14. And he strengthened all those of his people that were brought low: the law he searched out, and every lawless and wicked person he took away.
15. He glorified the sanctuary, and the vessels of the temple he multiplied.
16. And it was heard at Rome that Jonathan was dead, and even to Sparta, and they were exceeding sorry.
17. But as soon as they heard that his brother Simon was made high priest in his stead, and ruled the country, and the cities therein,
18. they wrote to him on tables of brass, to renew with him the friendship and the confederacy which they had confirmed with Judas and Jonathan his brethren;
19. and they were read before the congregation at Jerusalem.
20. And this is the copy of the letters which the Spartans sent: The rulers of the Spartans, and the city, to Simon the high priest, and to the elders, and the priests, and the residue of the people of the Jews, our brethren, greeting:
21. The ambassadors that were sent to our people made report to us of your glory and honor: and we were glad for their coming,
22. and we did register the things that were spoken by them in the public records after this manner: Numenius son of Antiochus, and Antipater son of Jason, the Jews’ ambassadors, came to us to renew the friendship they had with us.
23. And it pleased the people to entertain the men honorably, and to put the copy of their words in the public records, to the end that the people of the Spartans might have a memorial thereof: moreover they wrote a copy of these things to Simon the high priest.
24. After this Simon sent Numenius to Rome with a great shield of gold of a thousand pound weight, in order to confirm the confederacy with them.
25. But when the people heard these things, they said, What thanks shall we give to Simon and his sons?