1 Maccabees 5:46-48

New Catholic Bible

⁴⁶ When they reached Ephron,^[a] a large, strongly fortified town situated along the road, they discovered that it was impossible to bypass it to either the right or the left; they had no other option than to pass through it. ⁴⁷ However, the inhabitants of the town barricaded the gates with stones and denied them passage. ⁴⁸ Judas then conveyed to them the following peaceful message: “We wish to pass through your territory in order to reach our own. No one will do you any harm. We will simply pass through on foot.” However, they refused to open their gates to him.