2 Maccabees 15:15-17

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

¹⁵ Jeremiah stretched out his right hand and gave to Judas a golden sword, and as he gave it he addressed him thus: ¹⁶ “Take this holy sword, a gift from God, with which you will strike down your adversaries.”

¹⁷ Encouraged by the words of Judas, so noble and so effective in arousing valor and awaking courage in the souls of the young, they determined not to carry on a campaign^[a] but to attack bravely, and to decide the matter by fighting hand to hand with all courage, because the city and the sanctuary and the temple were in danger.