1Mac 1:1 

And it happened, after that Alexander son of Philip, the 

Macedonian, who came out of the land of Chettiim, had smitten 

Darius king of the Persians and Medes, that he reigned in his 

stead, the first over Greece, 

1Mac 1:2 

And made many wars, and won many strong holds, and slew the 

kings of the earth, 

1Mac 1:3 

And went through to the ends of the earth, and took spoils of 

many nations, insomuch that the earth was quiet before him; 

whereupon he was exalted and his heart was lifted up. 

1Mac 1:4 

And he gathered a mighty strong host and ruled over 

countries, and nations, and kings, who became tributaries unto 

him. 

1Mac 1:5 

And after these things he fell sick, and perceived that he 

should die. 

1Mac 1:6 

Wherefore he called his servants, such as were honourable, 

and had been brought up with him from his youth, and parted his 

kingdom among them, while he was yet alive. 

1Mac 1:7 

So Alexander reigned twelves years, and then died. 

1Mac 1:8 

And his servants bare rule every one in his place. 

1Mac 1:9 

And after his death they all put crowns upon themselves; so 

did their sons after them many years: and evils were multiplied 

in the earth. 

1Mac 1:10 

And there came out of them a wicked root Antiochus surnamed 

Epiphanes, son of Antiochus the king, who had been an hostage at 

Rome, and he reigned in the hundred and thirty and seventh year 

of the kingdom of the Greeks. 

1Mac 1:11 

In those days went there out of Israel wicked men, who 

persuaded many, saying, Let us go and make a covenant with the 

heathen that are round about us: for since we departed from them 

we have had much sorrow. 

1Mac 1:12 

So this device pleased them well. 

1Mac 1:13 

Then certain of the people were so forward herein, that they 

went to the king, who gave them licence to do after the 

ordinances of the heathen: 

1Mac 1:14 

Whereupon they built a place of exercise at Jerusalem 

according to the customs of the heathen: 

1Mac 1:15 

And made themselves uncircumcised, and forsook the holy 

covenant, and joined themselves to the heathen, and were sold to 

do mischief. 

1Mac 1:16 

Now when the kingdom was established before Antiochus, he 

thought to reign over Egypt that he might have the dominion of 

two realms. 

1Mac 1:17 

Wherefore he entered into Egypt with a great multitude, with 

chariots, and elephants, and horsemen, and a great navy, 

1Mac 1:18 

And made war against Ptolemee king of Egypt: but Ptolemee was 

afraid of him, and fled; and many were wounded to death. 

1Mac 1:19 

Thus they got the strong cities in the land of Egypt and he 

took the spoils thereof. 

1Mac 1:20 

And after that Antiochus had smitten Egypt, he returned again 

in the hundred forty and third year, and went up against Israel 

and Jerusalem with a great multitude, 

1Mac 1:21 

And entered proudly into the sanctuary, and took away the 

golden altar, and the candlestick of light, and all the vessels 

thereof, 

1Mac 1:22 

And the table of the shewbread, and the pouring vessels, and 

the vials. and the censers of gold, and the veil, and the crown, 

and the golden ornaments that were before the temple, all which 

he pulled off. 

1Mac 1:23 

He took also the silver and the gold, and the precious 

vessels: also he took the hidden treasures which he found. 

1Mac 1:24 

And when he had taken all away, he went into his own land, 

having made a great massacre, and spoken very proudly. 

1Mac 1:25 

Therefore there was a great mourning in Israel, in every 

place where they were; 

1Mac 1:26 

So that the princes and elders mourned, the virgins and young 

men were made feeble, and the beauty of women was changed. 

1Mac 1:27 

Every bridegroom took up lamentation, and she that sat in the 

marriage chamber was in heaviness, 

1Mac 1:28 

The land also was moved for the inhabitants thereof, and all 

the house of Jacob was covered with confusion. 

1Mac 1:29 

And after two years fully expired the king sent his chief 

collector of tribute unto the cities of Juda, who came unto 

Jerusalem with a great multitude, 

1Mac 1:30 

And spake peaceable words unto them, but all was deceit: for 

when they had given him credence, he fell suddenly upon the 

city, and smote it very sore, and destroyed much people of 

Israel. 

1Mac 1:31 

And when he had taken the spoils of the city, he set it on 

fire, and pulled down the houses and walls thereof on every 

side. 

1Mac 1:32 

But the women and children took they captive, and possessed 

the cattle. 

1Mac 1:33 

Then builded they the city of David with a great and strong 

wall, and with mighty towers, and made it a strong hold for 

them. 

1Mac 1:34 

And they put therein a sinful nation, wicked men, and 

fortified themselves therein. 

1Mac 1:35 

They stored it also with armour and victuals, and when they 

had gathered together the spoils of Jerusalem, they laid them up 

there, and so they became a sore snare: 

1Mac 1:36 

For it was a place to lie in wait against the sanctuary, and 

an evil adversary to Israel. 

1Mac 1:37 

Thus they shed innocent blood on every side of the sanctuary, 

and defiled it: 

1Mac 1:38 

Insomuch that the inhabitants of Jerusalem fled because of 

them: whereupon the city was made an habitation of strangers, 

and became strange to those that were born in her; and her own 

children left her. 

1Mac 1:39 

Her sanctuary was laid waste like a wilderness, her feasts 

were turned into mourning, her sabbaths into reproach her honour 

into contempt. 

1Mac 1:40 

As had been her glory, so was her dishonour increased, and 

her excellency was turned into mourning. 

1Mac 1:41 

Moreover king Antiochus wrote to his whole kingdom, that all 

should be one people, 

1Mac 1:42 

And every one should leave his laws: so all the heathen 

agreed according to the commandment of the king. 

1Mac 1:43 

Yea, many also of the Israelites consented to his religion, 

and sacrificed unto idols, and profaned the sabbath. 

1Mac 1:44 

For the king had sent letters by messengers unto Jerusalem 

and the cities of Juda that they should follow the strange laws 

of the land, 

1Mac 1:45 

And forbid burnt offerings, and sacrifice, and drink 

offerings, in the temple; and that they should profane the 

sabbaths and festival days: 

1Mac 1:46 

And pollute the sanctuary and holy people: 

1Mac 1:47 

Set up altars, and groves, and chapels of idols, and 

sacrifice swine's flesh, and unclean beasts: 

1Mac 1:48 

That they should also leave their children uncircumcised, and 

make their souls abominable with all manner of uncleanness and 

profanation: 

1Mac 1:49 

To the end they might forget the law, and change all the 

ordinances. 

1Mac 1:50 

And whosoever would not do according to the commandment of 

the king, he said, he should die. 

1Mac 1:51 

In the selfsame manner wrote he to his whole kingdom, and 

appointed overseers over all the people, commanding the cities 

of Juda to sacrifice, city by city. 

1Mac 1:52 

Then many of the people were gathered unto them, to wit every 

one that forsook the law; and so they committed evils in the 

land; 

1Mac 1:53 

And drove the Israelites into secret places, even wheresoever 

they could flee for succour. 

1Mac 1:54 

Now the fifteenth day of the month Casleu, in the hundred 

forty and fifth year, they set up the abomination of desolation 

upon the altar, and builded idol altars throughout the cities of 

Juda on every side; 

1Mac 1:55 

And burnt incense at the doors of their houses, and in the 

streets. 

1Mac 1:56 

And when they had rent in pieces the books of the law which 

they found, they burnt them with fire. 

1Mac 1:57 

And whosoever was found with any the book of the testament, 

or if any committed to the law, the king's commandment was, that 

they should put him to death. 

1Mac 1:58 

Thus did they by their authority unto the Israelites every 

month, to as many as were found in the cities. 

1Mac 1:59 

Now the five and twentieth day of the month they did 

sacrifice upon the idol altar, which was upon the altar of God. 

1Mac 1:60 

At which time according to the commandment they put to death 

certain women, that had caused their children to be circumcised. 

1Mac 1:61 

And they hanged the infants about their necks, and rifled 

their houses, and slew them that had circumcised them. 

1Mac 1:62 

Howbeit many in Israel were fully resolved and confirmed in 

themselves not to eat any unclean thing. 

1Mac 1:63 

Wherefore the rather to die, that they might not be defiled 

with meats, and that they might not profane the holy covenant: 

so then they died. 

1Mac 1:64 

And there was very great wrath upon Israel.