This is a copy of the letter which the Spartans sent: Translators who follow our recommendation to speak of the Romans in verses 17-18 will want to begin a new paragraph with this verse, which indicates clearly that the author is now speaking about a letter that the Spartans sent to Simon. Good News Bible has a good model for introducing the letter. This is another letter in which the reader may be helped by indenting verses 20b-23 as in Good News Bible (compare 1Macc 8.23-32; 10.25-45).

The rulers and the city of the Spartans to Simon the high priest and to the elders and the priests and the rest of the Jewish people, our brethren, greeting: Other ways to begin this letter are “The government of [the city of] Sparta and its people send [their] greetings to…” and “The rulers and the people of Sparta….” The translator should make it clear that both the people of Sparta and their rulers send greetings. For elders see 1Macc 7.33; for priests see 1Macc 1.46; for our brethren, see 1Macc 12.6.

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.