Do not punish us for the defilement committed by these men, or call us to account for this profanation: In many languages it will be good to begin this verse with the equivalent of “Please” (Contemporary English Version). The High Priest is pleading with God, not commanding him. The Greek expression for Do not punish us for the defilement committed by these men is literally “Do not punish us in the defilement of these [men],” which is ambiguous. The second clause, or call us to account for this profanation, is parallel to the first one, and may be combined with it (so Contemporary English Version). Revised Standard Version and Contemporary English Version understand these two clauses to be a prayer that God not punish the Jews after Philopator and his men defile the Temple. Anderson, Emmet, and Hadas interpret it as a prayer that God not punish the Jews for their sins (see verse 13) by allowing Philopator and his men to profane the Temple, thus blocking access to God. In our judgment the latter interpretation is more probable, and the following model is based on it: “Please do not punish us by allowing these men to make our Temple unfit for use [or, to profane our Temple].”

Lest the transgressors boast in their wrath or exult in the arrogance of their tongue, saying: These two clauses will be most easily expressed as a separate sentence in many languages by rendering the word lest as “If you do” (Contemporary English Version, and see our models at the end of verse 18). Boast in their wrath and exult in the arrogance of their tongue say roughly the same thing, and can be combined as follows: “If you do, these arrogant sinners are going to brag and say….” The following verse gives the content of what the transgressors might say. While Revised Standard Version presents it (literally) as direct speech, some translators will find it better expressed as indirect speech (so Contemporary English Version). We offer models at the end of verse 18 using both approaches.

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.