And when they declared, “It is the living Lord himself, the Sovereign in heaven, who ordered us to observe the seventh day”: For the living Lord, see the comments on 2Macc 7.32-33. The Sovereign in heaven may be rendered “the King in heaven” or “the one who rules in heaven.” Good News Bible provides a good model for this verse. Here is another possibility:

• The Jews replied, “Yes. The Lord himself, who lives and rules in heaven, has commanded us to keep the Sabbath every seven days.”

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.