But because they worshiped God and conducted themselves by his law: Conducted themselves by his law means “lived according to God’s Law.” His law is literally “this law,” but the reference is clearly to Jewish law or God’s Law.

They kept their separateness with respect to foods may be rendered “they refused to eat the same food that everyone else ate.”

For this reason they appeared hateful to some may be expressed as “So some people thought that the Jews were unfriendly [or, were trying to cause trouble].” We suggest that translators put this clause first in the verse as follows:

• Still, some people thought the Jews were unfriendly, because they refused to eat the same food that everyone else ate. But this was because they worshiped God and lived according to God’s law.

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.