---
title: "1 Maccabees 1 – Catholic Bible (CPDV) & Latin Vulgate"
url: https://blessbible.app/bible/1-maccabees/1/
description: "The reign of Alexander and his successors: Antiochus rifles and profanes the… 1 Maccabees 1 in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin Vulgate."
---

# 1 Maccabees 1

1 Maccabees 1 is chapter 1 of 16 in the First Book of Maccabees. Here are all 67 verses in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin of the Clementine Vulgate beside them.

> The reign of Alexander and his successors: Antiochus rifles and profanes the temple of God: and persecutes unto death all that will not forsake the law of God, and the religion of their fathers.
>
> — Bp. Richard Challoner, chapter summary

## 1 Maccabees 1 (Catholic Public Domain Version)

1. And it happened afterwards that Alexander, the son of Philip the Macedonian, who first reigned in Greece having come from the land of Kittim, struck Darius the king of the Persians and the Medes.
2. He appointed many battles, and he took hold of all the fortifications, and he executed the kings of the earth.
3. And he passed through even to the ends of the earth. And he received the spoils of many nations. And the earth was silenced in his sight.
4. And he gathered together power, and an exceedingly strong army. And he was exalted, and his heart was lifted up.
5. And he captured the regions of nations and of sovereign leaders, and they became tributaries to him.
6. And after these things, he fell down on his bed, and he knew that he would die.
7. And he called his servants, nobles who were raised with him from his youth. And he divided his kingdom to them, while he was still alive.
8. And Alexander reigned twelve years, and then he died.
9. And his servants obtained his kingdom, each one in his place.
10. And they all put diadems on themselves after his death, and their sons after them, for many years; and evils were multiplied on the earth.
11. And there went forth from among them a sinful root, Antiochus the illustrious, the son of king Antiochus, who had been a hostage at Rome. And he reigned in the one hundred and thirty-seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.
12. In those days, there went forth from Israel sons of iniquity, and they persuaded many, saying: “Let us go and negotiate a covenant with the Gentiles that are all around us. For since we have withdrawn from them, many evils have found us.”
13. And the word seemed good in their eyes.
14. And some of the people determined to do this, and they went to the king. And he gave them the power to act according to the justice of the Gentiles.
15. And they built a sports arena in Jerusalem, according to the laws of the Nations.
16. And they made themselves uncircumcised, and they withdrew from the holy covenant, and they were joined to the nations, and they were sold into evil-doing.
17. And the kingdom was ready in the sight of Antiochus, and he began to reign over the land of Egypt, so that he might reign over two kingdoms.
18. And he entered into Egypt with an oppressive multitude, with swift chariots, and elephants, and horsemen, and a great abundance of ships.
19. And he appointed a war against Ptolemy, the king of Egypt, and Ptolemy was filled with dread before his face, and he fled, and many fell down wounded.
20. And he took hold of the fortified cities in the land of Egypt, and he received the spoils of the land of Egypt.
21. And Antiochus turned back, after he struck Egypt, in the one hundred and forty-third year, and he ascended against Israel.
22. And he ascended to Jerusalem, with an oppressive multitude.
23. And he entered into the sanctuary with arrogance, and he took the golden altar, and the lampstand of light, and all the vessels, and the table for the bread of the Presence, and the vessels of libation, and the vials, and the little mortars of gold, and the veil, and the crowns, and the golden ornament, which was at the face of the temple. And he crushed them all.
24. And he took the silver and gold, and the precious vessels, and he took the hidden treasures, which he found. And having taken all these things away, he departed into his own land.
25. And he caused a massacre of men, and he was speaking with great arrogance.
26. And there was great wailing in Israel and in all of their places.
27. And the leaders and elders mourned, and the virgins and young men became weak, and the splendor of the women was changed.
28. Every bridegroom took up lamentation, and those who sat in the marriage bed mourned.
29. And the land shook on behalf of the inhabitants in it, and the entire house of Jacob was clothed with confusion.
30. And after two years of days, the king sent the prince of his tributes to the cities of Judah, and he came to Jerusalem with a great crowd.
31. And he spoke peaceful words to them, in deceitfulness; and they believed him.
32. And he rushed upon the city suddenly, and he struck it with a great scourging, and he destroyed many of the people of Israel.
33. And he took the spoils of the city, and he burned it with fire, and he destroyed its houses and the walls around it.
34. And they led away the women as captives, and they possessed the children and the cattle.
35. And they built up the city of David with a great and strong wall, and with strong towers, and it became a stronghold for them.
36. And they set up in that place a sinful people, wicked men, and together they grew strong in it. And they stored up weapons and provisions. And they gathered together the spoils of Jerusalem,
37. and deposited them in that place. And they became a great snare.
38. And this became a place of ambush against the sanctuary and a diabolical evil in Israel.
39. And they poured out innocent blood around the sanctuary, and they contaminated the sanctuary.
40. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem fled because of them, and the city became the dwelling place of outsiders, and she became a stranger to her own offspring, and her own children abandoned her.
41. Her sanctuary was desolate, like a place of solitude, her feast days were turned into mourning, her Sabbaths into disgrace, her honors into nothing.
42. Her shame was multiplied according to her glory, and her loftiness was turned into lamentation.
43. And king Antiochus wrote to all his kingdom, that all the people must be one, and that each one should relinquish his own law.
44. And all Gentiles consented, according to the word of king Antiochus.
45. And many out of Israel consented to his servitude, and they sacrificed to idols, and they polluted the Sabbath.
46. And the king sent letters, by the hand of messengers, to Jerusalem and to all the cities of Judah: that they should follow the law of the Nations of the earth,
47. and that they should prohibit holocausts and sacrifices and atonements to be made in the temple of God,
48. and that they should prohibit the celebration of the Sabbath and the solemn days.
49. And he ordered the holy places to be defiled, along with the holy people of Israel.
50. And he ordered altars to be built, and temples, and idols, and he ordered the immolation of the flesh of swine and of unclean cattle,
51. and that they should leave their sons uncircumcised, and defile their souls with all that is unclean, and with abominations, so that they would forget the law and would alter all the justifications of God,
52. and that whoever would not act according to the word of king Antiochus should be put to death.
53. According to all these words, he wrote to all his kingdom. And he appointed leaders over the people, who would compel them to do these things.
54. And these ordered the cities of Judah to sacrifice.
55. And many from the people, who had abandoned the law of the Lord, were gathered together by them. And they committed evils upon the land.
56. And they drove the people of Israel into hiding and into the secret places of fugitives.
57. On the fifteenth day of the month of Kislev, in the one hundred and forty-fifth year, king Antiochus set up the abominable idol of desolation on the altar of God, and they built altars throughout all the surrounding cities of Judah.
58. And they burned frankincense, and they sacrificed before the doors of houses and in the streets.
59. And they cut up the books of the law of God and destroyed them with fire.
60. And all those who were found with the books of the testament of the Lord, and whoever observed the law of the Lord, they butchered, according to the edict of the king.
61. By their power, they did these things to the people of Israel, as they were discovered in the cities, month after month.
62. And on the twenty-fifth day of the month, they sacrificed on that altar which was opposite the high altar.
63. And the women who circumcised their sons were butchered, according to the order of king Antiochus.
64. And they suspended the children by their necks in all their houses, and those who had circumcised them, they butchered.
65. And many of the people of Israel decided within themselves that they would not eat unclean things. And they chose to die, rather than to be defiled with unclean foods.
66. And they were not willing to infringe upon the holy law of God, and they were butchered.
67. And there was a very great wrath upon the people.

## 1 Maccabees 1 in Latin (Clementine Vulgate, 1592)

1. Et factum est, postquam percussit Alexander Philippi Macedo, qui primus regnavit in Græcia, egressus de terra Cethim, Darium regem Persarum et Medorum:
2. constituit prælia multa, et obtinuit omnium munitiones, et interfecit reges terræ,
3. et pertransiit usque ad fines terræ: et accepit spolia multitudinis gentium, et siluit terra in conspectu ejus.
4. Et congregavit virtutem, et exercitum fortem nimis: et exaltatum est, et elevatum cor ejus:
5. et obtinuit regiones gentium, et tyrannos: et facti sunt illi in tributum.
6. Et post hæc decidit in lectum, et cognovit quia moreretur.
7. Et vocavit pueros suos nobiles, qui secum erant nutriti a juventute: et divisit illis regnum suum, cum adhuc viveret.
8. Et regnavit Alexander annis duodecim, et mortuus est.
9. Et obtinuerunt pueri ejus regnum, unusquisque in loco suo:
10. et imposuerunt omnes sibi diademata post mortem ejus, et filii eorum post eos annis multis, et multiplicata sunt mala in terra.
11. Et exiit ex eis radix peccatrix, Antiochus illustris, filius Antiochi regis, qui fuerat Romæ obses: et regnavit in anno centesimo trigesimo septimo regni Græcorum.
12. In diebus illis, exierunt ex Israël filii iniqui, et suaserunt multis, dicentes: Eamus, et disponamus testamentum cum gentibus, quæ circa nos sunt: quia ex quo recessimus ab eis, invenerunt nos multa mala.
13. Et bonus visus est sermo in oculis eorum.
14. Et destinaverunt aliqui de populo, et abierunt ad regem: et dedit illis potestatem ut facerent justitiam gentium.
15. Et ædificaverunt gymnasium in Jerosolymis secundum leges nationum:
16. et fecerunt sibi præputia, et recesserunt a testamento sancto, et juncti sunt nationibus, et venundati sunt ut facerent malum.
17. Et paratum est regnum in conspectu Antiochi, et cœpit regnare in terra Ægypti ut regnaret super duo regna.
18. Et intravit in Ægyptum in multitudine gravi, in curribus, et elephantis, et equitibus, et copiosa navium multitudine:
19. et constituit bellum adversus Ptolemæum regem Ægypti, et veritus est Ptolemæus a facie ejus, et fugit, et ceciderunt vulnerati multi.
20. Et comprehendit civitates munitas in terra Ægypti, et accepit spolia terræ Ægypti.
21. Et convertit Antiochus, postquam percussit Ægyptum in centesimo et quadragesimo tertio anno: et ascendit ad Israël,
22. et ascendit Jerosolymam in multitudine gravi.
23. Et intravit in sanctificationem cum superbia, et accepit altare aureum, et candelabrum luminis, et universa vasa ejus, et mensam propositionis, et libatoria, et phialas, et mortariola aurea, et velum, et coronas, et ornamentum aureum, quod in facie templi erat: et comminuit omnia.
24. Et accepit argentum, et aurum, et vasa concupiscibilia: et accepit thesauros occultos, quos invenit: et sublatis omnibus, abiit in terram suam.
25. Et fecit cædem hominum, et locutus est in superbia magna.
26. Et factus est planctus magnus in Israël, et in omni loco eorum:
27. et ingemuerunt principes et seniores; virgines et juvenes infirmati sunt: et speciositas mulierum immutata est.
28. Omnis maritus sumpsit lamentum, et quæ sedebant in thoro maritali, lugebant:
29. et commota est terra super habitantes in ea, et universa domus Jacob induit confusionem.
30. Et post duos annos dierum, misit rex principem tributorum in civitates Juda, et venit Jerusalem cum turba magna.
31. Et locutus est ad eos verba pacifica in dolo: et crediderunt ei.
32. Et irruit super civitatem repente, et percussit eam plaga magna, et perdidit populum multum ex Israël.
33. Et accepit spolia civitatis: et succendit eam igni, et destruxit domos ejus, et muros ejus in circuitu:
34. et captivas duxerunt mulieres, et natos et pecora possederunt.
35. Et ædificaverunt civitatem David muro magno et firmo, et turribus firmis, et facta est illis in arcem:
36. et posuerunt illic gentem peccatricem viros iniquos, et convaluerunt in ea: et posuerunt arma, et escas, et congregaverunt spolia Jerusalem:
37. et reposuerunt illic: et facti sunt in laqueum magnum.
38. Et factum est hoc ad insidias sanctificationi, et in diabolum malum in Israël:
39. et effuderunt sanguinem innocentem per circuitum sanctificationis, et contaminaverunt sanctificationem.
40. Et fugerunt habitatores Jerusalem propter eos, et facta est habitatio exterorum, et facta est extera semini suo, et nati ejus reliquerunt eam.
41. Sanctificatio ejus desolata est sicut solitudo; dies festi ejus conversi sunt in luctum, sabbata ejus in opprobrium, honores ejus in nihilum.
42. Secundum gloriam ejus multiplicata est ignominia ejus, et sublimitas ejus conversa est in luctum.
43. Et scripsit rex Antiochus omni regno suo ut esset omnis populus unus: et relinqueret unusquisque legem suam.
44. Et consenserunt omnes gentes secundum verbum regis Antiochi:
45. et multi ex Israël consenserunt servituti ejus, et sacrificaverunt idolis, et coinquinaverunt sabbatum.
46. Et misit rex libros per manus nuntiorum in Jerusalem, et in omnes civitates Juda, ut sequerentur leges gentium terræ,
47. et prohiberent holocausta et sacrificia, et placationes fieri in templo Dei,
48. et prohiberent celebrari sabbatum, et dies solemnes:
49. et jussit coinquinari sancta, et sanctum populum Israël.
50. Et jussit ædificari aras, et templa, et idola, et immolari carnes suillas, et pecora communia,
51. et relinquere filios suos incircumcisos, et coinquinari animas eorum in omnibus immundis, et abominationibus, ita ut obliviscerentur legem, et immutarent omnes justificationes Dei:
52. et quicumque non fecissent secundum verbum regis Antiochi, morerentur.
53. Secundum omnia verba hæc scripsit omni regno suo: et præposuit principes populo, qui hæc fieri cogerent.
54. Et jusserunt civitatibus Juda sacrificare.
55. Et congregati sunt multi de populo ad eos qui dereliquerant legem Domini, et fecerunt mala super terram:
56. et effugaverunt populum Israël in abditis, et in absconditis fugitivorum locis.
57. Die quintadecima mensis Casleu, quinto et quadragesimo et centesimo anno, ædificavit rex Antiochus abominandum idolum desolationis super altare Dei, et per universas civitates Juda in circuitu ædificaverunt aras:
58. et ante januas domorum et in plateis incendebant thura, et sacrificabant:
59. et libros legis Dei combusserunt igni, scindentes eos:
60. et apud quemcumque inveniebantur libri testamenti Domini, et quicumque observabat legem Domini, secundum edictum regis trucidabant eum.
61. In virtute sua faciebant hæc populo Israël, qui inveniebatur in omni mense et mense in civitatibus.
62. Et quinta et vigesima die mensis sacrificabant super aram, quæ erat contra altare.
63. Et mulieres, quæ circumcidebant filios suos, trucidabantur secundum jussum regis Antiochi,
64. et suspendebant pueros a cervicibus per universas domos eorum: et eos, qui circumciderant illos, trucidabant.
65. Et multi de populo Israël definierunt apud se, ut non manducarent immunda: et elegerunt magis mori, quam cibis coinquinari immundis:
66. et noluerunt infringere legem Dei sanctam, et trucidati sunt:
67. et facta est ira magna super populum valde.

## Bishop Challoner's notes

Bp. Richard Challoner, notes on the Douay-Rheims (1750); they comment on its older wording.
- Verse 7: “Divided his kingdom” … This is otherwise related by Q. Curtius; though he acknowledges that divers were of that opinion, and that it had been delivered by some authors, lib. 10. But here we find from the sacred text, that he was in error.
- Verse 11: “Antiochus the Illustrious” … Epiphanes, the younger son of Antiochus the Great, who usurped the kingdom, to the prejudice of his nephew Demetrius, son of his elder brother Seleucus Philopater.-- Ibid.
- Verse 11: “Of the kingdom of the Greeks” … Counting, not from the beginning of the reign of Alexander, but from the first year of Seleucus Nicator.
- Verse 30: Apollonius.
- Verse 35: “The city of David” … That is, the castle of Sion.
- Verse 38: That is, an adversary watching constantly to do harm, as the evil spirit is always watching and seeking whom he may devour.
- Verse 57: “The abominable idol” … Viz., the statue of Jupiter Olympius.

## Read at Mass (US)

- Mon, Nov 15, 2027 (computed): Monday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time — First Reading, 1 Maccabees 1:10-15, 41-43, 54-57, 62-63

Dates after May 31, 2027 are computed by Bless from the US Lectionary cycle — confirm with your parish.

Source: Catholic Public Domain Version (Ronald L. Conte Jr., 2009), public domain; Latin: Clementine Vulgate (1592).