These words of the Jewish envoys to the Roman senators may be framed in formal language—as formal as appropriate for the translation at hand.

Judas, who is also called Maccabeus, and his brothers and the people of the Jews have sent us to you to establish alliance and peace with you: Good News Bible and Contemporary English Version render Judas, who is also called Maccabeus as “Judas Maccabeus,” which is quite sufficient (compare 1Macc 2.4). Good News Bible anticipates the content of the treaty by describing it as “a mutual defense treaty,” which is what it in fact was. A mutual defense treaty is an agreement between nations in which each pledges to come to the aid of the other if one is attacked by a third nation or group of nations. It may be better to let the reader learn this from the actual words of the treaty in verses 24-28, and stay with the more general wording of the text here. A model that does this is “We have come here on a mission from Judas Maccabeus and his brothers, and from the Jewish people. We wish to be a peace partner with Rome” or “Judas Maccabeus, his brothers, and the Jewish people have sent us here because they want us to make a peace treaty with you Romans.”

That we may be enrolled as your allies and friends may be expressed as “We wish to be among [or, be counted as] your allies.”

An alternative model for this verse is:

• “Judas Maccabeus, his brothers, and the Jewish people have sent us here because they want us to make a peace treaty with you Romans. We wish to be among your allies.”

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.