And Simon called in his two older sons Judas and John, and said to them: This is the first mention of Simon’s son Judas. Another son, Mattathias, will be mentioned in verse 14. Called in means that Simon asked Judas and John to come into the place where he was. For the beginning of this verse Contemporary English Version provides the following helpful model: “Then Simon met with John and Judas, his two oldest sons, and said to them.”

I and my brothers and the house of my father have fought the wars of Israel from our youth until this day may be rendered “I have been fighting for Israel [or, the Jewish people] all my life, just as my brothers and all my father’s family did.”

And things have prospered in our hands so that we have delivered Israel many times may be expressed as “and things have gone well. We have saved [or, rescued] Israel [or, the Jewish people] many times.”

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.