We do not recommend following Good News Bible for this verse.

They fought with Bacchides, and he was crushed by them may be better rendered “Then they attacked Bacchides and his army, and defeated him [or, them].”

They distressed him greatly may be translated “He was enormously distressed [or, upset].”

For his plan and his expedition had been in vain: His plan refers to his strategy in reasserting Syrian control in Judea; his expedition refers to his march down from Antioch to put his plan into effect. This clause and the previous one can be reversed to good effect, tying the previous one to the next verse as follows: “He had come down from Antioch for nothing, and his strategy [or, plans] had failed. He was enormously distressed….”

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Maccabees. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.