Ukubulawa KukaMenelawusi
1Ngomnyaka we-149, izwi lafika kuJudase kanye namabutho akhe lokuthi u-Antiyokhusi Ewuphathori uyeza nempi enkulukazi ukuzohlasela elaseJudiya, 2ehambisana noLusiyase umlindi wakhe, owabe ephethe futhi uhulumeni. Yilowo nalowo kubo wayehambisana namabutho ahamba ngezinyawo amaGriki ayi-110 000, kanye nezi-5 000 zalawo agibele amahhashi, nezindlovu ezingama-22, nabagibele ezinqoleni abangama-300 behlome ngezinkemba. 3UMenelawusi naye wahlanganyela nabo kwathi ngobuqili obukhulu wamgqugquzela u-Antiyokhusi, hhayi ngoba ekhathalele inhlalakahle yezwe, kodwa ngoba ayecabanga ukuthi lokhu kungamnika ithuba lokuthola isikhundla.
4Kepha iNkosi yamakhosi yavusa ulaka ku-Antiyokhusi wamvuthela uMenelawusi. ULusiyase wayazisa inkosi ukuthi le ndoda yiyona emelwe ukusolwa ngayo yonke inkathazo, wabayala ukuba bamuse eBhoreya bafike bamuse kwagoqanyawo lapho ngendlela ejwayelekile kuleyo ndawo. 5Ngokuba kukhona umbhoshongo lapho, okuphakama kwawo kungamakhubhithi angama-50, ogcwele umlotha, futhi kukhona newa eliwuzungezile okude kuwela kulo umlotha. 6Kulapho bephonsa khona noma ngubani omelwe ngukufa onecala lokuhlambalaza noma odumile ngokwenza amacala. 7UMenelawusi isephulamthetho wafa ngokufa okunjalo futhi katholanga ukuba angcwatshwe emhlabathini. 8Lokhu kwakulungile kumfanele impela; ngokuba wayenzile izono eziningi maqondana ne-Althare elalimlilo walo nomlotha kungcwele, wafa kanjalo emlotheni.
Impi Eyalwa Eduze Nomuzi IModeyimi
9Inkosi igcwele ukukhukhumala okunobuqaba yeza ukuzokhombisa abajuda izinto ezimbi ukwedlula lezo ezazenziwe emihleni kayise. 10Kepha lapho uJudase ezwa lokhu, wabayala abantu ukuba bakhuleke eNkosini ubusuku nemini, ngendlela abangazange benze ngayo ngaphambili ukuba izobasiza labo abase besengcupheni yokuyekiswa umthetho, nezwe labo kanye nethempeli, 11ukuba ingavumi ukuba abantu abebeqeda nje ukuvuseleleka, babuyele ezandleni zabahlambalazi babezizwe. 12Lapho sebehlanganyele bonke kulokho kunxusa futhi sebeyincengile iNkosi enesihawu ngokulila nangokuzila bezithe ji phansi izinsuku ezintathu bengaphumuli, uJudase wabayala futhi wabatshela ukuba bahlale belungile.
13Emva kokubonisana neziphathimandla, wazimisela ukuphuma kodwa wafuna ukukwenza lokhu ngosizo lukaNkulunkulu ingakafiki impi yenkosi ingene eJudiya futhi idle nomuzi. 14Ngakho-ke wabe esinikela eNkosini uMdali womhlaba isinqumo sakhe futhi esewayalile amabutho akhe ukuba abe nesibindi kuze kube sekufeni ngenxa nje yomthetho ithempeli, umuzi, izwe kanye nenhlalakahle, yena-ke wakanekisa ngaseModeyini. 15Wawanikeza amabutho akhe lesi siqubulo: “Ukunqoba kungokukaNkulunkulu,” wathatha idlanzana lezi nsizwa ezinesibindi, wahlasela amabutho enkosi ebusuku, wabulala abayizinkulungwane ezimbili enkambini yabo. Wagwaza izindlovu ezazibahola kanye nabagibele kuzo. 16Kwagcina ngokuba kugcwale ukwesaba nokudideka okukhulu enkanjini labo kodwa yena wasuka lapho enqobile. 17Lokhu kwenzeka entathakusa, ngokuba iNkosi yamvikela ngosizo lwayo.
U-Antiyokhusi Wesihlanu Wenza Isivumelwano Sokuthula NamaJuda
18Inkosi seyinambithile yezwa isibindi sabaJuda, yazama elinye icebo lokuhlasela izikanekiso zawo. 19Yahlasela eBhethi-zuri, inqaba eyayiqinile kakhulu, kodwa yaxoshwa, yaphinda yahlasela, yehlulwa futhi. 20UJudase wawathumelela amabutho ezinqabeni lokho ayebona kufanele akuthumele. 21Kodwa uRodokhusi, indoda eyayingesinye sezikhulu empini yabaJuda wakhipha izimfihlo wazinikeza isitha; bamfuna, bambamba base bemuvalela esitokisini. 22Inkosi yaxoxisana ngokwesibili nabantu baseBhethi Zuri, yabanika isiqiniseko, futhi yemukela nesabo, yase ihoxa, yahlasela uJudase namabutho akhe, yaphinde yehlulwa.
23U-Antiyokhusi wathola umbiko othi uFiliphu, okade eshiywe ephethe umbuso, wayesewuvukele umbuso e-Antiyokhi; wamangala kakhulu, wabiza abajuda, wazithoba kuwo futhi wafunga ukuwagcina onke amalungelo awo, wahlala nabo wanikela imihlatshelo, wayihlonipha indawo engcwele, futhi waba nesandla esivulekile ezidingweni zendawo engcwele. 24Wamukela uMakhabhizi, washiya uHegemonidesi njengombusi kusukela ePhitholemiyase kuze kube seGereyinoni, 25wahamba waya ePhitholemiyase. Abantu basePhitholemiyase babengasithandisisi lesi sivumelwano; empeleni babethukuthele ngangoba babefuna ukusesula lesi sivumelwano. 26ULusiyase wasukuma emphakathini, wazivikela, waphumelela ukubenza bamkholwe, wabenelisa, futhi waze wathola nokuba bamethembe, wayesesuka walibangisa e-Antiyokhi. Kwahamba kanjena-ke ukuhlasela kwenkosi kanye nokuhoxa kwayo.
