19  The truth about Judas Maccabeus, and his brothers, and the purification of the great temple, and the dedication of the altar,

20  and also about the battles, which pertain to Antiochus the illustrious, and his son, Eupator,

20  And the wars against Antiochus Epiphanes, and Eupator his son,

21  and about the illuminations, which came from heaven to those who acted on behalf of the Jews with fortitude, was such that they, though few, vindicated the entire region and put to flight a multitude of the barbarous,

21  And the manifest signs that came from heaven unto those that behaved themselves manfully to their honour for Judaism: so that, being but a few, they overcame the whole country, and chased barbarous multitudes,

22  and recovered the most famous temple in the whole world, and freed the city, and restored the laws that were abolished. For the Lord, with all tranquility, was acting favorably toward them.

22  And recovered again the temple renowned all the world over, and freed the city, and upheld the laws which were going down, the Lord being gracious unto them with all favour

23  And similar things as have been comprised in five books by Jason the Cyrenean, we have attempted to abridge into one volume.

23  All these things, I say, being declared by Jason of Cyrene in five books, we will assay to abridge in one volume.

24  For, considering the multitude of the books, and the difficulty that those who are willing to undertake the narrations of histories find, due to the multitude of events,

24  For considering the infinite number, and the difficulty which they find that desire to look into the narrations of the story, for the variety of the matter,

25  we have taken care, so that, indeed, those who are willing to read may have delights of the mind, and so that, in truth, the studious may more easily be able to commit it to memory, and also so that all readers may find it useful.

25  We have been careful, that they that will read may have delight, and that they that are desirous to commit to memory might have ease, and that all into whose hands it comes might have profit.