1 Maccabees 1

1After Alexander, the son of Philip the Macedonian, came out of the land of Kittim and conquered Macedonia, and defeated Darius the king of the Persians and the Medes, and reigned in his place—he was already king of Greece—

καὶ ἐγένετο μετὰ τὸ πατάξαι Ἀλέξανδρον τὸν Φιλίππου Μακεδόνα ὃς ἐξῆλθεν ἐκ γῆς Χεττιιμ καὶ ἐπάταξεν τὸν Δαρεῖον βασιλέα Περσῶν καὶ Μήδων καὶ ἐβασίλευσεν ἀντ᾿ αὐτοῦ πρότερον ἐπὶ τὴν Ἑλλάδα

2he then fought numerous wars, conquered fortresses, and slaughtered the kings of the earth.

καὶ συνεστήσατο πολέμους πολλοὺς καὶ ἐκράτησεν ὀχυρωμάτων καὶ ἔσφαξεν βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς

3He went to the ends of the earth and took the spoils of many nations. So the earth rested from war before him, and he was exalted; his heart was likewise encouraged.

καὶ διῆλθεν ἕως ἄκρων τῆς γῆς καὶ ἔλαβεν σκῦλα πλήθους ἐθνῶν καὶ ἡσύχασεν ἡ γῆ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ καὶ ὑψώθη καὶ ἐπήρθη ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ

4He formed a mighty army and ruled countries, nations, and princes, and they all paid taxes to him.

καὶ συνῆξεν δύναμιν ἰσχυρὰν σφόδρα καὶ ἦρξεν χωρῶν ἐθνῶν καὶ τυράννων καὶ ἐγένοντο αὐτῷ εἰς φόρον

5Then later, he fell sick, and he knew he was dying.

καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὴν κοίτην καὶ ἔγνω ὅτι ἀποθνῄσκει

6So he brought in his trusted servants who had grown up with him from childhood, and parceled out his kingdom to them while he was still living.

καὶ ἐκάλεσεν τοὺς παῖδας αὐτοῦ τοὺς ἐνδόξους τοὺς συνεκτρόφους αὐτοῦ ἐκ νεότητος καὶ διεῖλεν αὐτοῖς τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ ἔτι αὐτοῦ ζῶντος

7After Alexander reigned for twelve years, death claimed him.

καὶ ἐβασίλευσεν Ἀλέξανδρος ἔτη δώδεκα καὶ ἀπέθανεν

8Then his servants began to rule, each in his appointed place.

καὶ ἐπεκράτησαν οἱ παῖδες αὐτοῦ ἕκαστος ἐν τῷ τόπῳ αὐτοῦ

9They all put on crowns after he died, and their sons for many years after them, and the evils they caused multiplied on the earth.

καὶ ἐπέθεντο πάντες διαδήματα μετὰ τὸ ἀποθανεῖν αὐτὸν καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτῶν ὀπίσω αὐτῶν ἔτη πολλὰ καὶ ἐπλήθυναν κακὰ ἐν τῇ γῇ

10A sinful root came forth from them, Antiochus Epiphanes, the son of Antiochus the king, who was a hostage in Rome. He began his reign in the one hundred and thirty-seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.

καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἐξ αὐτῶν ῥίζα ἁμαρτωλὸς Ἀντίοχος Ἐπιφανὴς υἱὸς Ἀντιόχου τοῦ βασιλέως ὃς ἦν ὅμηρα ἐν Ῥώμῃ καὶ ἐβασίλευσεν ἐν ἔτει ἑκατοστῷ καὶ τριακοστῷ καὶ ἑβδόμῳ βασιλείας Ἑλλήνων

11In those days lawless men came forth from the sons of Israel, and they persuaded many, saying, 'Let us make a covenant with the Gentiles surrounding us, forever since we were separated from them, many evils have found us.'

ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἐξῆλθον ἐξ Ισραηλ υἱοὶ παράνομοι καὶ ἀνέπεισαν πολλοὺς λέγοντες πορευθῶμεν καὶ διαθώμεθα διαθήκην μετὰ τῶν ἐθνῶν τῶν κύκλῳ ἡμῶν ὅτι ἀφ᾿ ἧς ἐχωρίσθημεν ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν εὗρεν ἡμᾶς κακὰ πολλά

12This proposal found favor in their eyes,

καὶ ἠγαθύνθη ὁ λόγος ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτῶν

13and some of the people eagerly desired to enter into this agreement. So they went to the king, and he gave them authority to observe the ordinances of the Gentiles.

καὶ προεθυμήθησάν τινες ἀπὸ τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν ποιῆσαι τὰ δικαιώματα τῶν ἐθνῶν

14Then they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem according to the customs of the Gentiles,

καὶ ᾠκοδόμησαν γυμνάσιον ἐν Ιεροσολύμοις κατὰ τὰ νόμιμα τῶν ἐθνῶν

15and made themselves as the uncircumcision. So they fell away from the holy covenant, yoked themselves to the Gentiles, and sold themselves to do evil.

καὶ ἐποίησαν ἑαυτοῖς ἀκροβυστίας καὶ ἀπέστησαν ἀπὸ διαθήκης ἁγίας καὶ ἐζευγίσθησαν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν καὶ ἐπράθησαν τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ πονηρόν

16Thus the kingdom was prepared before Antiochus, and he determined he would reign over the land of Egypt, so as to rule over two kingdoms.

καὶ ἡτοιμάσθη ἡ βασιλεία ἐνώπιον Ἀντιόχου καὶ ὑπέλαβεν βασιλεῦσαι γῆς Αἰγύπτου ὅπως βασιλεύσῃ ἐπὶ τὰς δύο βασιλείας

17Thus he entered Egypt with a strong multitude of chariots, elephants, cavalrymen, and a large army.

καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς Αἴγυπτον ἐν ὄχλῳ βαρεῖ ἐν ἅρμασιν καὶ ἐλέφασιν καὶ ἐν ἱππεῦσιν καὶ ἐν στόλῳ μεγάλῳ

18He engaged Ptolemy king of Egypt in battle, and Ptolemy turned from him in shame and fled. Many were wounded and fell.

καὶ συνεστήσατο πόλεμον πρὸς Πτολεμαῖον βασιλέα Αἰγύπτου καὶ ἐνετράπη Πτολεμαῖος ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔφυγεν καὶ ἔπεσον τραυματίαι πολλοί

19So they captured mighty cities in Egypt, and Antiochus took spoils in the land of Egypt.

καὶ κατελάβοντο τὰς πόλεις τὰς ὀχυρὰς ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ καὶ ἔλαβεν τὰ σκῦλα γῆς Αἰγύπτου

20After he conquered Egypt in the one hundred and forty-third year, Antiochus turned and went up to Israel and Jerusalem with a large army.

καὶ ἐπέστρεψεν Ἀντίοχος μετὰ τὸ πατάξαι Αἴγυπτον ἐν τῷ ἑκατοστῷ καὶ τεσσαρακοστῷ καὶ τρίτῳ ἔτει καὶ ἀνέβη ἐπὶ Ισραηλ καὶ ἀνέβη εἰς Ιεροσόλυμα ἐν ὄχλῳ βαρεῖ

21He entered the sanctuary in arrogance and took the golden altar, the lampstand, all the utensils,

καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸ ἁγίασμα ἐν ὑπερηφανίᾳ καὶ ἔλαβεν τὸ θυσιαστήριον τὸ χρυσοῦν καὶ τὴν λυχνίαν τοῦ φωτὸς καὶ πάντα τὰ σκεύη αὐτῆς

22the table of presentation, the cups and bowls, the golden censers, the curtain, the crowns, and the golden ornaments on the face of the temple. He stripped everything,

καὶ τὴν τράπεζαν τῆς προθέσεως καὶ τὰ σπονδεῖα καὶ τὰς φιάλας καὶ τὰς θυΐσκας τὰς χρυσᾶς καὶ τὸ καταπέτασμα καὶ τοὺς στεφάνους καὶ τὸν κόσμον τὸν χρυσοῦν τὸν κατὰ πρόσωπον τοῦ ναοῦ καὶ ἐλέπισεν πάντα

23and took the silver and the gold and everything costly, and the hidden treasures he found.

καὶ ἔλαβεν τὸ ἀργύριον καὶ τὸ χρυσίον καὶ τὰ σκεύη τὰ ἐπιθυμητὰ καὶ ἔλαβεν τοὺς θησαυροὺς τοὺς ἀποκρύφους οὓς εὗρεν

24Taking all these things, he departed for his own land. He committed deeds of murder and spoke with great arrogance.

καὶ λαβὼν πάντα ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὴν γῆν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐποίησεν φονοκτονίαν καὶ ἐλάλησεν ὑπερηφανίαν μεγάλην

25There was great mourning everywhere in Israel,

καὶ ἐγένετο πένθος μέγα ἐπὶ Ισραηλ ἐν παντὶ τόπῳ αὐτῶν

26Rulers and elders groaned, Virgins and young men grew weak, And the beauty of the women was altered.

καὶ ἐστέναξαν ἄρχοντες καὶ πρεσβύτεροι παρθένοι καὶ νεανίσκοι ἠσθένησαν καὶ τὸ κάλλος τῶν γυναικῶν ἠλλοιώθη

27Every bridegroom took up a lament And sat mourning in his bridal chamber.

πᾶς νυμφίος ἀνέλαβεν θρῆνον καὶ καθημένη ἐν παστῷ ἐπένθει

28The land was shaken for its inhabitants, And all the house of Jacob was clothed with shame.

καὶ ἐσείσθη ἡ γῆ ἐπὶ τοὺς κατοικοῦντας αὐτήν καὶ πᾶς ὁ οἶκος Ιακωβ ἐνεδύσατο αἰσχύνην

29After two years, the king sent a revenue official to the cities of Judah, and he entered Jerusalem with a large army.

μετὰ δύο ἔτη ἡμερῶν ἀπέστειλεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ἄρχοντα φορολογίας εἰς τὰς πόλεις Ιουδα καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς Ιερουσαλημ ἐν ὄχλῳ βαρεῖ

30Antiochus spoke peaceable words to them with deceit, and they believed him. Then he fell upon the city suddenly, struck it a great blow, and killed many people from Israel.

καὶ ἐλάλησεν αὐτοῖς λόγους εἰρηνικοὺς ἐν δόλῳ καὶ ἐνεπίστευσαν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐπέπεσεν ἐπὶ τὴν πόλιν ἐξάπινα καὶ ἐπάταξεν αὐτὴν πληγὴν μεγάλην καὶ ἀπώλεσεν λαὸν πολὺν ἐξ Ισραηλ

31He took spoils from the city, set it on fire, and tore down its houses and the city walls.

καὶ ἔλαβεν τὰ σκῦλα τῆς πόλεως καὶ ἐνέπρησεν αὐτὴν πυρὶ καὶ καθεῖλεν τοὺς οἴκους αὐτῆς καὶ τὰ τείχη κύκλῳ

32They took captive the women and the children and took possession of the animals.

καὶ ᾐχμαλώτισαν τὰς γυναῖκας καὶ τὰ τέκνα καὶ τὰ κτήνη ἐκληρονόμησαν

33Then they built the city of David with a great and strong wall and strong towers, and it became their citadel.

καὶ ᾠκοδόμησαν τὴν πόλιν Δαυιδ τείχει μεγάλῳ καὶ ὀχυρῷ πύργοις ὀχυροῖς καὶ ἐγένετο αὐτοῖς εἰς ἄκραν

34They placed there a sinful nation of lawless men, and they became strong within it.

καὶ ἔθηκαν ἐκεῖ ἔθνος ἁμαρτωλόν ἄνδρας παρανόμους καὶ ἐνίσχυσαν ἐν αὐτῇ

35And they laid up weapons and provisions, and gathered together the spoils they had taken from Jerusalem. Then they returned there and were like a great snare.

καὶ παρέθεντο ὅπλα καὶ τροφὴν καὶ συναγαγόντες τὰ σκῦλα Ιερουσαλημ ἀπέθεντο ἐκεῖ καὶ ἐγένοντο εἰς μεγάλην παγίδα

36It became an ambush against the sanctuary, An evil accuser against Israel continually.

καὶ ἐγένετο εἰς ἔνεδρον τῷ ἁγιάσματι καὶ εἰς διάβολον πονηρὸν τῷ Ισραηλ διὰ παντός

37They shed innocent blood around the sanctuary And defiled the sanctuary.

καὶ ἐξέχεαν αἷμα ἀθῷον κύκλῳ τοῦ ἁγιάσματος καὶ ἐμόλυναν τὸ ἁγίασμα

38The inhabitants of Jerusalem fled because of them, And she became a dwelling place of strangers. She became a stranger to her offspring, And her children forsook her.

καὶ ἔφυγον οἱ κάτοικοι Ιερουσαλημ δι᾿ αὐτούς καὶ ἐγένετο κατοικία ἀλλοτρίων καὶ ἐγένετο ἀλλοτρία τοῖς γενήμασιν αὐτῆς καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῆς ἐγκατέλιπον αὐτήν

39Her sanctuary was laid waste like a desert And her feasts were turned into mourning, Her Sabbaths into a disgrace And her honor into contempt.

τὸ ἁγίασμα αὐτῆς ἠρημώθη ὡς ἔρημος αἱ ἑορταὶ αὐτῆς ἐστράφησαν εἰς πένθος τὰ σάββατα αὐτῆς εἰς ὀνειδισμόν ἡ τιμὴ αὐτῆς εἰς ἐξουδένωσιν

40Her dishonor prevailed against her glory, And her high position was turned into mourning.

κατὰ τὴν δόξαν αὐτῆς ἐπληθύνθη ἡ ἀτιμία αὐτῆς καὶ τὸ ὕψος αὐτῆς ἐστράφη εἰς πένθος

41Then the king wrote to all his kingdom, that they all were to be as one people,

καὶ ἔγραψεν ὁ βασιλεὺς πάσῃ τῇ βασιλείᾳ αὐτοῦ εἶναι πάντας εἰς λαὸν ἕνα

42and that each one was to forsake his customs. So all the nations accepted the word of the king.

καὶ ἐγκαταλιπεῖν ἕκαστον τὰ νόμιμα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπεδέξαντο πάντα τὰ ἔθνη κατὰ τὸν λόγον τοῦ βασιλέως

43Many from Israel also thought it good to serve him, so they sacrificed to idols and profaned the Sabbath.

καὶ πολλοὶ ἀπὸ Ισραηλ εὐδόκησαν τῇ λατρείᾳ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔθυσαν τοῖς εἰδώλοις καὶ ἐβεβήλωσαν τὸ σάββατον

44Then the king sent books to Jerusalem and the cities of Judah by the hand of messengers, and told them to follow foreign customs in the land,

καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ὁ βασιλεὺς βιβλία ἐν χειρὶ ἀγγέλων εἰς Ιερουσαλημ καὶ τὰς πόλεις Ιουδα πορευθῆναι ὀπίσω νομίμων ἀλλοτρίων τῆς γῆς

45to forbid whole burnt offerings and sacrifices and drink offerings in the sanctuary, to profane the Sabbaths and the feasts,

καὶ κωλῦσαι ὁλοκαυτώματα καὶ θυσίαν καὶ σπονδὴν ἐκ τοῦ ἁγιάσματος καὶ βεβηλῶσαι σάββατα καὶ ἑορτὰς

46and to defile the sanctuary and the holy ones.

καὶ μιᾶναι ἁγίασμα καὶ ἁγίους

47These books also told them to build altars, sacred precincts, and temples to idols, to sacrifice swine and common animals,

οἰκοδομῆσαι βωμοὺς καὶ τεμένη καὶ εἰδώλια καὶ θύειν ὕεια καὶ κτήνη κοινὰ

48to leave their sons uncircumcised, so they would corrupt their souls by every unclean and profane thing,

καὶ ἀφιέναι τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτῶν ἀπεριτμήτους βδελύξαι τὰς ψυχὰς αὐτῶν ἐν παντὶ ἀκαθάρτῳ καὶ βεβηλώσει

49and forget the law and alter all the ordinances.

ὥστε ἐπιλαθέσθαι τοῦ νόμου καὶ ἀλλάξαι πάντα τὰ δικαιώματα

50They also added that whoever did not obey the word of the king would die.

καὶ ὃς ἂν μὴ ποιήσῃ κατὰ τὸν λόγον τοῦ βασιλέως ἀποθανεῖται

51According to all these words he wrote to everyone in his kingdom. He also placed inspectors over all the people and commanded the cities of Judah to sacrifice in each and every city.

κατὰ πάντας τοὺς λόγους τούτους ἔγραψεν πάσῃ τῇ βασιλείᾳ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐποίησεν ἐπισκόπους ἐπὶ πάντα τὸν λαὸν καὶ ἐνετείλατο ταῖς πόλεσιν Ιουδα θυσιάζειν κατὰ πόλιν καὶ πόλιν

52Thus many of the people, everyone who forsook the law, joined together and did evil things in the land.

καὶ συνηθροίσθησαν ἀπὸ τοῦ λαοῦ πολλοὶ πρὸς αὐτούς πᾶς ὁ ἐγκαταλείπων τὸν νόμον καὶ ἐποίησαν κακὰ ἐν τῇ γῇ

53They forced Israel to hide in every place of refuge they had.

καὶ ἔθεντο τὸν Ισραηλ ἐν κρύφοις ἐν παντὶ φυγαδευτηρίῳ αὐτῶν

54Then on the fifteenth day of Chislev, in the one hundred and forty-fifth year, they set up the abomination of desolation on the altar of the whole burnt offerings and built altars in the surrounding cities of Judah.

καὶ τῇ πεντεκαιδεκάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ Χασελευ τῷ πέμπτῳ καὶ τεσσαρακοστῷ καὶ ἑκατοστῷ ἔτει ᾠκοδόμησεν βδέλυγμα ἐρημώσεως ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον καὶ ἐν πόλεσιν Ιουδα κύκλῳ ᾠκοδόμησαν βωμούς

55They also burned incense at the doors of houses and in the streets.

καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν θυρῶν τῶν οἰκιῶν καὶ ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις ἐθυμίων

56And when they found books of the law, they tore them to pieces and burned them in the fire.

καὶ τὰ βιβλία τοῦ νόμου ἃ εὗρον ἐνεπύρισαν ἐν πυρὶ κατασχίσαντες

57Whenever a book of the covenant was found in someone's possession, or if anyone sympathized with the law, the judgment of the king was to kill him.

καὶ ὅπου εὑρίσκετο παρά τινι βιβλίον διαθήκης καὶ εἴ τις συνευδόκει τῷ νόμῳ τὸ σύγκριμα τοῦ βασιλέως ἐθανάτου αὐτόν

58They acted with their might against Israel, against those who were found month after month in the cities.

ἐν ἰσχύι αὐτῶν ἐποίουν τῷ Ισραηλ τοῖς εὑρισκομένοις ἐν παντὶ μηνὶ καὶ μηνὶ ἐν ταῖς πόλεσιν

59Then on the twenty-fifth day of the month they sacrificed on the altar, which was on top of the altar of the whole burnt offerings.

καὶ τῇ πέμπτῃ καὶ εἰκάδι τοῦ μηνὸς θυσιάζοντες ἐπὶ τὸν βωμόν ὃς ἦν ἐπὶ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου

60In keeping with the decree, they sentenced to death the women who had their children circumcised,

καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας τὰς περιτετμηκυίας τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν ἐθανάτωσαν κατὰ τὸ πρόσταγμα

61and the families who had circumcised them, and hung the infants from their mothers' necks.

καὶ ἐκρέμασαν τὰ βρέφη ἐκ τῶν τραχήλων αὐτῶν καὶ τοὺς οἴκους αὐτῶν καὶ τοὺς περιτετμηκότας αὐτούς

62Yet many in Israel grew strong, and determined in themselves not to eat unclean things.

καὶ πολλοὶ ἐν Ισραηλ ἐκραταιώθησαν καὶ ὠχυρώθησαν ἐν αὑτοῖς τοῦ μὴ φαγεῖν κοινὰ

63They chose rather to die than be defiled by foods or profane the holy covenant. So they died,

καὶ ἐπεδέξαντο ἀποθανεῖν ἵνα μὴ μιανθῶσιν τοῖς βρώμασιν καὶ μὴ βεβηλώσωσιν διαθήκην ἁγίαν καὶ ἀπέθανον

64and great wrath came upon Israel.

καὶ ἐγένετο ὀργὴ μεγάλη ἐπὶ Ισραηλ σφόδρα