
Then Mattathias and his sons rent their clothes, and put on sackcloth, and mourned very sore.
καὶ διέρρηξεν Ματταθιας καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῶν καὶ περιεβάλοντο σάκκους καὶ ἐπένθησαν σφόδρα
In the mean while the king's officers, such as compelled the people to revolt, came into the city Modin, to make them sacrifice.
καὶ ἦλθον οἱ παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως οἱ καταναγκάζοντες τὴν ἀποστασίαν εἰς Μωδεϊν τὴν πόλιν ἵνα θυσιάσωσιν
And when many of Israel came unto them, Mattathias also and his sons came together.
καὶ πολλοὶ ἀπὸ Ισραηλ πρὸς αὐτοὺς προσῆλθον καὶ Ματταθιας καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ συνήχθησαν
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:
καὶ ἀπεκρίθησαν οἱ παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ εἶπον τῷ Ματταθια λέγοντες ἄρχων καὶ ἔνδοξος καὶ μέγας εἶ ἐν τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ καὶ ἐστηρισμένος υἱοῖς καὶ ἀδελφοῖς
now therefore come thou first, and fulfil the king's commandment, like as all the nations 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.
νῦν πρόσελθε πρῶτος καὶ ποίησον τὸ πρόσταγμα τοῦ βασιλέως ὡς ἐποίησαν πάντα τὰ ἔθνη καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες Ιουδα καὶ οἱ καταλειφθέντες ἐν Ιερουσαλημ καὶ ἔσῃ σὺ καὶ οἱ υἱοί σου τῶν φίλων τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ σὺ καὶ οἱ υἱοί σου δοξασθήσεσθε ἀργυρίῳ καὶ χρυσίῳ καὶ ἀποστολαῖς πολλαῖς
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:
καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Ματταθιας 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
yet will I and my sons and my brethren walk in the covenant of our fathers.
κἀγὼ καὶ οἱ υἱοί μου καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί μου πορευσόμεθα ἐν διαθήκῃ πατέρων ἡμῶν
God forbid that we should forsake the law and the ordinances.
ἵλεως ἡμῖν καταλιπεῖν νόμον καὶ δικαιώματα
We will not hearken to the king's words, to go from our religion, either on the right hand, or the left.
τῶν λόγων τοῦ βασιλέως οὐκ ἀκουσόμεθα παρελθεῖν τὴν λατρείαν ἡμῶν δεξιὰν ἢ ἀριστεράν
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.
καὶ ὡς ἐπαύσατο λαλῶν τοὺς λόγους τούτους προσῆλθεν ἀνὴρ Ιουδαῖος ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς πάντων θυσιάσαι ἐπὶ τοῦ βωμοῦ ἐν Μωδεϊν κατὰ τὸ πρόσταγμα τοῦ βασιλέως
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.
καὶ εἶδεν Ματταθιας καὶ ἐζήλωσεν καὶ ἐτρόμησαν οἱ νεφροὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνήνεγκεν θυμὸν κατὰ τὸ κρίμα καὶ δραμὼν ἔσφαξεν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὸν βωμόν
Also the king's commissioner, who compelled men to sacrifice, he killed at that time, and the altar he pulled down.
καὶ τὸν ἄνδρα τοῦ βασιλέως τὸν ἀναγκάζοντα θύειν ἀπέκτεινεν ἐν τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ καὶ τὸν βωμὸν καθεῖλεν
Thus dealt he zealously for the law of God, like as Phinees did unto Zambri the son of Salom.
καὶ ἐζήλωσεν τῷ νόμῳ καθὼς ἐποίησεν Φινεες τῷ Ζαμβρι υἱῷ Σαλωμ
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.
καὶ ἀνέκραξεν Ματταθιας ἐν τῇ πόλει φωνῇ μεγάλῃ λέγων πᾶς ὁ ζηλῶν τῷ νόμῳ καὶ ἱστῶν διαθήκην ἐξελθέτω ὀπίσω μου
So he and his sons fled into the mountains, and left all that ever they had in the city.
καὶ ἔφυγεν αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὰ ὄρη καὶ ἐγκατέλιπον ὅσα εἶχον ἐν τῇ πόλει
Then many that sought after justice and judgment went down into the wilderness, to dwell there:
τότε κατέβησαν πολλοὶ ζητοῦντες δικαιοσύνην καὶ κρίμα εἰς τὴν ἔρημον καθίσαι ἐκεῖ
both they and their children, and their wives, and their cattle; because afflictions increased sore upon them.
αὐτοὶ καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτῶν καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες αὐτῶν καὶ τὰ κτήνη αὐτῶν ὅτι ἐσκληρύνθη ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς τὰ κακά
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,
καὶ ἀνηγγέλη τοῖς ἀνδράσιν τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ ταῖς δυνάμεσιν αἳ ἦσαν ἐν Ιερουσαλημ πόλει Δαυιδ ὅτι κατέβησαν ἄνδρες οἵτινες διεσκέδασαν τὴν ἐντολὴν τοῦ βασιλέως εἰς τοὺς κρύφους ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ
they pursued after them a great number, and having overtaken them, they camped against them, and made war against them on the sabbath day.
καὶ ἔδραμον ὀπίσω αὐτῶν πολλοὶ καὶ κατελάβοντο αὐτοὺς καὶ παρενέβαλον ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς καὶ συνεστήσαντο πρὸς αὐτοὺς πόλεμον ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῶν σαββάτων
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.
καὶ εἶπον πρὸς αὐτούς ἕως τοῦ νῦν ἐξελθόντες ποιήσατε κατὰ τὸν λόγον τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ ζήσεσθε
But they said, We will not come forth, neither will we do the king's commandment, to profane the sabbath day.
καὶ εἶπον οὐκ ἐξελευσόμεθα οὐδὲ ποιήσομεν τὸν λόγον τοῦ βασιλέως βεβηλῶσαι τὴν ἡμέραν τῶν σαββάτων
So then they gave them the battle with all speed.
καὶ ἐτάχυναν ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς πόλεμον
Howbeit they answered them not, neither cast they a stone at them, nor stopped the places where they lay hid;
καὶ οὐκ ἀπεκρίθησαν αὐτοῖς οὐδὲ λίθον ἐνετίναξαν αὐτοῖς οὐδὲ ἐνέφραξαν τοὺς κρύφους
but said, Let us die all in our innocency: heaven and earth shall testify for us, that ye put us to death wrongfully.
λέγοντες ἀποθάνωμεν πάντες ἐν τῇ ἁπλότητι ἡμῶν μαρτυρεῖ ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ ὅτι ἀκρίτως ἀπόλλυτε ἡμᾶς
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.
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
Now when Mattathias and his friends understood hereof, they mourned for them right sore.
καὶ ἔγνω Ματταθιας καὶ οἱ φίλοι αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπένθησαν ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς σφόδρα
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.
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
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.
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
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.
τότε συνήχθησαν πρὸς αὐτοὺς συναγωγὴ Ασιδαίων ἰσχυροὶ δυνάμει ἀπὸ Ισραηλ πᾶς ὁ ἑκουσιαζόμενος τῷ νόμῳ
Also all they that fled for persecution joined themselves unto them, and were a stay unto them.
καὶ πάντες οἱ φυγαδεύοντες ἀπὸ τῶν κακῶν προσετέθησαν αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐγένοντο αὐτοῖς εἰς στήριγμα
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.
καὶ συνεστήσαντο δύναμιν καὶ ἐπάταξαν ἁμαρτωλοὺς ἐν ὀργῇ αὐτῶν καὶ ἄνδρας ἀνόμους ἐν θυμῷ αὐτῶν καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ ἔφυγον εἰς τὰ ἔθνη σωθῆναι
Then Mattathias and his friends went round about, and pulled down the altars:
καὶ ἐκύκλωσεν Ματταθιας καὶ οἱ φίλοι αὐτοῦ καὶ καθεῖλον τοὺς βωμοὺς
and what children soever they found within the coast of Israel uncircumcised, those they circumcised valiantly.
καὶ περιέτεμον τὰ παιδάρια τὰ ἀπερίτμητα ὅσα εὗρον ἐν ὁρίοις Ισραηλ ἐν ἰσχύι
They pursued also after the proud men, and the work prospered in their hand.
καὶ ἐδίωξαν τοὺς υἱοὺς τῆς ὑπερηφανίας καὶ κατευοδώθη τὸ ἔργον ἐν χειρὶ αὐτῶν
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.
καὶ ἀντελάβοντο τοῦ νόμου ἐκ χειρὸς τῶν ἐθνῶν καὶ τῶν βασιλέων καὶ οὐκ ἔδωκαν κέρας τῷ ἁμαρτωλῷ
Now when the time drew near that Mattathias should die, he said unto his sons, Now have pride and rebuke gotten strength, and the time of destruction, and the wrath of indignation:
καὶ ἤγγισαν αἱ ἡμέραι Ματταθιου ἀποθανεῖν καὶ εἶπεν τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτοῦ νῦν ἐστηρίσθη ὑπερηφανία καὶ ἐλεγμὸς καὶ καιρὸς καταστροφῆς καὶ ὀργὴ θυμοῦ
now therefore, my sons, be ye zealous for the law, and give your lives for the covenant of your fathers.
νῦν τέκνα ζηλώσατε τῷ νόμῳ καὶ δότε τὰς ψυχὰς ὑμῶν ὑπὲρ διαθήκης πατέρων ἡμῶν
Call to remembrance what acts our fathers did in their time; so shall ye receive great honour and an everlasting name.
καὶ μνήσθητε τὰ ἔργα τῶν πατέρων ἃ ἐποίησαν ἐν ταῖς γενεαῖς αὐτῶν καὶ δέξασθε δόξαν μεγάλην καὶ ὄνομα αἰώνιον
Was not Abraham found faithful in temptation, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness?
Αβρααμ οὐχὶ ἐν πειρασμῷ εὑρέθη πιστός καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην
Joseph in the time of his distress kept the commandment, and was made lord of Egypt;
Ιωσηφ ἐν καιρῷ στενοχωρίας αὐτοῦ ἐφύλαξεν ἐντολὴν καὶ ἐγένετο κύριος Αἰγύπτου
Phinees our father in being zealous and fervent obtained the covenant of an everlasting priesthood.
Φινεες ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν ἐν τῷ ζηλῶσαι ζῆλον ἔλαβεν διαθήκην ἱερωσύνης αἰωνίας
Jesus for fulfilling the word was made a judge in Israel.
Ἰησοῦς ἐν τῷ πληρῶσαι λόγον ἐγένετο κριτὴς ἐν Ισραηλ
Caleb for bearing witness before the congregation received the heritage of the land.
Χαλεβ ἐν τῷ μαρτύρασθαι ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ ἔλαβεν γῆς κληρονομίαν
David for being merciful possessed the throne of an everlasting kingdom.
Δαυιδ ἐν τῷ ἐλέει αὐτοῦ ἐκληρονόμησεν θρόνον βασιλείας εἰς αἰῶνας
Elias for being zealous and fervent for the law was taken up into heaven.
Ηλιας ἐν τῷ ζηλῶσαι ζῆλον νόμου ἀνελήμφθη εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν
Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, by believing were saved out of the flame.
Ανανιας Αζαριας Μισαηλ πιστεύσαντες ἐσώθησαν ἐκ φλογός
Daniel for his innocency was delivered from the mouth of lions.
Δανιηλ ἐν τῇ ἁπλότητι αὐτοῦ ἐρρύσθη ἐκ στόματος λεόντων
And thus consider ye throughout all ages, that none that put their trust in him shall be overcome.
καὶ οὕτως ἐννοήθητε κατὰ γενεὰν καὶ γενεάν ὅτι πάντες οἱ ἐλπίζοντες ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν οὐκ ἀσθενήσουσιν
Fear not then the words of a sinful man: for his glory shall be dung and worms.
καὶ ἀπὸ λόγων ἀνδρὸς ἁμαρτωλοῦ μὴ φοβηθῆτε ὅτι ἡ δόξα αὐτοῦ εἰς κόπρια καὶ εἰς σκώληκας
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.
σήμερον ἐπαρθήσεται καὶ αὔριον οὐ μὴ εὑρεθῇ ὅτι ἐπέστρεψεν εἰς τὸν χοῦν αὐτοῦ καὶ ὁ διαλογισμὸς αὐτοῦ ἀπολεῖται
Wherefore, ye my sons, be valiant, and shew yourselves men in the behalf of the law; for by it shall ye obtain glory.
τέκνα ἀνδρίζεσθε καὶ ἰσχύσατε ἐν τῷ νόμῳ ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ δοξασθήσεσθε
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.
καὶ ἰδοὺ Συμεων ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὑμῶν οἶδα ὅτι ἀνὴρ βουλῆς ἐστιν αὐτοῦ ἀκούετε πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας αὐτὸς ἔσται ὑμῶν πατήρ
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.
καὶ Ιουδας Μακκαβαῖος ἰσχυρὸς δυνάμει ἐκ νεότητος αὐτοῦ αὐτὸς ἔσται ὑμῖν ἄρχων στρατιᾶς καὶ πολεμήσει πόλεμον λαῶν
Take also unto you all those that observe the law, and avenge ye the wrong of your people.
καὶ ὑμεῖς προσάξετε πρὸς ὑμᾶς πάντας τοὺς ποιητὰς τοῦ νόμου καὶ ἐκδικήσατε ἐκδίκησιν τοῦ λαοῦ ὑμῶν
Recompense fully the heathen, and take heed to the commandments of the law.
ἀνταπόδοτε ἀνταπόδομα τοῖς ἔθνεσιν καὶ προσέχετε εἰς πρόσταγμα τοῦ νόμου
So he blessed them, and was gathered to his fathers.
καὶ εὐλόγησεν αὐτούς καὶ προσετέθη πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας αὐτοῦ
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.
καὶ ἀπέθανεν ἐν τῷ ἕκτῳ καὶ τεσσαρακοστῷ καὶ ἑκατοστῷ ἔτει καὶ ἐτάφη ἐν τάφοις πατέρων αὐτοῦ ἐν Μωδεϊν καὶ ἐκόψαντο αὐτὸν πᾶς Ισραηλ κοπετὸν μέγαν