The vile Jason sent envoys: In English it is awkward to modify a personal name with an adjective, but when it is done, an article usually precedes it, so Revised Standard Version has the vile Jason. This does not signify that Jason was vile as opposed to other Jasons; it is only a way of allowing the adjective to go with the name. Many languages will not have such a problem. Good News Bible says “that worthless Jason,” but Contemporary English Version is better with “that evil Jason.” Envoys are the people Jason sent on an official mission. Since that is obvious from the rest of the sentence, Good News Bible renders sent envoys simply as “sent some men there,” with no loss of meaning. The Greek word for envoys actually means “observers,” such as a nation might send to an international meeting in which it is not entitled to participate actively.

Chosen as being Antiochian citizens from Jerusalem: For Antiochian citizens, see the comments on verse 9. The translation here should be consistent with the choice made there. These were Jews, who lived in Jerusalem, but who were regarded as citizens of Antioch or who sympathized with King Antiochus. The Greek text does not use the word citizens.

To carry three hundred silver drachmas for the sacrifice to Hercules: Good News Bible is in error here. It seems to be giving the “drachma” the same value as the talent (see the comments on 1Macc 11.28), when actually it was far less. It was a Greek coin that was equivalent to the Roman denarius, which in weight was equal to about 5 grams (0.2 ounce). For three hundred silver drachmas, Contemporary English Version has “three hundred silver coins,” which we recommend. The god of the city of Tyre was Melkart, but Hercules was the Greek equivalent. A sacrifice was offered to this god in the opening ceremony at the games. The first half of this verse may be rendered as follows: “The abominable [or, evil] Jason chose some men in Jerusalem who sympathized with the Greeks, and sent them to the games with 300 silver coins, to pay for a sacrifice to [the Greek god] Hercules.”

Those who carried the money, however, thought best not to use it for sacrifice, because that was inappropriate, but to expend it for another purpose: Even Jason’s trusted followers and sympathizers could not bring themselves to use money from Jews to pay for a sacrifice to a Greek god. Those who carried the money may be shortened to “these men” (Good News Bible). Thought best not to use it for sacrifice may be rendered “thought that it was not right to use this money for a sacrifice” or even “knew it was wrong to pay for a sacrifice to Hercules with the silver” (Contemporary English Version). Because that was inappropriate reinforces the idea of thought best not to use it for sacrifice, so these two clauses may be combined (see the model below). But to expend it for another purpose may be expressed as “so they spent it on something else.” A possible model for the last half of this verse is “However, those men thought that it was not right to use the money for [such] a sacrifice, so they spent it on something else.”

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.