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2 Maccabees
Although this book, like the preceding one, receives its title from its protagonist, Judas Maccabee (or Maccabeus), it is not a sequel to 1 Maccabees. The two differ in many respects. Whereas the first covers the period from the beginning of the reign of Antiochus IV (175 B.C.) to the accession of John Hyrcanus I (134 B.C.), this present book treats of the events in Jewish history from the time of the high priest Onias III and King Seleucus IV (c. 180 B.C.) to the defeat of Nicanor's army (161 B.C.).
The main divisions of 2 Maccabees are Letters to the Jews in Egypt (2Ma 1:1-2:18), Author's Preface (2Ma 2:19-32), Heliodorus' Attempt To Profane the Temple (2Ma 3:1-40), Profanation and Persecution (2Ma 4:1-7:42), Victories of Judas and Purification of the Temple (2Ma 8:1-10:8), Renewed Persecution (2Ma 10:9-15:36), Epilogue (2Ma 15:37-39).
Day One - 2 Maccabees, Chapters 1-4
| First Letter 124 B.C. | 2 Maccabees 1:1-2:18 |
| Author's Preface | 2 Maccabees 2:19-23 |
| Purpose and Method | 2 Maccabees 2:24-32 |
| Treachery of Simon | 2 Maccabees 3:1-6 |
| Mission of Heliodorus | 2 Maccabees 3:7-21 |
| Divine Intervention | 2 Maccabees 3:22-34 |
| Testimony of Heliodorus | 2 Maccabees 3:35-40 |
| Onias Appeals to the King | 2 Maccabees 4:1-6 |
| Jews Led by Jason To Apostatize | 2 Maccabees 4:7-22 |
| Menelaus Supplants Jason | 2 Maccabees 4:23-29 |
| Murder of Onias | 2 Maccabees 4:30-38 |
| Riot against Lysimachus | 2 Maccabees 4:39-50 |
Day Two - 2 Maccabees, Chapters 5-8
| Sedition and Death of Jason | 2 Maccabees 5:1-10 |
| The City Ravaged | 2 Maccabees 5:11-27 |
| The Temple Desecrated | 2 Maccabees 6:1-5 |
| Abolition of the Law | 2 Maccabees 6:6-11 |
| Purpose of Divine Judgment | 2 Maccabees 6:12-17 |
| Martyrdom of Eleazar | 2 Maccabees 6:18-31 |
| Martyrdom of a Mother and Her Sons | 2 Maccabees 7:1-42 |
| Judas Maccabeus | 2 Maccabees 8:1-7 |
| First Victory over Nicanor | 2 Maccabees 8:8-29 |
| Timothy and Bacchides Defeated | 2 Maccabees 8:30-33 |
| Humiliation of Nicanor | 2 Maccabees 8:34-36 |
Day Three - 2 Maccabees, Chapters 9-12
| Punishment and Death of Antiochus | 2 Maccabees 9:1-29 |
| Purification of Temple and City | 2 Maccabees 10:1-8 |
| Death of Ptolemy | 2 Maccabees 10:9-13 |
| Victory over the Idumeans | 2 Maccabees 10:14-23 |
| Victory over Timothy | 2 Maccabees 10:24-38 |
| Defeat of Lysias | 2 Maccabees 11:1-12 |
| Peace with the Syrians | 2 Maccabees 11:13-15 |
| Official Letters | 2 Maccabees 11:16-38 |
| Persecution Renewed | 2 Maccabees 12:1-4 |
| Activity of Judas | 2 Maccabees 12:5-25 |
| Further Successes | 2 Maccabees 12:26-37 |
| Expiation for the Dead | 2 Maccabees 12:38-46 |
Day Four - 2 Maccabees, Chapters 13-15
| The Syrians Invade Judea | 2 Maccabees 13:1-2 |
| Death of Menelaus | 2 Maccabees 13:3-8 |
| Skirmish near Modein | 2 Maccabees 13:9-17 |
| Treaty with Antiochus V | 2 Maccabees 13:18-26 |
| Antagonism of Alcimus | 2 Maccabees 14:1-11 |
| Dealings with Nicanor | 2 Maccabees 14:12-25 |
| Threats against Judas | 2 Maccabees 14:26-36 |
| The Story of Razis | 2 Maccabees 14:37-46 |
| Nicanor's Blasphemy | 2 Maccabees 15:1-5 |
| Fresh Hope | 2 Maccabees 15:6-16 |
| Defeat and Death of Nicanor | 2 Maccabees 15:17-36 |
| Author's Apology | 2 Maccabees 15:37-39 |
Ecclesiastes
The title Ecclesiastes given to this book is the Greek translation of the Hebrew name Qoheleth meaning, perhaps, "one who convokes an assembly." The book, however, does not consist of public addresses, but is a treatise, more or less logically developed, on the vanity of all things. Reflections in prose and aphorisms in verse are intermingled in Ecclesiastes, which contains, besides, an introduction and an epilogue.
Day Five - Ecclesiastes, Chapters 1-4:16
| Vanity of Toil without Profit | Ecclesiastes 1:1-11 |
| Twofold Introduction | Ecclesiastes 1:12-18 |
| Study of Pleasure-seeking | Ecclesiastes 2:1-17 |
| To Others the Profits | Ecclesiastes 2:18-26 |
| Man Cannot Hit on the Right Time to Act | Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 |
| The Problem of Retribution | Ecclesiastes 3:16-22 |
| Vanity of Toil | Ecclesiastes 4:1-6 |
| Companions and Successors | Ecclesiastes 4:7-16 |
Day Six - Ecclesiastes, Chapter 4:17-8
| Vanity of Many Words | Ecclesiastes 4:17-5:6 |
| Gain and Loss of Goods | Ecclesiastes 5:7-19 |
| Limited Worth of Enjoyment | Ecclesiastes 6:1-9 |
| Qoheleth's Conclusions | Ecclesiastes 6:10-12 |
| Critique of Sages on the Day of Adversity | Ecclesiastes 7:1-14 |
| Critique of Sages on Justice and Wickedness | Ecclesiastes 7:15-25 |
| Critique of Sages on Women | Ecclesiastes 7:26-29 |
| Critique of Sages on the Wise Man and the King | Ecclesiastes 8:1-9 |
| The Problem of Retribution | Ecclesiastes 8:10-17 |
Day Seven - Eccelesiastes, Chapters 9-12
| Man Does Not Know What is to Come | Ecclesiastes 9:1-10 |
| The Evil Time Not Known | Ecclesiastes 9:11-12 |
| The Uncertain Future and the Sages | Ecclesiastes 9:13-10:15 |
| Man Does Not Know What Evil Will Come | Ecclesiastes 10:16-11:2 |
| Man Does Not Know What Good Will Come | Ecclesiastes 11:3-6 |
| Poem on Youth and Old Age | Ecclesiastes 11:7-12:8 |
| Epilogue | Ecclesiastes 12:9-14 |
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