1
But not long after the king sent a certain old man of Antioch, to compel the Jews to depart from the laws of their fathers and of God:
2
And to defile the temple that was in Jerusalem, and to call it the temple of Jupiter Olympius: and that in Gazarim of Jupiter Hospitalis, according as they were that inhabited the place.
3
And very bad was this invasion of evils and grievous to all.
4
For the temple was full of the riot and revellings of the Gentiles: and of men lying with lewd women. And women thrust themselves of their accord into the holy places, and brought in things that were not lawful.
5
The altar also was filled with unlawful things, which were forbidden by the laws.
6
And neither were the sabbaths kept, nor the solemn days of the fathers observed, neither did any man plainly profess himself to be a Jew.
7
But they were led by bitter constraint on the king's birthday to the sacrifices: and when the feast of Bacchus was kept, they wore compelled to go about crowned with ivy in honour of Bacchus.
8
And there went out a decree into the neighbouring cities of the Gentiles, by the suggestion of the Ptolemeans, that they also should act in like manner against the Jews, to oblige them to sacrifice:
9
And whosoever would not conform themselves to the ways of the Gentiles, should be put to death: then was misery to be seen.