1 Maccabees 16:18-24

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

John Succeeds Simon

¹⁸ Then Ptol′emy wrote a report about these things and sent it to the king, asking him to send troops to aid him and to turn over to him the cities and the country. ¹⁹ He sent other men to Gazar′a to do away with John; he sent letters to the captains asking them to come to him so that he might give them silver and gold and gifts; ²⁰ and he sent other men to take possession of Jerusalem and the temple hill. ²¹ But some one ran ahead and reported to John at Gazar′a that his father and brothers had perished, and that “he has sent men to kill you also.” ²² When he heard this, he was greatly shocked; and he seized the men who came to destroy him and killed them, for he had found out that they were seeking to destroy him.

²³ The rest of the acts of John and his wars and the brave deeds which he did, and the building of the walls which he built, and his achievements, ²⁴ behold, they are written in the chronicles of his high priesthood, from the time that he became high priest after his father.