2 Maccabees

An abridgement of a lost five-volume history by Jason of Cyrene — a vivid, dramatic account of the Maccabean revolt that emphasizes martyrdom, resurrection, and prayer for the dead.|||Written in Koine Greek. Survives in Codex Vaticanus, Codex Alexandrinus, and Codex Sinaiticus.|||Abridgement composed between 150 and 100 BCE. Must predate 63 BCE, as the author is unaware of Pompey's conquest.|||Deuterocanonical in Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. Not canonical in Protestant or Jewish traditions.|||The seven brothers and their mother are among the earliest and most influential Jewish martyrdom accounts. 12:44–45 is a foundational text for Catholic doctrine of purgatory.|||Goldstein, J. A. II Maccabees. Anchor Bible. Doubleday, 1983.|||Schwartz, D. R. 2 Maccabees. Commentaries on Early Jewish Literature. De Gruyter, 2008.|||Doran, R. 2 Maccabees: A Critical Commentary. Hermeneia. Fortress Press, 2012.|||2 Maccabees — Early Jewish Writings|https://www.earlyjewishwritings.com/2maccabees.html|Full translation and scholarly resources.;; 2 Maccabees — Wikipedia|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2_Maccabees|Background and scholarly discussion.|||" The Lord will raise us up to eternal life." — 2 Maccabees 7:9