3 Maccabees 6:16-29

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

Two Angels Rescue the Jews

¹⁶ Just as Eleazar was ending his prayer, the king arrived at the hippodrome with the animals and all the arrogance of his forces. ¹⁷ And when the Jews observed this they raised great cries to heaven so that even the nearby valleys resounded with them and brought an uncontrollable terror upon the entire army.^{(A) 18} Then the most glorious, almighty, and true God revealed his holy face and opened the heavenly gates, from which two glorious angels of fearful aspect descended, visible to all but the Jews.^{(B) 19} They opposed the forces of the enemy and filled them with confusion and terror, binding them with immovable shackles.^{(C) 20} Even the body of the king began to shudder, and he forgot his sullen insolence. ²¹ The animals turned back upon the armed forces following them and began trampling and destroying them.^(D)

²² Then the king’s anger was turned to pity and tears because of the things that he had devised earlier. ²³ For when he heard the shouting and saw them all lying prostrate for destruction, he wept and angrily threatened his Friends, saying, ²⁴ “You are committing treason and surpassing tyrants in cruelty, and even me, your benefactor, you are now attempting to deprive of dominion and life by secretly devising acts of no advantage to the kingdom. ²⁵ Who has driven from their homes those who faithfully kept our country’s fortresses and contrary to reason has gathered every one of them here?^{(E) 26} Who is it that has so lawlessly encompassed with outrageous treatment those who from the beginning in every way surpassed all nations in their goodwill toward us and often have accepted willingly the worst of human dangers? ²⁷ Loose and untie their unjust bonds! Send them back to their homes in peace, begging pardon for your former actions!^{[a] 28} Release the children of the almighty and living God of heaven, who from the time of our ancestors until now has granted uninterrupted stability and glory to our government.” ²⁹ These then were the things he said, and the Jews, immediately released, praised their holy God and Savior, since they now had escaped death.