This is a story of courage, faith, and the stubborn hope that refuses to die. The Second Book of Maccabees tells how a small band of Jewish rebels rose against a tyrant who sought to erase their faith, how martyrs faced death rather than betray their God, and how a desecrated Temple was cleansed and rededicated — the event remembered ever after as Hanukkah. Written in the second century BCE and preserved for two thousand years, this ancient text is a powerful meditation on faithfulness under pressure, the meaning of sacrifice, and the promise of resurrection. This modern-English edition renders the classic in clear, present-day language while remaining faithful to its meaning and spirit. An introduction, glossary, and selected passages help today's readers enter the world of the Maccabees with ease. Part of The Sacred Wisdom Library.