They not only spurn the priceless citizenship: The Jews reject the offer of equal citizenship if it means they have to worship a Greek god. So we may say “they refuse the valuable status of citizenship [or, becoming citizens]” or “they reject the wonderful opportunity of becoming citizens of Alexandria.”

But also both by speech and by silence they abominate those few among them who are sincerely disposed toward us: See 3 Macc 2.31-33. The faithful Jews showed active hostility (they abominate) to the faithless Jews (those few among them who are sincerely disposed toward us) by what they said to them (by speech), and by refusing to have anything to do with them (by silence). We may alternatively say “They also speak harshly to the few Jews who are in favor of our ways, or else refuse to say any thing to them at all.”

In every situation, in accordance with their infamous way of life may be rendered “This shows what terrible [or, disgraceful] people they really are.”

They secretly suspect that we may soon alter our policy: The king says that the Jews are secretly hoping that he is not going to insist on their worshiping Dionysus, and that is just what one would expect of people who have such a disgraceful (infamous) way of life, or religion, themselves. Secretly suspect does not mean that they are doing anything in secret, but simply that deep down, they really seem to think the king will change his policy.

Here is an alternative model for this verse and the last clause of the previous verse:

• 22 … Since they seem always to do what is evil, 23 they refuse the valuable status of citizens [or, they reject the wonderful opportunity of becoming citizens of Alexandria]. They also speak harshly to the few Jews who are in favor of our ways, or else refuse to say anything at all to them. They seem to think that I am soon going to change my policy toward them, but that simply shows what shameful [or, disgraceful] people they really are.

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.