2 Maccabees 3
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Arrival of Heliodorus in Jerusalem
3 While the holy city was inhabited in unbroken peace and the laws were very well observed because of the piety of the high priest Oni′as and his hatred of wickedness, 2 it came about that the kings themselves honored the place and glorified the temple with the finest presents, 3 so that even Seleu′cus, the king of Asia, defrayed from his own revenues all the expenses connected with the service of the sacrifices. 4 But a man named Simon, of the tribe of Benjamin, who had been made captain of the temple, had a disagreement with the high priest about the administration of the city market; 5 and when he could not prevail over Oni′as he went to Apollo′nius of Tarsus,[a] who at that time was governor of Coelesyria and Phoenic′ia. 6 He reported to him that the treasury in Jerusalem was full of untold sums of money, so that the amount of the funds could not be reckoned, and that they did not belong to the account of the sacrifices, but that it was possible for them to fall under the control of the king. 7 When Apollo′nius met the king, he told him of the money about which he had been informed. The king[b] chose Heliodor′us, who was in charge of his affairs, and sent him with commands to effect the removal of the aforesaid money. 8 Heliodor′us at once set out on his journey, ostensibly to make a tour of inspection of the cities of Coelesyria and Phoenic′ia, but in fact to carry out the king’s purpose.
9 When he had arrived at Jerusalem and had been kindly welcomed by the high priest of[c] the city, he told about the disclosure that had been made and stated why he had come, and he inquired whether this really was the situation. 10 The high priest explained that there were some deposits belonging to widows and orphans, 11 and also some money of Hyrca′nus, son of Tobi′as, a man of very prominent position, and that it totaled in all four hundred talents of silver and two hundred of gold. To such an extent the impious Simon had misrepresented the facts. 12 And he said that it was utterly impossible that wrong should be done to those people who had trusted in the holiness of the place and in the sanctity and inviolability of the temple which is honored throughout the whole world. 13 But Heliodor′us, because of the king’s commands which he had, said that this money must in any case be confiscated for the king’s treasury. 14 So he set a day and went in to direct the inspection of these funds.
There was no little distress throughout the whole city. 15 The priests prostrated themselves before the altar in their priestly garments and called toward heaven upon him who had given the law about deposits, that he should keep them safe for those who had deposited them. 16 To see the appearance of the high priest was to be wounded at heart, for his face and the change in his color disclosed the anguish of his soul. 17 For terror and bodily trembling had come over the man, which plainly showed to those who looked at him the pain lodged in his heart. 18 People also hurried out of their houses in crowds to make a general supplication because the holy place was about to be brought into contempt. 19 Women, girded with sackcloth under their breasts, thronged the streets. Some of the maidens who were kept indoors ran together to the gates, and some to the walls, while others peered out of the windows. 20 And holding up their hands to heaven, they all made entreaty. 21 There was something pitiable in the prostration of the whole populace and the anxiety of the high priest in his great anguish.
The Lord Protects His Temple
22 While they were calling upon the Almighty Lord that he would keep what had been entrusted safe and secure for those who had entrusted it, 23 Heliodor′us went on with what had been decided. 24 But when he arrived at the treasury with his bodyguard, then and there the Sovereign of spirits and of all authority caused so great a manifestation that all who had been so bold as to accompany him were astounded by the power of God, and became faint with terror. 25 For there appeared to them a magnificently caparisoned horse, with a rider of frightening mien, and it rushed furiously at Heliodor′us and struck at him with its front hoofs. Its rider was seen to have armor and weapons of gold. 26 Two young men also appeared to him, remarkably strong, gloriously beautiful and splendidly dressed, who stood on each side of him and scourged him continuously, inflicting many blows on him. 27 When he suddenly fell to the ground and deep darkness came over him, his men took him up and put him on a stretcher 28 and carried him away, this man who had just entered the aforesaid treasury with a great retinue and all his bodyguard but was now unable to help himself; and they recognized clearly the sovereign power of God. 29 While he lay prostrate, speechless because of the divine intervention and deprived of any hope of recovery, 30 they praised the Lord who had acted marvelously for his own place. And the temple, which a little while before was full of fear and disturbance, was filled with joy and gladness, now that the Almighty Lord had appeared.
Onias Prays for Heliodorus
31 Quickly some of Heliodor′us’ friends asked Oni′as to call upon the Most High and to grant life to one who was lying quite at his last breath. 32 And the high priest, fearing that the king might get the notion that some foul play had been perpetrated by the Jews with regard to Heliodor′us, offered sacrifice for the man’s recovery. 33 While the high priest was making the offering of atonement, the same young men appeared again to Heliodor′us, dressed in the same clothing, and they stood and said, “Be very grateful to Oni′as the high priest, since for his sake the Lord has granted you your life. 34 And see that you, who have been scourged by heaven, report to all men the majestic power of God.” Having said this they vanished.
The Conversion of Heliodorus
35 Then Heliodor′us offered sacrifice to the Lord and made very great vows to the Savior of his life, and having bidden Oni′as farewell, he marched off with his forces to the king. 36 And he bore testimony to all men of the deeds of the supreme God, which he had seen with his own eyes. 37 When the king asked Heliodor′us what sort of person would be suitable to send on another mission to Jerusalem, he replied, 38 “If you have any enemy or plotter against your government, send him there, for you will get him back thoroughly scourged, if he escapes at all, for there certainly is about the place some power of God. 39 For he who has his dwelling in heaven watches over that place himself and brings it aid, and he strikes and destroys those who come to do it injury.” 40 This was the outcome of the episode of Heliodor′us and the protection of the treasury.
Footnotes
- 2 Maccabees 3:5 Gk Apollonius son of Tharseas
- 2 Maccabees 3:7 Gk He
- 2 Maccabees 3:9 Some authorities read and
Sirach 45-46
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Moses
45 From his descendants the Lord[a] brought forth a man of mercy,
who found favor in the sight of all flesh
and was beloved by God and man,
Moses, whose memory is blessed.
2 He made him equal in glory to the holy ones,
and made him great in the fears of his enemies.
3 By his words he caused signs to cease;
the Lord[b] glorified him in the presence of kings.
He gave him commands for his people,
and showed him part of his glory.
4 He sanctified him through faithfulness and meekness;
he chose him out of all mankind.
5 He made him hear his voice,
and led him into the thick darkness,
and gave him the commandments face to face,
the law of life and knowledge,
to teach Jacob the covenant,
and Israel his judgments.
Aaron
6 He exalted Aaron, the brother of Moses,[c]
a holy man like him, of the tribe of Levi.
7 He made an everlasting covenant with him,
and gave him the priesthood of the people.
He blessed him with splendid vestments,
and put a glorious robe upon him.
8 He clothed him with superb perfection,
and strengthened him with the symbols of authority,
the linen breeches, the long robe, and the ephod.
9 And he encircled him with pomegranates,
with very many golden bells round about,
to send forth a sound as he walked,
to make their ringing heard in the temple
as a reminder to the sons of his people;
10 with a holy garment, of gold and blue
and purple, the work of an embroiderer;
with the oracle of judgment, Urim and Thummim;
11 with twisted scarlet, the work of a craftsman;
with precious stones engraved like signets,
in a setting of gold, the work of a jeweler,
for a reminder, in engraved letters,
according to the number of the tribes of Israel;
12 with a gold crown upon his turban,
inscribed like a signet with “Holiness,”
a distinction to be prized, the work of an expert,
the delight of the eyes, richly adorned.
13 Before his time there never were such beautiful things.
No outsider ever put them on,
but only his sons
and his descendants perpetually.
14 His sacrifices shall be wholly burned
twice every day continually.
15 Moses ordained him,
and anointed him with holy oil;
it was an everlasting covenant for him
and for his descendants all the days of heaven,
to minister to the Lord[d] and serve as priest
and bless his people in his name.
16 He chose him out of all the living
to offer sacrifice to the Lord,
incense and a pleasing odor as a memorial portion,
to make atonement for the people.[e]
17 In his commandments he gave him
authority and statutes and[f] judgments,
to teach Jacob the testimonies,
and to enlighten Israel with his law.
18 Outsiders conspired against him,
and envied him in the wilderness,
Dathan and Abi′ram and their men
and the company of Korah, in wrath and anger.
19 The Lord saw it and was not pleased,
and in the wrath of his anger they were destroyed;
he wrought wonders against them
to consume them in flaming fire.
20 He added glory to Aaron
and gave him a heritage;
he allotted to him the first of the first fruits,
he prepared bread of first fruits in abundance;
21 for they eat the sacrifices to the Lord,
which he gave to him and his descendants.
22 But in the land of the people he has no inheritance,
and he has no portion among the people;
for the Lord[g] himself is his[h] portion and inheritance.
Phinehas
23 Phin′ehas the son of Elea′zar is the third in glory,
for he was zealous in the fear of the Lord,
and stood fast, when the people turned away,
in the ready goodness of his soul,
and made atonement for Israel.
24 Therefore a covenant of peace was established with him,
that he should be leader of the sanctuary and of his people,
that he and his descendants should have
the dignity of the priesthood for ever.
25 A covenant was also established with David,
the son of Jesse, of the tribe of Judah:
the heritage of the king is from son to son only;
so the heritage of Aaron is for his descendants.
26 May the Lord[i] grant you wisdom in your heart
to judge his people in righteousness,
so that their prosperity may not vanish,
and that their glory may endure throughout their generations.[j]
Joshua and Caleb
46 Joshua the son of Nun was mighty in war,
and was the successor of Moses in prophesying.
He became, in accordance with his name,
a great savior of God’s[k] elect,
to take vengeance on the enemies that rose against them,
so that he might give Israel its inheritance.
2 How glorious he was when he lifted his hands
and stretched out his sword against the cities!
3 Who before him ever stood so firm?
For he waged the wars of the Lord.
4 Was not the sun held back by his hand?
And did not one day become as long as two?
5 He called upon the Most High, the Mighty One,
when enemies pressed him on every side,
6 and the great Lord answered him
with hailstones of mighty power.
He hurled down war upon that nation,
and at the descent of Beth-hor′on[l] he destroyed those who resisted,
so that the nations might know his armament,
that he was fighting in the sight of the Lord;
for he wholly followed the Mighty One.
7 And in the days of Moses he did a loyal deed,
he and Caleb the son of Jephun′neh:
they withstood the congregation,[m]
restrained the people from sin,
and stilled their wicked murmuring.
8 And these two alone were preserved
out of six hundred thousand people on foot,
to bring them into their inheritance,
into a land flowing with milk and honey.
9 And the Lord gave Caleb strength,
which remained with him to old age,
so that he went up to the hill country,
and his children obtained it for an inheritance;
10 so that all the sons of Israel might see
that it is good to follow the Lord.
The Judges
11 The judges also, with their respective names,
those whose hearts did not fall into idolatry
and who did not turn away from the Lord—
may their memory be blessed!
12 May their bones revive from where they lie,
and may the name of those who have been honored
live again in their sons!
13 Samuel, beloved by his Lord,
a prophet of the Lord, established the kingdom
and anointed rulers over his people.
14 By the law of the Lord he judged the congregation,
and the Lord watched over Jacob.
15 By his faithfulness he was proved to be a prophet,
and by his words he became known as a trustworthy seer.
16 He called upon the Lord, the Mighty One,
when his enemies pressed him on every side,
and he offered in sacrifice a sucking lamb.
17 Then the Lord thundered from heaven,
and made his voice heard with a mighty sound;
18 and he wiped out the leaders of the people of Tyre
and all the rulers of the Philistines.
19 Before the time of his eternal sleep,
Samuel[n] called men to witness before the Lord and his anointed:
“I have not taken any one’s property,
not so much as a pair of shoes.”
And no man accused him.
20 Even after he had fallen asleep he prophesied
and revealed to the king his death,
and lifted up his voice out of the earth in prophecy,
to blot out the wickedness of the people.
Footnotes
- Sirach 45:1 Gk he
- Sirach 45:3 Gk he
- Sirach 45:6 Gk him
- Sirach 45:15 Gk him
- Sirach 45:16 Other authorities read thy people
- Sirach 45:17 Heb: Gk in covenants of
- Sirach 45:22 Gk he
- Sirach 45:22 Other authorities read your
- Sirach 45:26 Gk he
- Sirach 45:26 The Greek of this line is obscure
- Sirach 46:1 Gk his
- Sirach 46:6 Compare Joshua 10.11: Greek lacks of Beth-horon
- Sirach 46:7 Other authorities read the enemy
- Sirach 46:19 Gk he
Proverbs 24:10-12
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
10 If you faint in the day of adversity,
your strength is small.
11 Rescue those who are being taken away to death;
hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.
12 If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,”
does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it,
and will he not requite man according to his work?
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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