2 Maccabees 1

How to read these pages: the text itself comes first, verse by verse, in the volume's own translation. Beneath each verse stands its Meaning — a rendering of what the passage's terms name in the inner life, drawn from the correspondences the text itself uses. The text is never altered; the meaning is offered, not imposed.

King James Version

1The brethren, the Jews that be at Jerusalem and in the land of Judea, wish unto the brethren, the Jews that are throughout Egypt health and peace:

The brethren at Jerusalem — the established center of spiritual consciousness — and in the land of Judea, the praise-state, wish to the brethren throughout Egypt, the material sense-realm, health and peace — rest within the divine order.

2God be gracious unto you, and remember his covenant that he made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, his faithful servants;

May the Source be gracious unto you — pour His unmerited inflow into you — and remember His covenant, the law of relationship written into consciousness, that He made with Abraham — Faith itself — Isaac — the joy-child of promise — and Jacob — the striving intellect — His faithful servants.

3And give you all an heart to serve him, and to do his will, with a good courage and a willing mind;

And give you all a heart to serve Him and to do His will, with good courage and a willing mind.

4And open your hearts in his law and commandments, and send you peace,

And open your hearts in His law — the written order of the divine life — and in His commandments, its plain articulations, and send you peace.

5And hear your prayers, and be at one with you, and never forsake you in time of trouble.

And hear your prayers, and be at one with you — at-one-ment — and never forsake you in time of trouble.

6And now we be here praying for you.

And now we are here praying for you.

7What time as Demetrius reigned, in the hundred threescore and ninth year, we the Jews wrote unto you in the extremity of trouble that came upon us in those years, from the time that Jason and his company revolted from the holy land and kingdom,

What time Demetrius — a ruling state — reigned, in the hundred threescore and ninth year, we wrote unto you in the extremity of trouble that came upon us in those years, from the time Jason and his company revolted from the holy land and kingdom — the realm the ruling state governs.

8And burned the porch, and shed innocent blood: then we prayed unto the Lord, and were heard; we offered also sacrifices and fine flour, and lighted the lamps, and set forth the loaves.

And burned the porch, and shed innocent blood — the life-stream of the innocent state wholly poured out: then we prayed unto the indwelling LORD, and were heard; we offered also sacrifices — faculties yielded to God — and fine flour, and lighted the lamps, and set forth the loaves — truth-substance set in order.

9And now see that ye keep the feast of tabernacles in the month Casleu.

And now see that ye keep the feast of tabernacles — the feast of the shelter-states on the journey — in the month Casleu.

10In the hundred fourscore and eighth year, the people that were at Jerusalem and in Judea, and the council, and Judas, sent greeting and health unto Aristobulus, king Ptolemeus’ master, who was of the stock of the anointed priests, and to the Jews that were in Egypt:

In the hundred fourscore and eighth year, the people at Jerusalem and in Judea, and the council, and Judas, sent greeting and health unto Aristobulus, king Ptolemeus' master, who was of the stock of the anointed priests — mediating faculties consecrated by the Spirit — and to the Jews in Egypt.

11Insomuch as God hath delivered us from great perils, we thank him highly, as having been in battle against a king.

Insomuch as the Source hath delivered us from great perils, we thank Him highly, as having been in battle against a king — a ruling state in conflict with the true idea.

12For he cast them out that fought within the holy city.

For He cast them out that fought within the holy city — the center of consciousness set apart to God.

13For when the leader was come into Persia, and the army with him that seemed invincible, they were slain in the temple of Nanea by the deceit of Nanea’s priests.

For when the leader was come into Persia, and the army with him that seemed invincible, they were slain in the temple of Nanea by the deceit of Nanea's priests — a false sanctuary-state undone by its own deceit.

14For Antiochus, as though he would marry her, came into the place, and his friends that were with him, to receive money in name of a dowry.

For Antiochus, as though he would marry her, came into the place, and his friends with him, to receive money in name of a dowry.

15Which when the priests of Nanea had set forth, and he was entered with a small company into the compass of the temple, they shut the temple as soon as Antiochus was come in:

Which when the priests of Nanea had set forth, and he was entered with a small company into the compass of the temple, they shut the temple as soon as Antiochus was come in.

16And opening a privy door of the roof, they threw stones like thunderbolts, and struck down the captain, hewed them in pieces, smote off their heads and cast them to those that were without.

And opening a privy door of the roof, they threw stones like thunderbolts, and struck down the captain, hewed them in pieces, smote off their heads and cast them to those that were without.

17Blessed be our God in all things, who hath delivered up the ungodly.

Blessed — increased by divine favour — be our God in all things, who hath delivered up the ungodly — the states twisted away from the order.

18Therefore whereas we are now purposed to keep the purification of the temple upon the five and twentieth day of the month Casleu, we thought it necessary to certify you thereof, that ye also might keep it, as the feast of the tabernacles, and of the fire, which was given us when Neemias offered sacrifice, after that he had builded the temple and the altar.

Therefore, whereas we purpose to keep the purification of the temple — the cleansing of the established sanctuary-state — upon the five and twentieth day of Casleu, we thought it necessary to certify you, that ye also might keep it, as the feast of tabernacles, and of the fire given us when Neemias offered sacrifice, after he had builded the temple and the altar — the built point of consecration.

19For when our fathers were led into Persia, the priests that were then devout took the fire of the altar privily, and hid it in an hollow place of a pit without water, where they kept it sure, so that the place was unknown to all men.

For when our fathers were led into Persia, the priests that were then devout took the fire of the altar privily, and hid it in a hollow place of a pit without water, where they kept it sure, so the place was unknown to all men — the altar-fire, the divine zeal of consecration, hidden and preserved through captivity.

20Now after many years, when it pleased God, Neemias, being sent from the king of Persia, did send of the posterity of those priests that had hid it to the fire: but when they told us they found no fire, but thick water;

Now after many years, when it pleased the Source, Neemias, being sent from the king of Persia, sent of the posterity of those priests that had hid it to the fire: but they told us they found no fire, but thick water — unformed thought in place of the flame.

21Then commanded he them to draw it up, and to bring it; and when the sacrifices were laid on, Neemias commanded the priests to sprinkle the wood and the things laid thereupon with the water.

Then he commanded them to draw it up and bring it; and when the sacrifices were laid on, Neemias commanded the priests to sprinkle the wood and the things laid thereupon with the water.

22When this was done, and the time came that the sun shone, which afore was hid in the cloud, there was a great fire kindled, so that every man marvelled.

When this was done, and the time came that the sun shone, which afore was hid in the cloud, there was a great fire kindled, so that every man marvelled — the hidden zeal rekindled when understanding dawned again.

23And the priests made a prayer whilst the sacrifice was consuming, I say, both the priests, and all the rest, Jonathan beginning, and the rest answering thereunto, as Neemias did.

And the priests made a prayer whilst the sacrifice was consuming — both the priests and all the rest, Jonathan beginning, and the rest answering thereunto, as Neemias did.

24And the prayer was after this manner; O Lord, Lord God, Creator of all things, who art fearful and strong, and righteous, and merciful, and the only and gracious King,

And the prayer was after this manner: O indwelling LORD, Lord God — the Divine Mind — Creator of all things, who art fearful and strong, and righteous, and merciful, and the only and gracious King — the one ruling Source.

25The only giver of all things, the only just, almighty, and everlasting, thou that deliverest Israel from all trouble, and didst choose the fathers, and sanctify them:

The only giver of all things, the only just, almighty, and everlasting, Thou that deliverest Israel — the spiritual man — from all trouble, and didst choose the fathers, and sanctify them — set them apart wholly to the divine order.

26Receive the sacrifice for thy whole people Israel, and preserve thine own portion, and sanctify it.

Receive the sacrifice — the faculty yielded to Thee — for Thy whole people Israel, and preserve Thine own portion, and sanctify it.

27Gather those together that are scattered from us, deliver them that serve among the heathen, look upon them that are despised and abhorred, and let the heathen know that thou art our God.

Gather those together that are scattered from us, deliver them that serve among the heathen — the outer sense-nations — look upon them that are despised and abhorred, and let the heathen know that Thou art our God.

28Punish them that oppress us, and with pride do us wrong.

Punish them that oppress us, and with pride do us wrong — let the oppressing states meet the consequence of the disorder they chose.

29Plant thy people again in thy holy place, as Moses hath spoken.

Plant Thy people again in Thy holy place, as Moses — the deliverer-lawgiver faculty — hath spoken.

30And the priests sung psalms of thanksgiving.

And the priests sung psalms of thanksgiving — the praise-faculties sounding in order.

31Now when the sacrifice was consumed, Neemias commanded the water that was left to be poured on the great stones.

Now when the sacrifice was consumed, Neemias commanded the water that was left to be poured on the great stones.

32When this was done, there was kindled a flame: but it was consumed by the light that shined from the altar.

When this was done, there was kindled a flame: but it was consumed by the light that shined from the altar — the lesser flame taken up into the greater light of the consecrated place.

33So when this matter was known, it was told the king of Persia, that in the place, where the priests that were led away had hid the fire, there appeared water, and that Neemias had purified the sacrifices therewith.

So when this matter was known, it was told the king of Persia, that in the place where the priests that were led away had hid the fire, there appeared water, and that Neemias had purified the sacrifices therewith.

34Then the king, inclosing the place, made it holy, after he had tried the matter.

Then the king, inclosing the place, made it holy — set it apart to the divine order — after he had tried the matter.

35And the king took many gifts, and bestowed thereof on those whom he would gratify.

And the king took many gifts, and bestowed thereof on those whom he would gratify.

36And Neemias called this thing Naphthar, which is as much as to say, a cleansing: but many men call it Nephi.

And Neemias called this thing Naphthar, which is as much as to say, a cleansing: but many men call it Nephi.

Companion volume to The Why Bible — the King James Apocrypha, rendered in its spiritual meanings. First final edition, October 2026.