1 In those days a priest from Joarib’s family named Mattathias, the son of John and grandson of Simeon, moved from Jerusalem and settled in Modein.
2 He had five sons: John, who had the surname Gaddi;
3 Simon, called Thassi;
4 Judas, called Maccabeus;
5 Eleazar, called Avaran; and Jonathan, called Apphus.
6 Mattathias saw the offensive actions against God that were taking place in Judah and Jerusalem.
7 He said:"Horrible! Why was I born to see this—the ruin of my people,the ruin of the holy city?Why was I born to live there when it was given over to the enemy,and when the sanctuarywas given over to strangers?