2 Maccabees 8
King James Version with ApocryphaTranslation
King James Version with Apocrypha
Septuagint (Brenton Greek text, with Apocrypha)
1Then Judas Maccabeus, and they that were with him, went privily into the towns, and called their kinsfolks together, and took unto them all such as continued in the Jews’ religion, and assembled about six thousand men.
1Ἰούδας δὲ ὁ Μακκαβαῖος καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ, παρεισπορευόμενοι λεληθότως εἰς τὰς κώμας, προσεκαλοῦντο τοὺς συγγενεῖς, καὶ τοὺς μεμενηκότας ἐν τῷ Ἰουδαϊσμῷ προσλαβόμενοι, συνήγαγον εἰς ἑξακισχιλίους.
2And they called upon the Lord, that he would look upon the people that was trodden down of all; and also pity the temple profaned of ungodly men;
2Καὶ ἐπεκαλοῦντο τὸν Κύριον ἐπιδεῖν ἐπὶ τὸν ὑπὸ πάντων καταπατούμενον λαόν, οἰκτεῖραι δὲ καὶ τὸν ναὸν, τὸν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀσεβῶν ἀνθρώπων βεβηλωθέντα,
3And that he would have compassion upon the city, sore defaced, and ready to be made even with the ground; and hear the blood that cried unto him,
3ἐλεῆσαι δὲ καὶ τὴν καταφθειρομένην πόλιν καὶ μέλλουσαν ἰσόπεδον γίνεσθαι, καὶ τῶν καταβοώντων πρὸς αὐτὸν αἱμάτων εἰσακοῦσαι,
4And remember the wicked slaughter of harmless infants, and the blasphemies committed against his name; and that he would shew his hatred against the wicked.
4μνησθῆναι δὲ καὶ τῆς τῶν ἀναμαρτήτων νηπίων παρανόμου ἀπωλείας, καὶ περὶ τῶν γενομένων εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ βλασφημιῶν, καὶ μισοπονηρῆσαι.
5Now when Maccabeus had his company about him, he could not be withstood by the heathen: for the wrath of the Lord was turned into mercy.
5Γενόμενος δὲ ἐν συστήματι ὁ Μακκαβαῖος, ἀνυπόστατος ἤδη τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἐγίνετο, τῆς ὀργῆς τοῦ Κυρίου εἰς ἔλεον τραπείσης.
6Therefore he came at unawares, and burnt up towns and cities, and got into his hands the most commodious places, and overcame and put to flight no small number of his enemies.
6Πόλεις δὲ καὶ κώμας ἀπροσδοκήτως ἐρχόμενος ἐνεπίμπρα, καὶ τοὺς ἐπικαίρους τόπους ἀπολαμβάνων, οὐκ ὀλίγους τῶν πολεμίων ἐνίκα τροπούμενος.
7But specially took he advantage of the night for such privy attempts, insomuch that the fruit of his holiness was spread every where.
7Μάλιστα τὰς νύκτας πρὸς τὰς τοιαύτας ἐπιβουλὰς συνεργοὺς ἐλάμβανε· καὶ λαλιά τις τῆς εὐανδρίας αὐτοῦ διεχεῖτο πανταχῆ.
8So when Philip saw that this man increased by little and little, and that things prospered with him still more and more, he wrote unto Ptolemeus, the governor of Celosyria and Phenice, to yield more aid to the king’s affairs.
8Συνορῶν δὲ ὁ Φίλιππος κατὰ μικρὸν εἰς προκοπὴν ἐρχόμενον τὸν ἄνδρα πυκνότερον δὲ ἐν ταῖς εὐημερίαις προβαίνοντα, πρὸς Πτολεμαῖον τὸν κοίλης Συρίας καὶ Φοινίκης στρατηγὸν ἔγραψεν ἐπιβοηθεῖν τοῖς τοῦ βασιλέως πράγμασιν.
9Then forthwith choosing Nicanor the son of Patroclus, one of his special friends, he sent him with no fewer than twenty thousand of all nations under him, to root out the whole generation of the Jews; and with him he joined also Gorgias a captain, who in matters of war had great experience.
9Ὁ δὲ ταχέως προχειρισάμενος, Νικάνορα τὸν τοῦ Πατρόκλου, τῶν πρώτων φίλως, ἀπέστειλεν, ὑποτάξας παμφύλων ἔθνη οὐκ ἐλάττους τῶν δισμυρίων, τὸ σύμπαν τῶν Ἰουδαίως ἐξᾶραι γένος· συνέστησε δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ Γοργίαν ἄνδρα στρατηγὸν, καὶ ἐν πολεμικαῖς χρείαις πείραν ἔχοντα.
10So Nicanor undertook to make so much money of the captive Jews, as should defray the tribute of two thousand talents, which the king was to pay to the Romans.
10Διεστήσατο δὲ ὁ Νικάνωρ τὸν φόρον τῷ βασιλεῖ τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις ὄντα ταλάντων δισχιλίων ἐκ τῆς τῶν Ἰουδαίων αἰχμαλωσίας ἐκπληρώσειν.
11Wherefore immediately he sent to the cities upon the sea coast, proclaiming a sale of the captive Jews, and promising that they should have fourscore and ten bodies for one talent, not expecting the vengeance that was to follow upon him from the Almighty God.
11Εὐθέως δὲ εἰς τὰς παραθαλασσίους πόλεις ἀπέστειλε προσκαλούμενος ἐπʼ ἀγορασμὸν Ἰουδαϊκῶν σωμάτων, ὑπισχνούμενον ἐννενήκοντα σώματα ταλάντου παραχωρήσειν· οὐ προσδεχόμενος τὴν παρὰ τοῦ παντοκράτορος μέλλουσαν παρακολουθήσειν ἐπʼ αὐτῷ δίκην.
12Now when word was brought unto Judas of Nicanor’s coming, and he had imparted unto those that were with him that the army was at hand,
12Τῷ δὲ ʼΙούδᾳ προσέπεσε περὶ τῆς τοῦ Νικάνορος ἐφόδου· καὶ μεταδόντος αὐτοῦ σὺν αὐτῷ τὴν παρουσίαν τοῦ στρατοπέδου,
13They that were fearful, and distrusted the justice of God, fled, and conveyed themselves away.
13οἱ δει λανδροῦντες καὶ ἀπιστοῦντες τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ δίκην, διεδίδρασκον, καὶ ἐξετόπιζον ἑαυτούς.
14Others sold all that they had left, and withal besought the Lord to deliver them, sold by the wicked Nicanor before they met together:
14Οἱ δὲ τὰ περιλελειμμένα πάντα ἐπώλουν, ὁμοῦ δὲ τὸν Κύριον ἠξίουν ῥύσασθαι τοὺς ὑπὸ τοῦ δυσσεβοῦς Νικάνορος πρὶν συντυχεῖν πεπραμένους.
15And if not for their own sakes, yet for the covenants he had made with their fathers, and for his holy and glorious name’s sake, by which they were called.
15Καὶ εἰ μὴ διʼ αὐτούς, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὰς πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας αὐτῶν διαθήκας, καὶ ἕνεκεν τῆς ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς ἐπικλήσεως τοῦ σεμνοῦ καὶ μεγαλοπρεποῦς ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ.
16So Maccabeus called his men together unto the number of six thousand, and exhorted them not to be stricken with terror of the enemy, nor to fear the great multitude of the heathen, who came wrongly against them; but to fight manfully,
16Συναγαγὼν δὲ ὁ Μακκαβαῖος τοὺς περὶ αὐτὸν ὄντας τὸν ἀριθμὸν ἑξακισχιλίους, παρεκάλει μὴ καταπλαγῆναι τοὺς πολεμίους, μηδὲ εὐλαβεῖσθαι τὴν τῶν ἀδίκως παραγινομένων ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς ἐθνῶν πολυπληθίαν, ἀγωνίσασθαι δὲ γενναίως,
17And to set before their eyes the injury that they had unjustly done to the holy place, and the cruel handling of the city, whereof they made a mockery, and also the taking away of the government of their forefathers:
17πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν λαβόντας τὴν ἀνόμως εἰς τὸν ἅγιον τόπον συντετελεσμένην ὑπʼ αὐτῶν ὕβριν, καὶ τὸν τῆς ἐμπεπαιγμένης πόλεως αἰκισμόν, ἔτι δὲ τὴν τῆς προγονικῆς πολιτείας κατάλυσιν.
18For they, said he, trust in their weapons and boldness; but our confidence is in the Almighty who at a beck can cast down both them that come against us, and also all the world.
18Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ὅπλοις πεποίθασιν ἅμα καὶ τόλμαις, ἔφησεν, ἡμεῖς δὲ ἐπὶ τῷ παντοκράτορι Θεῷ δυναμένῳ καὶ τοὺς ἐρχομένους ἐφʼ ἡμᾶς, καὶ τὸν ὅλον κόσμον ἐν ἑνὶ νεύματι καταβαλεῖν, πεποίθαμεν.
19Moreover, he recounted unto them what helps their forefathers had found, and how they were delivered, when under Sennacherib an hundred fourscore and five thousand perished.
19Προσαναλεξάμενος δὲ αὐτοῖς καὶ τὰς ἐπὶ τῶν προγόνων γενομένας ἀντιλήψεις, καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ Σενναχηρεὶμ τῶν ἑκατὸν ὀγδοήκοντα πέντε χιλιάδων ὡς ἀπώλοντο.
20And he told them of the battle that they had in Babylon with the Galatians, how they came but eight thousand in all to the business, with four thousand Macedonians, and that the Macedonians being perplexed, the eight thousand destroyed an hundred and twenty thousand because of the help that they had from heaven, and so received a great booty.
20Καὶ τὴν ἐν τῇ Βαβυλωνίᾳ τὴν πρὸς αὐτοὺς Γαλάτας παράταξιν γενομένην, ὡς οἱ πάντες ἐπὶ τὴν χρείαν ἦλθον ὀκτακισχιλιοι σὺν Μακεδόσι τετρακισχιλίοις, τῶν Μακεδόνων ἀπορουμένων, οἱ ὀκτακισχίλιοι τὰς δώδεκα μυρίαδας ἀπώλεσαν διὰ τὴν γενομένην αὐτοῖς ἀπʼ οὐρανοῦ βοήθειαν, καὶ ὠφέλειαν πολλὴν ἔλαβον.
21Thus when he had made them bold with these words, and ready to die for the law and the country, he divided his army into four parts;
21Ἐφʼ οἷς εὐθαρσεῖς αὐτοὺς παραστήσας, καὶ ἑτοίμους ὑπὲρ τῶν νόμων καὶ τῆς πατρίδος ἀποθνήσκειν, τετραμερές τι τὸ στράτευμα ἐποίησε·
22And joined with himself his own brethren, leaders of each band, to wit Simon, and Joseph, and Jonathan, giving each one fifteen hundred men.
22τάξας καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ προηγουμένους ἑκατέρας τάξεως, Σίμωνα καὶ Ἰώσηφον καὶ Ἰωνάθαν, ὑποτάξας ἑκάστῳ χιλίους πρὸς τοῖς πεντακοσίοις,
23Also he appointed Eleazar to read the holy book: and when he had given them this watchword, The help of God; himself leading the first band,
23ἔτι δὲ καὶ Ἐλεάζαρον, παραγνοὺς τὴν ἱερὰν βίβλον, καὶ δοὺς σύνθημα Θεοῦ βοηθείας, τῆς πρώτης σπείρας αὐτὸς προηγούμενος, συνέβαλε τῷ Νικάνορι.
24And by the help of the Almighty they slew above nine thousand of their enemies, and wounded and maimed the most part of Nicanor’s host, and so put all to flight;
24Γενομένου δὲ αὐτοῖς τοῦ παντοκράτορος συμμάχου, κατέσφαξαν τῶν πολεμίων ὑπὲρ τοὺς ἐννακισχιλίους, τραυματίας δὲ καὶ τοῖς μέλεσιν ἀναπήρους τὸ πλεῖστον μέρος τῆς τοῦ Νικάνορος στρατιᾶς ἐποίησαν, πάντας δὲ φυγεῖν ἠνάγκασαν.
25And took their money that came to buy them, and pursued them far: but lacking time they returned:
25Τὰ δὲ χρήματα τῶν παραγεγονότων ἐπὶ τὸν ἀγορασμὸν αὐτῶν ἔλαβον· συνδιώξαντες δὲ αὐτοὺς ἐφʼ ἱκανὸν, ἀνέλυσαν ὑπὸ τῆς ὥρας συγκλειόμενοι.
26For it was the day before the sabbath, and therefore they would no longer pursue them.
26Ἦν γὰρ ἡ πρὸ τοῦ σαββάτου, διʼ ἥν αἰτίαν οὐκ ἐμακροθύμησαν κατατρέχοντες αὐτούς.
27So when they had gathered their armour together, and spoiled their enemies, they occupied themselves about the sabbath, yielding exceeding praise and thanks to the Lord, who had preserved them unto that day, which was the beginning of mercy distilling upon them.
27Ὁπλολογήσαντες δὲ αὐτοὺς, καὶ τὰ σκῦλα ἐκδύσαντες τῶν πολεμίων, περὶ τὸ σάββατον ἐγίνοντο, περισσῶς εὐλογοῦντες, καὶ ἐξομολογούμενοι τῷ Κυρίῳ τῷ διασώσαντι αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν ἡμέραν ταύτην, ἀρχὴν ἐλέους τάξαντος αὐτοῖς.
28And after the sabbath, when they had given part of the spoils to the maimed, and the widows, and orphans, the residue they divided among themselves and their servants.
28Μετὰ δὲ τὸ σάββατον τοῖς ᾐκισμένοις, καὶ ταῖς χήραις, καὶ ὀρφανοῖς, μερίσαντες ἀπὸ τῶν σκύλων, τὰ λοιπὰ αὐτοὶ καὶ τὰ παιδία ἐμερίσαντο.
29When this was done, and they had made a common supplication, they besought the merciful Lord to be reconciled with his servants for ever.
29Ταῦτα δὲ διαπραξάμενοι, καὶ κοινὴν ἱκετείαν ποιησάμενοι, τὸν ἐλεήμονα Κύριον ἠξίουν εἰς τέλος, καταλλαγῆναι τοῖς αὐτοῦ δούλοις.
30Moreover of those that were with Timotheus and Bacchides, who fought against them, they slew above twenty thousand, and very easily got high and strong holds, and divided among themselves many spoils more, and made the maimed, orphans, widows, yea, and the aged also, equal in spoils with themselves.
30Καὶ τῶν περὶ Τιμόθεον καὶ Βακχίδην συνεριζοντων, ὑπὲρ τοὺς δισμυρίους αὐτῶν ἀνεῖλον, καὶ ὀχυρωμάτων ὑψηλῶν εὖ μάλα ἐγκρατεῖς ἐγένοντο· καὶ λάφυρα πλεῖστα ἐμερίσαντο, ἰσομοίρους ἑαυτοὺς καὶ τοῖς ᾐκισμένοις, καὶ ὀρφανοῖς, καὶ χήραις, ἔτι δὲ καὶ πρεσβυτέροις ποιήσαντες.
31And when they had gathered their armour together, they laid them up all carefully in convenient places, and the remnant of the spoils they brought to Jerusalem.
31Ὁπλολογήσαντες δὲ αὐτοὺς, ἐπιμελῶς πάντα συνέθηκαν εἰς τοὺς ἐπικαίρους τόπους, τὰ δὲ λοιπὰ τῶν σκύλων ἤνεγκαν εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα.
32They slew also Philarches, that wicked person, who was with Timotheus, and had annoyed the Jews many ways.
32Τὸν δὲ φυλάρχην τῶν περὶ Τιμόθεον ἀνεῖλον, ἀνοσιώτατον ἄνδρα καὶ πολλὰ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους ἐπιλελυπηκότα.
33Furthermore at such time as they kept the feast for the victory in their country they burnt Callisthenes, that had set fire upon the holy gates, who had fled into a little house; and so he received a reward meet for his wickedness.
33Ἐπινίκια δὲ ἄγοντες ἐν τῇ πατρίδι, τοὺς ἐμπρήσαντας τοὺς ἱεροὺς πυλῶνας, Καλλισθένην, καί τινας ἄλλους ὑφῆψαν εἰς ἓν οἰκίδιον πεφευγότας, οἵ τινες ἄξιον τῆς δυσσεβείας ἐκομίσαντομισθόν.
34As for that most ungracious Nicanor, who had brought a thousand merchants to buy the Jews,
34Ὁ δὲ τρισαλιτήριος Νικάνωρ, ὁ τοὺς χιλίους ἐμπόρους ἐπὶ τὴν πράσιν τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἀγαγὼν,
35He was through the help of the Lord brought down by them, of whom he made least account; and putting off his glorious apparel, and discharging his company, he came like a fugitive servant through the midland unto Antioch having very great dishonour, for that his host was destroyed.
35ταπεινωθεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν κατʼ αὑτὸν νομιζομένων ἐλαχίστων εἶναι, τῇ τοῦ Κυρίου βοηθείᾳ, τὴν δοξικὴν ἀποθέμενος ἐσθῆτα, διὰ τῆς μεσογείου, δραπέτου τρόπον ἔρημον ἑαυτὸν ποιήσας, ἧκεν εἰς Ἀντιόχειαν, ὑπεράγαν δυσημερήσας ἐπὶ τῇ τοῦ στρατοῦ διαφθορᾷ.
36Thus he, that took upon him to make good to the Romans their tribute by means of captives in Jerusalem, told abroad, that the Jews had God to fight for them, and therefore they could not be hurt, because they followed the laws that he gave them.
36Καὶ ὁ τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις ἀναδεξάμενος φόρον ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις αἰχμαλωσίας κατορθώσασθαι, κατήγγελλεν ὑπέρμαχον ἔχειν τὸν Θεὸν τοὺς Ἰουδαίους, καὶ διὰ τὸν τρόπον τοῦτον ἀτρώτους εἶναι τοὺς Ἰουδαίους, διὰ τὸ ἀκολουθεῖν τοῖς ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ προτεταγμένοις νόμοις.
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