1 Maccabees 15:1-3

Revised Standard Version

Letter of Antiochus VII

15 Anti′ochus, the son of Deme′trius the king, sent a letter from the islands of the sea to Simon, the priest and ethnarch of the Jews, and to all the nation; ² its contents were as follows: “King Anti′ochus to Simon the high priest and ethnarch and to the nation of the Jews, greeting. ³ Whereas certain pestilent men have gained control of the kingdom of our fathers, and I intend to lay claim to the kingdom so that I may restore it as it formerly was, and have recruited a host of mercenary troops and have equipped warships,