3 Maccabees 6:35-37

Common English Bible

³⁵ The Jews, as we said before, organized singing groups and spent their time in celebration with cheerful thanksgiving psalms. ³⁶ They decided that this would be a holiday to be observed for generations to come by the Jewish community living in exile there. The festival would be kept in a spirit of celebration, not as an excuse for overeating and getting drunk but because of the rescue that God had accomplished for them. ³⁷ They appealed to the king, asking for his permission to return to their homes.