2 Maccabees 4:3-5

Good News Translation

^3-4 Apollonius son of Menestheus, the governor of Greater Syria, encouraged Simon in every evil thing he did, and Simon's opposition finally grew so strong that one of his trusted followers committed several murders. Onias realized how dangerous the situation had become, ⁵ so he went to the king, not for the purpose of making accusations against his own people, but for the common good of all Jews, both in their private and public lives.