2 Maccabees 1:6-8

Revised Standard Version

⁶ We are now praying for you here.

⁷ In the reign of Deme′trius, in the one hundred and sixty-ninth year,^[a] we Jews wrote to you, in the critical distress which came upon us in those years after Jason and his company revolted from the holy land and the kingdom ⁸ and burned the gate and shed innocent blood. We besought the Lord and we were heard, and we offered sacrifice and cereal offering, and we lighted the lamps and we set out the loaves.