And whoever does not obey the command of the king shall die: In Greek this verse is presented as if it is a direct quotation from the king’s orders. Most versions do not attempt to represent it as such, and it is perfectly acceptable to follow Good News Bible in this. However, it may be more effective to follow Revised Standard Version in presenting it as a quotation, but if so, it requires some introduction. A model that does this is:

• The king’s orders ended with [or, contained] these words: “Anyone who disobeys the king’s [or, my] decree will be put to death.”

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.