31. they gave thanks, and further exhorted them to remain well affected toward the race for the future; and they went up to Jerusalem, the feast of weeks being close to hand.
32. But after the feast called Pentecost they marched in haste against Gorgias the governor of Idumaea:
33. and he came out with three thousand footmen and four hundred horsemen.
34. And when they had set themselves in array, it came to pass that a few of the Jews fell.
35. And a certain Dositheus, one of Bacenor’s company, who was on horseback and a strong man, pressed hard on Gorgias, and taking hold of his cloke drew him along by main force; and while he was minded to take the accursed man alive, one of the Thracian horsemen bore down upon him and disabled his shoulder, and so Gorgias escaped to Marisa.
36. And when they that were with Esdris had been fighting long and were wearied out, Judas called upon the Lord to show himself, fighting on their side and leading the van of the battle;
37. and then in the language of his fathers he raised the battle-cry joined with hymns, and rushing unawares upon the troops of Gorgias put them to flight.
38. And Judas gathering his army came to the city of Adullam; and as the seventh day was coming on, they purified themselves according to the custom, and kept the Sabbath there.
39. And on the day following, at which time it had become necessary, Judas and his company came to take up the bodies of them that had fallen, and in company with their kinsmen to bring them back to the sepulchres of their fathers.
40. But under the garments of each one of the dead they found consecrated tokens of the idols of Jamnia, which the law forbids the Jews to have anything to do with; and it became clear to all that it was for this cause that they had fallen.
41. All therefore, blessing the works of the Lord, the righteous Judge, who makes manifest the things that are hid,
42. betook themselves to supplication, beseeching that the sin committed might be wholly blotted out. And the noble Judas exhorted the multitude to keep themselves from sin, forsomuch as they had seen before their eyes what things had come to pass because of the sin of them that had fallen.
43. And when he had made a collection man by man to the sum of two thousand drachmas of silver, he sent to Jerusalem to offer a sacrifice for sin, doing therein right well and honorably, in that he took thought for a resurrection.
44. For if he were not expecting that they that had fallen would rise again, it were superfluous and idle to pray for the dead.
45. (And if he did it looking to an honorable memorial of gratitude laid up for them that die in godliness, holy and godly was the thought.) Wherefore he made the propitiation for them that had died, that they might be released from their sin.