1 Maccabees 2:40-42

New Catholic Bible

⁴⁰ “If we all do as our kindred have done,” they said to one another, “and refuse to fight against the Gentiles in defense of our lives and our traditions, they will soon wipe us off the face of the earth.” ⁴¹ On that day they formulated this decision: “Let us fight against anyone who attacks us on the Sabbath, so that we will not all be killed, as happened to our kindred who died in their hiding places.”

⁴² Soon thereafter they were joined by a group of Hasideans, valiant warriors of Israel, each one a stout defender of the law.