2 Maccabees 6:1–6

1 Shortly after this the king sent an old Athenian to compel the Jews to depart from the laws of their fathers, and to cease living by the laws of God; 2 further, the sanctuary in Jerusalem was to be polluted and called after Zeus Olympius, while the sanctuary at Gerizim was also to be called after Zeus Xenius, in keeping with the hospitable character of the inhabitants. 3 Now this proved a sore and altogether crushing visitation of evil. 4 For the heathen filled the temple with riot and revelling, dallying with harlots and lying with women inside the sacred precincts, besides bringing in what was forbidden, while the altar was filled with abominable sacrifices which the law prohibited. 5 And a man could neither keep the sabbath, 6 nor celebrate the feasts of the fathers, nor so much as confess himself to be a Jew.