21 And he sent to Jerusalem, so that they might march and reach and take the mountain of the temple. 22 A man had spread the news beforehand to Gazara, and gave word to John that his father and his brothers had perished, and that he himself was being sent for by treachery to be killed. 23 When he heard, he was greatly stirred and was dismayed, and he seized those men and killed them on the spot, for he realized that they had come with treachery to destroy him. 24 And other things that there are about John, concerning the war of battles or other acts of courage, or the building of walls, or the works of goodness, this is all written in the book of the priests, from the time he became high priest after his father.

INTRODUCTION TO THE SECOND BOOK OF THE MACCABEES

Many of the Jews descended into Egypt not only from those who remained when Nebuchadnezzar took them captive, but also after the return, after much time had passed. Even before they were written about by Jeremiah, Antiochus Ptolemy Lagus brought many of the Jews down to Egypt through persuasion, about whom this is written from Judea. But the time that this book indicates after the beginning seems to be the same as the Greek record and uses the First Book as a reference; or perhaps it speaks here of the Egyptians, which begins ten years after the death of Alexander. But Demetrius ruled the Syrians; after Antiochus Epiphanes and his son. And Jason, the brother of Onias, robbed the priesthood from Onias while under Antiochus, which he narrates later in its place. For the time which he places as the beginning here must be understood not as the time of the events, but as the time of writing; for this reason, he indicates by his estimation that the events occurred previously. Aristobulus the Jew and philosopher was a teacher of Philometor Ptolemy, king of Egypt, who was under Antiochus and Demetrius, kings of Syria, and more could be said; and those who were with Aristobulus, about whom this is written from Judea. First, they recall by estimation the distress which Antiochus Epiphanes caused by plundering and defiling the temple, which the First Book also narrated, and this book will narrate in its own place. But what he says, that they slaughtered the leading squadron that entered the temple, does not mean those who entered, but rather others who were newly arrived. And when Antiochus defiled the temple after three years of desolation upon his departure to Persia, from where he did not return; when Judas defeated his troops, he cleansed the temple, which he mentions here by estimation near the beginning of the book; and again it is to be narrated in its own place according to the first book. And because he mentions here at the beginning the circumstances of the kindling of the fire of the altar, he says that which, after the return from captivity, before building the temple, only the altar was set up and it was kindled with fire, as it was with Moses and Solomon. But Nehemiah, whom he mentions here, is another Nehemiah; or he says it of the prophet Ezekiel, perhaps it was in two parts, or he takes the books and estimates, about which he says that he gathered all the books of the prophets and the histories into one place; according to which also later Judas Maccabeus, after cleansing the temple, collected the writings, which the historian says to provide as a copy for the Jews in Egypt; for they looked forward to gathering the writings of the Jews. Having brought the histories to this point, our historian now promises to tell of Judas Maccabeus and his brothers, whose history this Jason did not include in the five books, but summarizes here in this book for the sake of accessibility. He makes the beginning from the time of Onias the high priest and Seleucus king of Syria, who ruled for twelve years before Antiochus Epiphanes. Because this historian begins twelve years earlier than the First Book of the Maccabees, that is, the time of Seleucus; from there, bringing the narrative down to Antiochus Epiphanes, there is some which he narrates in agreement with the First Book, and there is some which is additional, such as that of Tigranes likely referring to the priest and the son of Simon, and other acts of courage of the Greeks until the killing of Nicanor in the war which Judas waged, where he also finishes this book; for he does not bring the history up to the time of Jonathan and Simon, son of Judas, taking power.

Chapter of the Second Book of the Maccabees
A. The prayer of the people of Judea for the Jews who are in Egypt.
B. That in the days of Demetrius they wrote about the evils of Jason who was under Antiochus, and the defiling of the temple; which they cleansed and provided, so that they might also see the matter and the five days of the festival of booths.
C. Concerning the fire which they hid during the time of captivity, and the ark; and how it was found and kindled on the altar after the return, and that Cyrus collected the place.
D. That in one book he gathers here the five books of Jason concerning the Maccabees.
E. That the first was esteemed by King Seleucus, but by the counsel of the lawless Simon, the priest, Apollonius sends Heliodorus to plunder the temple; and what events passed from God upon Heliodorus. And that later Simon was also in opposition to the righteous Onias, even to hindering him for the months of David.
F. The lawless Antiochus reigned; from him, Jason, brother of Onias, receives the power of the priesthood; and he himself trained the Jews in pagan laws; which the First Book also narrates.
G. Antiochus, after defeating Philometor Ptolemy, as they returned, took the priesthood from Jason and gave it to Menelaus, brother of Simon; and Jason fled and fell among the Ammonites.
H. From there, Menelaus bribed Andronicus and killed Onias; but upon the complaint of many concerning that to Antiochus, the head of Andronicus was cut off.
I. That through Lysimachus, Menelaus committed great evils; concerning which, Jason, trusting in a false report about Antiochus, went out to battle against Menelaus, and became the cause of great evils for the Jews; in which also Jason fled to Egypt and perished.
J. Great evils which Antiochus brought upon the Jews and the temple by killing and selling; and the slaughter on the Sabbath day.
K. Judas Maccabeus becomes a fugitive in the wilderness; and Antiochus forced the nation into idolatry.
L. The struggle of Eleazar; and the son of Simon.
M. Having gathered troops, Judas struck the enemies with Timotheus and Gorgias, and giving battle to Nicanor, he defeated him; from which Nicanor, having fled, told of the help of God to the troops of the Jews.
N. Antiochus, having worsened, returned from Persia, killing Jews; and by the wrath of God, struck by a worm-disease, he writes entreaties to the Hebrews; and he himself perished by a bitter death.
O. Judas cleansed the temple after three years of defilement; celebrating for eight days according to the days of the Feast of Tabernacles.
P. Antiochus Eupator reigned; and Maccabeus struck the Edomites and tore down their fortresses. And having battled against Timotheus, he defeated him with two-horse lancers, and having captured Timotheus, he killed him.
Q. Lysias comes with tens of thousands against Jerusalem; and there, an angel having arrived, the Maccabees were strengthened. Lysias, having fled in fear, became the mediator of peace to the king, and was the cause of peace letters to the Jews, which also the Romans who passed to Antiochus cared for.
R. The prince Antiochus did not let the Jews rest; and the Joppites, having betrayed the Jews who were with them, threw them into the sea. When Judas learned of this, he burned the port of the Joppites and their ships.
S. Judas marched against Timotheus, made peace with the local Syrians, and destroyed one city named Decapolis, and having struck the troops of Timotheus, he captured Timotheus; but he, having promised to do good to the Jews, escaped; and having lied, he repaid evil for good.
T. Judas strikes the city of Ephron, in which was Lysias; and saves the Acimathians, benefactors of the Jews.
U. Having battled with Gorgias, there were many slaughters; and in burying the bodies of the Jews, they found among the slain idols and other impurities of the Gentiles; and in the hope of the resurrection, he gave offerings to Jerusalem for the sake of those sins.
V. Having reached Judea, Antiochus suffocates Simon the perhaps referring to a specific elder or official with ash, and he himself wanted to wipe out the Jews; against whom Judas holds fast with power, until Lysias, of Antiochus, reconciled with the rebels of Philip, made peace with the Jews, honored the temple and Judas, and returned back.
W. King Demetrius having marched against Antiochus, Alcimus, rejected from the priesthood, speaks evil of Judas to him; and he sends Bacchides to seize Judas, and to hold the lands.