53
Judas kept rallying those who fell behind and encouraged the people all along the way until he came to the land of Judah.
54
They went up to Mount Zion with joy and gladness. They made entirely burned offerings, because they had returned safely. Not one of them had died.
55
Now this is what happened while Judas and Jonathan were in Gilead and their brother Simon was in Galilee in front of Ptolemais.
56
Joseph, Zechariah's son, and Azariah (the commanders of the forces that had remained behind) heard about their brave deeds and the war they had fought.
57
So they said, "Let's make a name for ourselves too. Let's go and make war on the Gentiles around us."