3 Maccabees 7

1King Ptolemy Philopator to the generals in Egypt and to all who are appointed over affairs: greetings and good health.

2And we ourselves and our children are well, as the great God directs his commands for us, just as we choose.

3Some of our friends, being more constantly at our side out of malice, persuaded us that the Jews under our rule, after being gathered together in groups, should be punished with unusual penalties as rebels.

4asserting that our affairs would never be secure because of the hostility these people have toward the nations, until this is accomplished.

5These men, after bringing them down in chains with abuse, as servants—or rather, as conspirators—attempted to destroy them without any hearing or examination, having clothed themselves in a savagery more brutal than the law of the Scythians.

6But we, after threatening them more harshly on account of these things, in keeping with the clemency we have toward all people, scarcely granted them their lives, and, recognizing that the heavenly God had surely defended the Jews,

7Considering that he has always fought alongside us like a father for his sons, and reckoning the firm goodwill they have toward us and our forefathers as that of a friend, we have rightly released them in every way from any charge whatever.

8And we have ordered each and every one to return to his own home, with absolutely no one in any way harming them, nor insulting them over the things that happened contrary to reason.

9For know that if we devise any evil against these people, or grieve them in any way at all, we will have against us for vengeance in these matters, utterly without escape and forever, not a man but God Most High, the one who rules over all power. Farewell.

10But when they received this letter, they did not immediately hasten about the departure; instead, they urged the king that those from the Jewish race who had willfully transgressed the law of the holy God might, through them, receive the punishment that was due.

11declaring that they should never show favor either to those who, for the sake of their belly, had transgressed the divine commandments, or to the king’s decrees.

12And when he accepted that they were speaking the truth and encouraged them, he gave them full permission, so that they might destroy those who had transgressed the law of God throughout every place under his kingdom, with boldness, without any royal authority or oversight.

13Then the priests of these people and the whole multitude, having praised him as was fitting, cried out, “Hallelujah!” and departed with joy.

14They themselves also killed along the road any compatriot of the defiled people who had fallen in with them, and they did away with them as examples.

15On that day they killed more than three hundred men, and they also made it a joyful celebration, having laid hands on the profane.

16But those who had held fast to God even to death, having obtained complete deliverance, departed from the city, strewn with all kinds of very fragrant flowers, with rejoicing and shouting, giving thanks with praises and full songs of hymns to God, the holy Savior of Israel, the God of their fathers.

17When they arrived at Ptolemais, which is called Rose-bearing because of the nature of the place, where the fleet waited for them for seven days by their common decision,

18There they held a saving banquet, since the king had generously supplied each of them with everything for the journey, all the way to his own house.

19And after they had been brought down in peace, with the fitting thanksgivings, there also they resolved to keep these days as joyful ones for the whole time of their sojourning.

20After also inscribing these things on a pillar, and establishing a place of prayer at the site of the banquet, they departed unharmed, free, and overflowing with joy, being brought safely back by land and sea and rivers, by the king’s command,

21each one to his former place, having obtained authority among their enemies with glory and fear, their whole body of possessions having been shaken by none.

22And all of them recovered all their own property from the registration, so that those who had anything gave it back to them with the greatest fear, since the great God had fully accomplished mighty deeds for their deliverance.

23Blessed is the deliverer of Israel forever. Amen.