2:40. And every man said to his neighbour: If we shall all do as our brethren have done, and not fight against the heathens for our lives, and our justifications, they will now quickly root us out of the earth.
2:41. And they determined in that day, saying: Whosoever shall come up against us to fight on the sabbath day, we will fight against him: and we will not all die, as our brethren that were slain in the secret places.
2:42. Then was assembled to them the congregation of the Assideans, the stoutest of Israel, every one that had a good will for the law.
The Assideans.... A set of men that led a religious life; and were zealous for the law and worship of God.
2:43. And all they that fled from the evils, joined themselves to them, and were a support to them.
2:44. And they gathered an army, and slew the sinners in their wrath, and the wicked men in their indignation: and the rest fled to the nations for safety.
2:45. And Mathathias and his friends went round about, and they threw down the altars:
2:46. And they circumcised all the children whom they found in the confines of Israel that were uncircumcised: and they did valiantly.
2:47. And they pursued after the children of pride, and the work prospered in their hands:
2:48. And they recovered the law out of the hands of the nations, and out of the hands of the kings: and they yielded not the horn to the sinner.