15. And also, they had made themselves a senate house, and they consulted daily with three hundred and twenty men, continually acting as a counsel for the multitude, so that they would do the things that were right.
16. And they commit their government to one man each year, to rule over their entire land, and they all obey this one, and there is no envy or jealousy among them.
17. And so Judas chose Eupolemus, the son of John, the son of Jacob, and Jason, the son of Eleazar, and he sent them to Rome to make an agreement of friendship and an alliance with them,
18. and so that they would take away from them the yoke of the Grecians, for they saw that they oppressed the kingdom of Israel with servitude.
19. And they went to Rome, a very long journey, and they entered the senate house, and they said,
20. "Judas Maccabeus, and his brothers, and the people of the Jews, have sent us to you to establish with you an alliance and peace, and so that we may be registered among your associates and friends."
21. And the word was pleasing in their sight.
22. And this is a copy of the writing, which they rewrote on tablets of brass and sent to Jerusalem, so that it would be with them in that place as a memorial of the peace and alliance:
23. "May all be well with the Romans and with the nation of the Jews, at sea and on land, forever, and may sword and enemy be far away from them.
24. But if a war is instituted against the Romans first, or against any of their allies in all their dominions,
25. the nation of the Jews will bring help to them, just as the situation shall direct, whole-heartedly.
26. And those who do battle, they need not provide with supplies of wheat, or arms, or money, or ships, just as it seems good to the Romans, and they shall obey their orders, while taking nothing from them.