33
Then Nicanor raised his right arm in the direction of the Temple and made a solemn threat: "If you do not hand Judas over to me as a prisoner, I will level God's Temple to the ground, demolish this altar, and on this spot build a glorious temple to Dionysus."
34
Then he left, and immediately the priests lifted their arms toward heaven and prayed to God, the faithful Defender of our nation:
35
"Lord, you are in need of nothing, yet it has pleased you to place your Temple here and to live among us.
36
You alone are holy, and your Temple has only recently been purified, so now protect its holiness forever."
37
One of the leaders in Jerusalem, a man by the name of Razis, was denounced to Nicanor. It was said that he had helped his people in many ways and was so highly respected by them that he was known as "the Father of the Jews."
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.