For he who has his dwelling in heaven watches over that place himself and brings it aid: He who has his dwelling in heaven may be rendered “The God of heaven” (Good News Bible) or “This God who lives in heaven” (similarly Contemporary English Version). Watches over that place himself may be translated “guards that Temple himself” or even “personally guards that Temple.” Brings it aid further stresses the idea of watches over.

And he strikes and destroys those who come to do it injury: Strikes means “beats,” just as Heliodorus was beaten. Destroys means “kills.”

Good News Bible translation may serve as a model for this verse, but we prefer the following models:

• [The] God who is in heaven guards and protects that Temple himself. He will strike down [or, beat] and destroy [or, kill] anyone who comes to hurt it.”

• That Temple is guarded and protected personally by [the] God who is in heaven. He will strike down….

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.