1. In those days Mattathias, son of John, son of Simeon, a priest of the family of Joarib, left Jerusalem and settled in Modein.
2. He had five sons: John, who was called Gaddi;
3. Simon, who was called Thassi;
4. Judas, who was called Maccabeus;
5. Eleazar, who was called Avaran; and Jonathan, who was called Apphus.
6. When he saw the sacrileges that were being committed in Judah and in Jerusalem,
7. he said:“Woe is me! Why was I bornto see the ruin of my people,the ruin of the holy city—To dwell thereas it was given into the hands of enemies,the sanctuary into the hands of strangers?