3 Maccabees 2

1Lord, Lord, king of the heavens and master of all creation, holy among the holy ones, sole ruler, Almighty, pay attention to us who are being oppressed by an unholy and profane man, swollen with arrogance and strength.

2For you are the one who created all things and rules over all; you are a righteous sovereign, and you judge those who do anything in insolence and arrogance.

3You destroyed those in former times who practiced unrighteousness—among whom were giants, trusting in their strength and boldness—by bringing immeasurable water upon them.

4You burned up the Sodomites, who practiced arrogance and had become notorious for their evils, with fire and sulfur, setting them forth as an example for those who would come afterward.

5You made known your power against the bold Pharaoh, when he had enslaved your holy people Israel, testing him with varied and many punishments; by these you made known your great might.

6And when he pursued him with chariots and a multitude of people, you overwhelmed him in the depths of the sea; but those who had put their trust in you, who rule over all creation, you brought safely through.

7They too, when they saw the works of your hand, praised you, the Almighty.

8You, O King, having created the boundless and immeasurable earth, chose this city and made this place holy for your name, though you have no need of anything, O God of all, and glorified it with majestic manifestation, having established it for the glory of your great and honored name.

9And because I love the house of Israel, I have promised that if a turning away comes upon us and distress overtakes us, and we come to our place and pray, I will hear our prayer.

10and indeed faithful and true.

11For even when our fathers were often afflicted, you helped them in their humiliation and rescued them from great evils.

12But look now, holy King: because of our many and great sins we are being oppressed, and we have been subjected to our enemies, and we are left in weakness.

13But in our downfall this bold and profane man is attempting to insult the holy place on earth appointed by the name of your glory.

14For your dwelling place is the heaven of heaven, unreachable by men.

15But since you were pleased to display your glory among your people Israel, you have sanctified this place.

16Do not punish us for their uncleanness, nor call us to account for profanation, lest the lawless boast in their wrath and exult in the pride of their tongue, saying,

17We trampled the house of holiness, just as the houses of the people of Jerusalem are trampled.

18wipe away our sins, and scatter our errors, and let your mercy shine forth at this hour.

19Let your mercies quickly come before us; and put praise in the mouth of those who have fallen and whose souls are crushed, having made peace for us.

20There the God who watches over all, the holy ancestor among the holy ones, having heard the lawful supplication, scourged him who had been greatly puffed up with insolence and boldness,

21There the God who watches over all, the holy forefather among the holy ones, having heard the lawful supplication, scourged him who had been greatly puffed up with insolence and boldness,

22Therefore his friends and bodyguards, seeing the acute distress that had come upon him, hurried to set matters straight, fearing that even his life might fail.

23They quickly dragged him out, struck with overwhelming fear.

24But after some time, when he had recovered himself, he in no way came to regret it when he was rebuked; rather, having issued a bitter threat, he departed.

25But after he had been conveyed to Egypt, and was increasing his wickedness through the previously mentioned drinking companions and associates, who had been estranged from all justice,

26He was not only inflamed with shameless debaucheries, but also advanced to such a degree of audacity that slanders were being stirred up in the places, and many of his friends, straining toward the king’s purpose, were themselves following his will.

27He publicly proposed to spread reproach against the nation; having set up a stele on the tower by the court, he engraved an inscription

28Let no one who does not sacrifice enter their sanctuaries, but let all the Jews be subjected to registration and servant status, and let those who object be taken by force and put to death.

29and that those who registered should also be branded on the body with the ivy-leaf emblem of Dionysus by fire, and should also be enrolled in his reduced status of authority.

30But so that he might not appear hateful to everyone, he added in writing: “But if some of them choose to live among those initiated in the rites, he makes these equal citizens with the Alexandrians.”

31But some, lightly despising the foundations of the city's piety, readily gave themselves up, as though they would share in some great renown from the association with the king that was to come.

32But most of them, took courage with a noble spirit, did not abandon their piety by exchanging their possessions for life, but boldly counted themselves worthy to escape the registration lists.

33And they remained hopeful of obtaining help, and they loathed those who were withdrawing from among them, and judged them as enemies of the nation, and deprived them of common association and support.