13
No one was left in the land to fight them, and the kings were crushed in those days.
14
He strengthened all the humble of his people; he sought out the law, and did away with every lawless and wicked man.
15
He made the sanctuary glorious, and added to the vessels of the sanctuary.
16
It was heard in Rome, and as far away as Sparta, that Jonathan had died, and they were deeply grieved.
17
When they heard that Simon his brother had become high priest in his place, and that he was ruling over the country and the cities in it,
18
they wrote to him on bronze tablets to renew with him the friendship and alliance which they had established with Judas and Jonathan his brothers.
19
And these were read before the assembly in Jerusalem.
20
This is a copy of the letter which the Spartans sent: "The rulers and the city of the Spartans to Simon the high priest and to the elders and the priests and the rest of the Jewish people, our brethren, greeting.
21
The envoys who were sent to our people have told us about your glory and honor, and we rejoiced at their coming.
22
And what they said we have recorded in our public decrees, as follows, `Numenius the son of Antiochus and Antipater the son of Jason, envoys of the Jews, have come to us to renew their friendship with us.
23
It has pleased our people to receive these men with honor and to put a copy of their words in the public archives, so that the people of the Spartans may have a record of them. And they have sent a copy of this to Simon the high priest.'"