II Maccabees Chapter 13

Other Translations

vul1914 (vul1914) - Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)

1 Anno centesimo quadragesimonono, cognovit Iudas Antiochum Eupatorem venire cum multitudine adversus Iudæam,

2 et cum eo Lysiam procuratorem, et præpositum negotiorum, secum habentem peditum centum decem millia, et equitum quinque millia, et elephantos viginti duos, currus cum falcibus trecentos.

3 Commiscuit autem se illis et Menelaus: et cum multa fallacia deprecabatur Antiochum, non pro patriæ salute, sed sperans se constitui in principatum.

4 Sed Rex regum suscitavit animos Antiochi in peccatorem: et suggerente Lysia hunc esse causam omnium malorum, iussit (ut eis est consuetudo) apprehensum in eodem loco necari.

5 Erat autem in eodem loco turris quinquaginta cubitorum, aggestum undique habens cineris: hæc prospectum habebat in præceps.

6 inde in cinerem deiici iussit sacrilegum, omnibus eum propellentibus ad interitum.

7 Et tali lege prævaricatorem legis contigit mori, nec terræ dari Menelaum.

8 Et quidem satis iuste: nam quia multa erga aram Dei delicta commisit, cuius ignis, et cinis erat sanctus: ipse in cineris morte damnatus est.

9 Sed rex mente effrenatus veniebat, nequiorem se patre suo Iudæis ostensurus.

10 Quibus Iudas cognitis, præcepit populo ut die ac nocte Dominum invocarent, quo, sicut semper, et nunc adiuvaret eos:

11 quippe qui lege, et patria, sanctoque templo privari vererentur: ac populum, qui nuper paululum respirasset, ne sineret blasphemis rursus nationibus subdi.

12 Omnibus itaque simul id facientibus, et petentibus a Domino misericordiam cum fletu, et ieiuniis, per triduum continuum prostratis, hortatus est eos Iudas ut se præpararent.

13 Ipse vero cum senioribus cogitavit prius quam rex admoveret exercitum ad Iudæam, et obtineret civitatem, exire, et Domini iudicio committere exitum rei.

14 Dans itaque potestatem omnium Deo mundi creatori, et exhortatus suos ut fortiter dimicarent, et usque ad mortem pro legibus, templo, civitate, patria, et civibus starent, circa Modin exercitum constituit.

15 Et dato signo suis Dei victoriæ, iuvenibus fortissimis electis, nocte aggressus aulam regiam, in castris interfecit viros quatuor millia, et maximum elephantorum cum his, qui superpositi fuerant:

16 summoque metu, ac perturbatione hostium castra replentes, rebus prospere gestis, abierunt.

17 Hoc autem factum est die illucescente, adiuvante eum Domini protectione.

18 Sed rex, accepto gustu audaciæ Iudæorum, arte difficultatem locorum tentabat:

19 et Bethsuræ, quæ erat Iudæorum præsidium munitum, castra admovebat: sed fugabatur, impingebat, minorabatur.

20 His autem, qui intus erant, Iudas necessaria mittebat.

21 Enunciavit autem mysteria hostibus Rhodocus quidam de Iudaico exercitu, qui requisitus comprehensus est, et conclusus.

22 Iterum rex sermonem habuit ad eos, qui erant in Bethsuris: dextram dedit: accepit: abiit.

23 commisit cum Iuda, superatus est. Ut autem cognovit rebellasse Philippum Antiochiæ, qui relictus erat super negotia, mente consternatus Iudæos deprecans, subditusque eis, iurat de omnibus, quibus iustum visum est: et reconciliatus obtulit sacrificium, honoravit templum, et munera posuit:

24 Machabæum amplexatus est, et fecit eum a Ptolemaide usque ad Gerrenos ducem et principem.

25 Ut autem venit Ptolemaidam, graviter ferebant Ptolemenses amicitiæ conventionem, indignantes ne forte fœdus irrumperent.

26 Tunc ascendit Lysias tribunal, et exposuit rationem, et populum sedavit, regressusque est Antiochiam: et hoc modo regis profectio, et reditus processit.

Explanations by Age Level

Explain Like I'm 5

A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!

Explain Like I'm 10

Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.

Explain Like I'm 15

Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).