25. But when the people of Rome had heard these words, they said: "With what deeds of thanksgiving shall we repay Simon and his sons?
26. For he has vindicated his brothers, and he has fought off the enemies of Israel from them." And so, they decreed him free, and they registered it on tablets of brass and placed it in an inscription on mount Zion.
27. And this is a copy of the writing: "On the eighteenth day of the month Elul, in the one hundred and seventy-second year, the third year under Simon, the great priest at Asaramel,
28. in a great convocation of the priests, and the people, and the leaders of the nation, and the elders of the country, these things were noted: 'Now there have often been battles in our country.
29. And Simon, the son of Mattathias, of the sons of Jarib, and his brothers, have put themselves in danger, and have withstood the enemies of their nation, so as to establish their holy places and the law. And they have glorified their people with great glory.
30. And Jonathan gathered together his nation, and he was made their great priest, and he was laid to rest among his people.
31. And their enemies wanted to trample and lay waste to their country, and to extend their hands against their holy places.
32. Then Simon resisted, and he fought for his nation, and he requested much money, and he armed the valiant men of his nation and gave them wages.
33. And he fortified the cities of Judea and Bethzur, which are along the borders of Judea, where the weaponry of the enemies was before. And he placed a garrison of Jewish men there.
34. And he fortified Joppa, which is by the sea, and Gazara, which is on the border of Azotus, where the enemies stayed before, and he placed Jews there. And he positioned with them whatever was fitting for their preparations.
35. And the people saw the acts of Simon, and the glory that he intended to bring to his nation, and they made him their commander and first priest, because he had done all these things, and because of the justice and faith that he maintained for his nation, and because he sought to exalt his people by all means.
36. And in his days, there was prosperity by his hands, so that the Gentiles were taken away from their country, and also those who were in the city of David, in Jerusalem, in the stronghold, from which they went out and contaminated all the places that were around the sanctuary, and from which they brought a great scourging against chastity.
37. And he placed in it Jewish men, as a means of protection for the region and the city, and he raised the walls of Jerusalem.
38. And king Demetrius confirmed him in the high priesthood.