5. This is a copy of the letter Jonathan wrote to the Spartans:
6. “Jonathan the High Priest, the national council of leaders, the priests, and the rest of the people of Judea, to our brothers in Sparta, greetings.
7. At an earlier time, your King Arius sent a letter to our High Priest Onias, stating that our two nations are related, as the attached copy shows.
8. Onias received your ambassador with full honours and acknowledged receipt of your letter, which declared our alliance and friendship.
9. And now, although we are not in need of such alliances, since we find our source of strength in the holy books we possess,