After he had arrived in Jerusalem: We suggest the possibility of joining this clause with the end of the previous verse in this way: “8 … This made Philopator want very much to visit their country, 9 so he went to Jerusalem. When he arrived there….”

He offered sacrifice to the supreme God and made thank-offerings: Contemporary English Version inserts a phrase, “went to the temple,” which is helpful. However, “went to the temple” might indicate that he did not go into the courtyard outside the Temple. It will probably be better to say “went into the Temple courtyard.” For offered sacrifice, Contemporary English Version has “offered the usual sacrifices.” The text does not stipulate what these sacrifices were. The supreme God (literally “the greatest God”) translates a Greek phrase that is not one of the common biblical ways of referring to God, although it is used several times in 3 Maccabees (1.9, 16; 3.11; 4.16; 5.25; 7.22). Translators who have translated 2 Maccabees will find the phrase in 2 Macc 3.36, and may want to consult their translation at that point. Contemporary English Version has “God Most High,” and another possibility is “Almighty God.” Both are common biblical expressions for God, either of which may be used here. Anderson and Hadas translate “God the Greatest.” For thank-offerings, see Lev 7.12-13; 22.29. This particular offering was made to praise God because the worshiper wanted to express his gratitude. So and made thank-offerings may be rendered “He also offered sacrifices showing his gratitude to God.”

And did what was fitting for the holy place: Revised Standard Version misses an important point of the Greek text here. Anderson expresses it more accurately with “observing to some extent the proprieties of the place.” Philopator was soon going to make an outrageous demand, but the author here tells us that at first he did at least some things right. He recognized that the Temple was a holy place for the Jews, and behaved in a way that was at least not improper. So we may translate “and to some extent treated the Temple as a holy [or, sacred/taboo] place.” The holy place, literally “the place,” is the Temple.

Here is an alternative model for the first half of this verse:

• When he arrived there, he went into the Temple [courtyard] and offered sacrifices to God Most High. He also made offerings of thanksgiving [or, giving thanks to God], and to some extent treated the Temple as a holy place.

Then, upon entering the place and being impressed by its excellence and its beauty: Again we are backtracking here. Philopator was presumably already within the Temple courtyard walls when he offered the sacrifices. It may be confusing to the reader to speak of him entering the place at this point. So we may render the last half of this verse as “Philopator could see that it was a beautiful place, and it filled him with awe” or “The beauty of the Temple amazed Philopator.” The Greek word for excellence conveys the idea that the place was awe-inspiring, a place that people obviously took seriously.

Here is an alternative model for the whole verse:

• So he went to Jerusalem. When he arrived there, he went into the Temple [courtyard] and offered a sacrifice [or, the usual sacrifices] to God Most High. Then he made offerings giving thanks to God. Philopator could see that the Temple was a beautiful place. It filled him with awe.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 3-4 Maccabees. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2018. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.