3 Maccabees 7:11-13

Revised Standard Version

¹¹ For they declared that those who for the belly’s sake had transgressed the divine commandments would never be favorably disposed toward the king’s government. ¹² The king^[a] then, admitting and approving the truth of what they said, granted them a general license so that freely and without royal authority or supervision they might destroy those everywhere in his kingdom who had transgressed the law of God. ¹³ When they had applauded him in fitting manner, their priests and the whole multitude shouted the Hallelujah and joyfully departed.