1 When Simon heard that Trypho was gathering a large army to invade and ravage the land of Judah,
2 and saw that the people were trembling with terror, he went up to Jerusalem. There he assembled the people
3 and exhorted them in these words: “You know what I, my brothers, and my father’s house have done for the laws and the sanctuary; what battles and hardships we have seen.
4 For the sake of this, for the sake of Israel, all my brothers have perished, and I alone am left.
5 Far be it from me, then, to save my own life in any time of distress, for I am not better than my brothers.
6 But I will avenge my nation and the sanctuary, as well as your wives and children, for out of hatred all the Gentiles have united to crush us.”