34 After this, he left.The priests immediately stretched their arms toward heaven and prayed to God, the Defender of our nation. They said,
35 “Our holy Lord God, you have everything, and yet you were pleased to let us build a temple, so that you could live here with us.
36 We have only recently dedicated this temple again. Please keep it holy forever and ever.”
37-38 Razis was one of the most highly respected leaders in Jerusalem, and during the war for freedom, he had risked his life for his faith. In fact, he was so generous that he was known as the father of our country.Someone brought charges against him to Nicanor,
39-40 who took this as an opportunity to show his hatred for our people by doing us some real harm. So he sent more than 500 troops to arrest Razis,
41 who was in a tower surrounded by a walled-in courtyard. But the soldiers started beating down the gate to the courtyard, while shouting orders to set the doors of the tower on fire. Razis knew he was trapped, and he threw himself on his sword,
42 because he was from an important family and wanted to die with honor, rather than at the hands of godless men.