Apocryphal Books > Orthodox Deuterocanon > 3 Maccabees
3 Maccabees
The book of 3 Maccabees is found in most
Orthodox Bibles as a part of the
deuterocanon. Catholics consider it to be an
example of pseudepigrapha and do not
regard it as canonical. Protestants, with the
exception of the Moravian Brothers who
include it in the Apocrypha of the Czech
Kralice Bible and Polish Gdańsk Bible,
likewise regard it as non-canonical. Despite
the title, the book has nothing to do with the
Maccabees or their revolt against the
Seleucid Empire, as described in 1
Maccabees and 2 Maccabees. Instead, it
tells the story of persecution of the Jews
under Ptolemy IV Philopator (222–205
BC), some decades before the Maccabean
uprising. The name of the book apparently
comes from the similarities between this
book and the stories of the martyrdom of
Eleazar and the Maccabean youths in 2
Maccabees; the chief priest Shimon is also
mentioned.
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