And already some of their neighbors and friends and business associates had taken some of them aside privately: And already may be rendered “In fact” (Contemporary English Version). Some of their neighbors refers to neighbors and friends of the Jews. Business associates are people with whom the Jews did business. They could be partners, customers, or suppliers of materials. Had taken some of them aside privately may be expressed as “went to them secretly” or “talked to them in private.”

And were pledging to protect them may be rendered “and were promising to protect them.”

And to exert more earnest efforts for their assistance means they were giving their Jewish friends assurance that they would try hard to help them in every way possible.

Here is an alternative model for this verse:

• Some friends of the Jews—neighbors or people with whom the Jews did business—talked to them in private, and promised that they would try their best to help them in every way possible.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 3-4 Maccabees. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2018. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.