It is appropriate to insert a paragraph break here after the recounting of the dream (so Revised Standard Version, Good News Bible).
Encouraged by the words of Judas, so noble and so effective in arousing valor and awaking manliness in the souls of the young: The expressions noble, effective in arousing valor, and awaking manliness in the souls of the young refer to Judas’ words, not to Judas himself. Good News Bible renders this first part of the verse well as a separate sentence. We may also say “The eloquent words that Judas spoke encouraged everyone. They [His words] made his soldiers feel brave, and encouraged the younger ones to go out and fight like men.”
They determined not to carry on a campaign but to attack bravely, and to decide the matter, by fighting hand to hand with all courage: The Greek verb translated carry on a campaign probably has here its most basic meaning of “engage in war, march to battle.” As Goldstein points out, the adverb “merely” is implied. Judas’ men decided that they were not just—merely—going to go to war, they were going to take the initiative and “make a daring attack against the enemy” (Good News Bible). This second part of the verse may be rendered “Encouraged like this, the Jews decided that they were not just going to fight [or, they were going to do more than just fight] the usual way, but they would make a daring attack against the enemy, and decide the issue with a courageous hand-to-hand battle [or, fighting].”
Because the city and the sanctuary and the temple were in danger: Translators may certainly connect this clause to the preceding material with the connector because if it does not produce too long a sentence, but it may be that the causal relationship is clearly implied without it. The Greek word translated sanctuary (literally “holy things”) can be interpreted several ways. Sanctuary is one legitimate way (the usual meaning in 1Maccabees), in which case it says substantially the same thing as temple. New American Bible says “sacred vessels,” that is, the precious objects used in worship at the Temple. Another possible rendering is “religion” (Good News Bible, New English Bible, Revised English Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Abel). New Jerusalem Bible says “holy religion,” which we recommend. This whole clause may be rendered “Their city, their holy religion, and their Temple were [all] in danger!”
Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Maccabees. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.