Key Verse Spotlight
2 Maccabees 3:17 - Meaning and Application
Understand how this verse speaks to what you're facing and how to apply it today
Translation: World English Bible — Catholic Edition
" For a terror and a shuddering of the body had come over the man, by which the pain that was in his heart was plainly shown to those who looked at him. "
2 Maccabees 3:17
Verse in Context
Understanding the surrounding verses prevents misinterpretation:
15 The priests, prostrating themselves before the altar in their priestly garments, and called toward heaven upon him who gave the law concerning deposits, that he should preserve these treasures safe for those who had deposited them.
16 Whoever saw the appearance of the high priest was wounded in mind; for his countenance and the change of his color betrayed the distress of his soul.
17 For a terror and a shuddering of the body had come over the man, by which the pain that was in his heart was plainly shown to those who looked at him.
18 Those who were in the houses rushed out in crowds to make a universal supplication, because the place was about to come into dishonor.
19 The women, girded with sackcloth under their breasts, thronged the streets. The virgins who were kept indoors ran together, some to the gates, others to the walls, and some looked out through the windows.
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2 Maccabees 3:1
"When the holy city was inhabited with unbroken peace and the laws were kept very well because of the godliness of Onias the high priest and his hatred of wickedness,"
2 Maccabees 3:2
"it came to pass that even the kings themselves honored the place and glorified the temple with the noblest presents,"
2 Maccabees 3:3
"so that even King Seleucus of Asia bore all the costs belonging to the services of the sacrifices out of his own revenues."
2 Maccabees 3:4
"But a man named Simon of the tribe of Benjamin, having been made guardian of the temple, disagreed with the high priest about the ruling of the market in the city."
2 Maccabees 3:5
"When he couldn’t overcome Onias, he went to Apollonius of Tarsus, who at that time was governor of Coelesyria and Phoenicia."
2 Maccabees 3:6
"He brought him word how that the treasury in Jerusalem was full of untold sums of money, so that the multitude of the funds was innumerable, and that they didn’t pertain to the account of the sacrifices, but that it was possible that these should fall under the king’s power."
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