Helpful Saints Corpus Reader
3 Maccabees
Chapter 3
Reading display
Text size, spacing, and the sepia or night theme stay on this browser when storage is available.
Resume in the Library keeps only your last public work, edition and passage on this browser.
Saved Places
Saved only on this browser. Places do not synchronize between devices. Only work, edition and passage identifiers are kept; passage text is not stored.
Remove all Saved Places from this browser? Resume reading and display preferences will stay.
3 Maccabees 3:1
On discovering this, so incensed was the wicked king, that he no longer confined his rage to the Jews in Alexandria. Laying his hand more heavily upon those who lived in the country, he gave orders that they should be quickly collected into one place, and most cruelly deprived of their lives.
Study this passage
3 Maccabees 3:2
While this was going on, an invidious rumour was uttered abroad by men who had banded together to injure the Jewish race. The purport of their charge was, that the Jews kept them away from the ordinances of the law.
Study this passage
3 Maccabees 3:3
Now, while the Jews always maintained a feeling of unswerving loyalty towards the kings,
Study this passage
3 Maccabees 3:4
yet, as they worshipped God, and observed his law, they made certain distinctions, and avoided certain things. Hence some persons held them in odium;
Study this passage
3 Maccabees 3:5
although, as they adorned their conversation with works of righteousness, they had established themselves in the good opinion of the world.
Study this passage
3 Maccabees 3:6
What all the rest of mankind said, was, however, made of no account by the foreigners;
Study this passage
3 Maccabees 3:7
who said much of the exclusiveness of the Jews with regard to their worship and meats; they alleged that they were men unsociable, hostile to the king's interests, refusing to associate with him or his troops. By this way of speaking, they brought much odium upon them.
Study this passage
3 Maccabees 3:8
Nor was this unexpected uproar and sudden conflux of people unobserved by the Greeks who lived in the city, concerning men who had never harmed them: yet to aid them was not in their power, since all was oppression around; but they encouraged the Jews by sympathizing with them in their troubles, and expected a favourable turn of affairs:
Study this passage
3 Maccabees 3:9
He who knoweth all things, will not, said they, disregard so great a people.
Study this passage
3 Maccabees 3:10
Some of the neighbours, friends, and fellow dealers of the Jews, even called them secretly to an interview, pledged them their assistance, and promised to do their very utmost for them.
Study this passage
3 Maccabees 3:11
Now the king, elated with his prosperous fortune, and not regarding the superior power of God, but thinking to persevere in his present purpose, wrote the following letter to the prejudice of the Jews.
Study this passage
3 Maccabees 3:12
King Ptolemy Philopater, to the commanders and soldiers in Egypt, and in all places, health and happiness!
Study this passage
3 Maccabees 3:13
I am right well; and so, too, are my affairs.
Study this passage
3 Maccabees 3:14
Since our Asiatic campaign, the particulars of which ye know, and which by the aid of the gods, not lightly given, and by our own vigour, has been brought to a successful issue according to our expectation,
Study this passage
3 Maccabees 3:15
we resolved, not with strength of spear, but with gentleness and much humanity, as it were to nurse the inhabitants of Cœle-Syria and Phœnicia, and to be their willing benefactors.
Study this passage
3 Maccabees 3:16
So, having bestowed considerable sums of money upon the temples of the several cities, we proceeded even as far as Jerusalem; and went up to honour the temple of these wretched beings who never cease from their folly.
Study this passage
3 Maccabees 3:17
To outward appearance they received us willingly; but belied that appearance by their deeds. When we were eager to enter their temple, and to honour it with the most beautiful and exquisite gifts,
Study this passage
3 Maccabees 3:18
they were so carried away by their old arrogance, as to forbid us the entrance; while we, out of our forbearance toward all men, refrained from exercising our power upon them.
Study this passage
3 Maccabees 3:19
And thus, exhibiting their enmity against us, they alone among the nations lift up their heads against kings and benefactors, as men unwilling to submit to any thing reasonable.
Study this passage
3 Maccabees 3:20
We then, having endeavoured to make allowance for the madness of these persons, and on our victorious return treating all people in Egypt courteously, acted in a manner which was befitting.
Study this passage
3 Maccabees 3:21
Accordingly, bearing no ill-will against their kinsmen [at Jerusalem], but rather remembering our connection with them, and the numerous matters with sincere heart from a remote period entrusted to them, we wished to venture a total alteration of their state, by bestowing upon them the rights of citizens of Alexandria, and to admit them to the everlasting rites of our solemnities.
Study this passage
3 Maccabees 3:22
All this, however, they have taken in a very different spirit. With their innate malignity, they have spurned the fair offer; and constantly inclining to evil,
Study this passage
3 Maccabees 3:23
have rejected the inestimable rights. Not only so, but by using speech, and by refraining from speech, they abhor the few among them who are heartily disposed towards us; ever deeming that their ignoble course of procedure will force us to do away with our reform.
Study this passage
3 Maccabees 3:24
Having then, received certain proofs that these Jews bear us every sort of ill-will, we must look forward to the possibility of some sudden tumult among ourselves, when these impious men may turn traitors and barbarous enemies.
Study this passage
3 Maccabees 3:25
As soon, therefore, as the contents of this letter become known to you, in that same hour we order those Jews who dwell among you, with wives and children, to be sent to us, vilified and abused, in chains of iron, to undergo a death, cruel and ignominious, suitable to men disaffected.
Study this passage
3 Maccabees 3:26
For by the punishment of them in one body we perceive that we have found the only means of establishing our affairs for the future on a firm and satisfactory basis.
Study this passage
3 Maccabees 3:27
Whoever shall shield a Jew, whether it be old man, child, or suckling, shall with his whole house be tortured to death.
Study this passage
3 Maccabees 3:28
Whoever shall inform against the Jews, besides receiving the property of the person charged, shall be presented with two thousand drachmæ from the royal treasury, shall be made free, and shall be crowned.
Study this passage
3 Maccabees 3:29
Whatever place shall shelter a Jew, shall, when he is hunted forth, be put under the ban of fire, and be for ever rendered useless to every living being for all time to come.
Study this passage
3 Maccabees 3:30
Such was the purport of the king's letter.
Study this passage
Chapter 3 · All reading sections
Choose an edition
About this edition
3 Maccabees — Brenton historical English
Unverified edition
Reading language: eng · Original language (catalog): Ancient source language(s)
Recorded completeness: All 7 chapter files and 228 supplied numbered verses of this identified English witness; all supplied footnotes retained. No claim that this translation is an original-language source or HSLT. This independent historical edition retains its own source readings.. Available reading sections are listed below.
Available body coverage · eng
7 chapter/reading unit(s) · 228 nonempty passage record(s).
Supported chapters & passages
- Chapter 1 · 29 passage record(s)
- Chapter 2 · 33 passage record(s)
- Chapter 3 · 30 passage record(s)
- Chapter 4 · 21 passage record(s)
- Chapter 5 · 51 passage record(s)
- Chapter 6 · 41 passage record(s)
- Chapter 7 · 23 passage record(s)
Body coverage is separate from textual verification. Counts do not establish complete chapters or textual completeness.
Evidence Intelligence
Know what kind of evidence you are looking at.
Helpful Saints keeps direct biblical text, language evidence, ancient witnesses, historical context, research models, and open questions visibly distinct.Direct Biblical Text
The explicit wording and literary context of canonical Scripture.
Original-Language Evidence
Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, morphology, lemmas, semantic range, and textual comparison.
Ancient Witness
Septuagint, Dead Sea Scrolls, ancient Jewish literature, and early Christian writings—clearly classified.
Historical Context
Geography, material culture, chronology ranges, institutions, customs, and reception history.
Research Model
A configured chronology, theological synthesis, typological pattern, or proposed relationship.
Open Question
Evidence is incomplete, debated, or insufficient for a settled conclusion.