17 Judas chose Eupolemus, the son of John and grandson of Accos, and Jason son of Eleazar and sent them to Rome to make a treaty of friendship and alliance with the Romans.
18 He did this to eliminate Syrian oppression, since the Jews clearly saw that they were being reduced to slavery.
19 After a long and difficult journey, Eupolemus and Jason reached Rome and entered the Senate. They addressed the assembly in these terms:
20 “Judas Maccabeus, his brothers, and the Jewish people have sent us here to make a mutual defense treaty with you, so that we may be officially recorded as your friends and allies.”
21 The Romans accepted the proposal,
22 and what follows is a copy of the letter which was engraved on bronze tablets and sent to Jerusalem to remain there as a record of the treaty:
23 “May things go well forever for the Romans and for the Jewish nation on land and sea! May they never have enemies, and may they never go to war!