2 Maccabees 14:26-36

Common English Bible

²⁶ When Alcimus noted the goodwill that Nicanor and Judas had toward each other, he obtained the documents of agreement drawn up between them and went to Demetrius. He claimed that Nicanor was disloyal to the government because he had appointed Judas, who plotted against the king, as his successor. ²⁷ The king was furious and, provoked by the accusations of the thoroughly depraved Alcimus, wrote to Nicanor. He forcefully asserted that he was displeased with the terms of agreement and ordered him to send the Maccabee as a prisoner to Antioch immediately. ²⁸ When this order reached Nicanor, he was upset and found it difficult to revoke the agreements, seeing how the man had done no wrong. ²⁹ But he couldn’t defy the king, so he watched for an opportune time to set a trap. ³⁰ But the Maccabee noticed that Nicanor was becoming more reserved toward him, conducting customary meetings in a less courteous manner. Sensing that this new rudeness wasn’t for the best, he gathered a large number of men and hid from Nicanor. ³¹ When Nicanor realized that Judas had completely outwitted him, he went to the great and holy temple where priests were offering up the appropriate sacrifices and ordered them to hand over the man. ³² When they asserted with solemn pledges that they didn’t know where he was, ³³ he stretched out his strong hand against the temple and made the following pronouncement: “If you don’t turn Judas over to me as a prisoner, I will level the sacred area of God, tear down the altar to the ground, and build here a great temple to Dionysus.” ³⁴ With these words, he left. But the priests, stretching out their hands to heaven, called on the one who always fights in defense of our nation, saying, ³⁵ “You, Lord, who need nothing, made the temple your dwelling among us. ³⁶ Now, holy one, Lord of all holiness, keep your newly purified house free from all defilement forever.”