2 Maccabees 6:8

8 On the advice of Ptolemy, the neighboring Greek cities were also instructed to require Jews to eat the sacrifices;

2 Maccabees 6:8 In-Context

6 It was impossible to observe the Sabbath, to celebrate any of the traditional festivals, or even so much as to admit to being a Jew.

7 Each month when the king's birthday was celebrated, the Jews were compelled by brute force to eat the intestines of sacrificial animals. Then, during the festival in honor of the wine god Dionysus, they were required to wear ivy wreaths on their heads and march in procession.

8 On the advice of Ptolemy, the neighboring Greek cities were also instructed to require Jews to eat the sacrifices;

9 they were told to put to death every Jew who refused to adopt the Greek way of life. It was easy to see that hard times were ahead.

10 For example, two women were arrested for having their babies circumcised. They were paraded around the city with their babies hung from their breasts; then they were thrown down from the city wall.

Footnotes

• [a]. Ptolemy [(see 4.45); some manuscripts have] the people of Ptolemais.