2 Maccabees 2:21-23

Revised Standard Version

²¹ and the appearances which came from heaven to those who strove zealously on behalf of Judaism, so that though few in number they seized the whole land and pursued the barbarian hordes, ²² and recovered the temple famous throughout the world and freed the city and restored the laws that were about to be abolished, while the Lord with great kindness became gracious to them— ²³ all this, which has been set forth by Jason of Cyre′ne in five volumes, we shall attempt to condense into a single book.