3 Maccabees 3:9-11

Common English Bible

⁹ because so great a community shouldn’t be left to its fate in this way, since it had done nothing wrong. ¹⁰ Already some neighbors and friends and business associates secretly drew them aside and promised that they would fight by their side and make every effort to assist them.

Ptolemy Philopator’s decree

¹¹ But the king took pride in his present success and disregarded the authority of the supreme God. Assuming that he would continue in the same plan without hindrance, he wrote this letter against the Jews: