2 Maccabees 1 — Greek text and reception

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To the brothers, the Jews throughout Egypt: greetings from the brothers, the Jews in Jerusalem and in the land of Judea, and good peace.

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May God do good to you and remember His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, His faithful servants.

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May He give you all a heart to revere Him and do His wishes with a generous heart and a willing soul.

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May He open your heart to His law and His ordinances, and make peace.

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May He hear your petitions, be reconciled to you, and not abandon you in an evil time.

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And now we are here praying for you.

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In the reign of Demetrius, in the one hundred sixty-ninth year, we Jews wrote to you in the affliction and the crisis that came upon us in those years, from the time Jason and those with him revolted from the holy land and the kingdom.

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They burned the gateway and poured out innocent blood. We petitioned the Lord and were heard; we offered sacrifice and fine flour, lit the lamps, and set out the loaves.

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And now, see that you observe the days of the Festival of Booths in the month of Chislev. In the one hundred eighty-eighth year.

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Those in Jerusalem and those in Judea, the council of elders and Judas, to Aristobulus, teacher of King Ptolemy and a member of the family of the anointed priests, and to the Jews in Egypt: greetings and good health.

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Saved by God from great dangers, we give Him great thanks, as those drawn up against a king;

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for He Himself drove out those arrayed against us in the holy city.

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For when the ruler came to Persia with his force, which seemed irresistible, they were cut down in the temple of Nanea, the priests of Nanea having used a deception.

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Antiochus and the friends with him came to the place as though he were to marry her, in order to take the greater part of the money as a dowry.

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The priests of Nanea's temple laid it out, and he entered the enclosure of the sacred precinct with a few men. Once Antiochus had gone inside, they shut the temple.

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Opening the concealed door in the coffered ceiling, they hurled stones and struck the ruler down. They cut them into pieces, removed their heads, and threw them to those outside.

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Blessed in every way is our God, who handed over those who acted impiously.

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As we are about to observe the purification of the temple on the twenty-fifth of Chislev, we thought it necessary to explain this to you, so that you yourselves may observe the festival of booths and of the fire, when Nehemiah, who rebuilt the temple and the altar, offered sacrifices.

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For when our fathers were being taken to Persia, the devout priests of that time secretly took some of the altar's fire and hid it in the hollow of a well-like place without water. They secured it there so that the place was unknown to everyone.

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After many years had passed, when it pleased God, Nehemiah was sent by the king of Persia. He sent the descendants of the priests who had hidden it to fetch the fire. When they reported to us that they had found no fire but thick water, he ordered them to draw some and bring it.

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When the sacrificial materials had been brought up, Nehemiah ordered the priests to sprinkle the water on the wood and on what lay upon it.

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When this was done and some time had passed, the sun, previously hidden by clouds, shone out. A great fire was kindled, so that everyone marveled.

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While the sacrifice was being consumed, the priests offered prayer—the priests and everyone—with Jonathan beginning and the others responding, as Nehemiah did.

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The prayer was in this form: “Lord, Lord God, Creator of all, fearsome, strong, righteous and merciful, the only King and good,

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the only Provider, the only righteous One, Almighty and eternal, who preserves Israel from every evil, who chose the fathers and sanctified them,

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accept the sacrifice on behalf of all Your people Israel. Protect Your portion and make it holy.

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Gather our scattered people together. Free those enslaved among the nations. Look upon the despised and abhorred, and let the nations know that You are our God.

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Torment those who oppress us and outrage us in arrogance.

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Plant Your people in Your holy place, as Moses said.”

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The priests sang the hymns in response.

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When the sacrificial materials had been consumed, Nehemiah ordered that the remaining water also be poured over larger stones.

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When this was done, a flame was kindled, but it was consumed by the light shining back from the altar.

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When the matter became known, the king of the Persians was informed that water had appeared in the place where the deported priests had hidden the fire, and that Nehemiah and his companions had purified the sacrificial materials with it.

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The king fenced off the place and made it sacred, after examining the matter.

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The king received many different revenues and shared them with those whom he favored.

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Nehemiah and his companions called this “Nephthar,” which is interpreted “purification”; but most people call it “Nephthai.”