They kept using violence against Israel, against those found month after month in the cities: The Greek for this verse is awkward, but New Jerusalem Bible offers a good translation, saying “Month after month they took harsh action against any offenders they discovered in the towns of Israel.” But New Jerusalem Bible, which uses mostly the passive voice since verse 54, does not make clear who the referent is for the pronoun They. Good News Bible says “these wicked people,” but we suggest “the king’s officers” (see verse 51). Kept using violence against Israel may be expressed as “treated the loyal Israelites harshly.” Against those found month after month in the cities may be rendered “month after month, and in town after town.” The faithful Jews may have fled the towns because of this harsh treatment (see verse 53). An alternative model for this verse is:

• Month after month, the king’s officials brought their force to bear against [or, treated harshly] any loyal Jews [or, Israelites] they found in the towns.

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.