But they have built for themselves a senate chamber: The Greek word for senate chamber does not refer to a building, but to the lawmaking body that met there, so Good News Bible renders this clause as “They created a senate.” We may say “They established a senate [to govern them].” However, in cultures where “senates” are unknown, where groups of elders or experienced men govern the people, translators may say “They appointed a group of experienced men to govern them.”

And every day three hundred and twenty senators constantly deliberate concerning the people, to govern them well: Contemporary English Version has “three hundred twenty senators meet each day to pass good laws for ruling their nation.” Another possible model is “and every day 320 senators discuss [or, debate] the best laws for governing the people.”

Alternative models for this verse are:

• They established a senate to govern them, and every day 320 [or, three hundred twenty] senators discuss [or, debate] the best laws for governing the people.

• The Romans appointed a group of men to govern them, and every day these 320 [or, three hundred twenty] men discuss [or, debate] the best laws for governing the people.

In verses 15-16 Good News Bible puts the description of the Roman government in the past tense. We much prefer the present, as in Revised Standard Version and the Greek. The author is talking about the government at his own time.

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.