Pay back the Gentiles in full, and heed what the law commands: These are Mattathias’ dying words. He sums up his wishes in two brief commands, which may be expressed as the following two short sentences: “Pay the Gentiles back in full. Live by the Law.”

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Maccabees. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.