5 In Beroea there was a 22 meters tower full of ashes, and the inside wall of the tower sloped down into the ash pile.
6 Criminals who were guilty of dishonoring a temple or of some other horrible crime were thrown down inside the tower to die.
7 So that was how the lawbreaker Menelaus died—and without even a proper burial afterwards.
8 Such a death was a perfect punishment for someone who had so often disgraced the temple altar, together with its holy ashes and fire.
9 Antiochus was an arrogant and savage king, who wanted to punish the people of Judea more severely than his father had ever done. He was on his way to invade the country,
10 when Judas found out what was happening. So Judas told the people to pray day and night, and they prayed, “Our Lord, we need you now more than ever before! Please don't let our Law and our nation and our holy temple be destroyed.
11 You have just given your people a fresh start. Don't let those godless Gentiles rule us again.”