Chapter Maccabees 7

It came to pass also, that seven brethren with their mother were taken, and compelled by the king against the law to taste swine's flesh, and were tormented with scourges and whips.

²But one of them that spake first said thus, What wouldest thou ask or learn of us? we are ready to die, rather than to transgress the laws of our fathers.

³Then the king, being in a rage, commanded pans and caldrons to be made hot:

⁴Which forthwith being heated, he commanded to cut out the tongue of him that spake first, and to cut off the utmost parts of his body, the rest of his brethren and his mother looking on.

⁵Now when he was thus maimed in all his members, he commanded him being yet alive to be brought to the fire, and to be fried in the pan: and as the vapour of the pan was for a good space dispersed, they exhorted one another with the mother to die manfully, saying thus,

⁶The Lord God looketh upon us, and in truth hath comfort in us, as Moses in his song, which witnessed to their faces, declared, saying, And he shall be comforted in his servants.

⁷So when the first was dead after this number, they brought the second to make him a mocking stock: and when they had pulled off the skin of his head with the hair, they asked him, Wilt thou eat, before thou be punished throughout every member of thy body?

⁸But he answered in his own language, and said, No. Wherefore he also received the next torment in order, as the former did.

⁹And when he was at the last gasp, he said, Thou like a fury takest us out of this present life, but the King of the world shall raise us up, who have died for his laws, unto everlasting life.

¹⁰After him was the third made a mocking stock: and when he was required, he put out his tongue, and that right soon, holding forth his hands manfully.

¹¹And said courageously, These I had from heaven; and for his laws I despise them; and from him I hope to receive them again.

¹²Insomuch that the king, and they that were with him, marvelled at the young man's courage, for that he nothing regarded the pains.

¹³Now when this man was dead also, they tormented and mangled the fourth in like manner.

¹⁴So when he was ready to die he said thus, It is good, being put to death by men, to look for hope from God to be raised up again by him: as for thee, thou shalt have no resurrection to life.

¹⁵Afterward they brought the fifth also, and mangled him.

¹⁶Then looked he unto the king, and said, Thou hast power over men, thou art corruptible, thou doest what thou wilt; yet think not that our nation is forsaken of God;

¹⁷But abide a while, and behold his great power, how he will torment thee and thy seed.

¹⁸After him also they brought the sixth, who being ready to die said, Be not deceived without cause: for we suffer these things for ourselves, having sinned against our God: therefore marvellous things are done unto us.

¹⁹But think not thou, that takest in hand to strive against God, that thou shalt escape unpunished.

²⁰But the mother was marvellous above all, and worthy of honourable memory: for when she saw her seven sons slain within the space of one day, she bare it with a good courage, because of the hope that she had in the Lord.

²¹Yea, she exhorted every one of them in her own language, filled with courageous spirits; and stirring up her womanish thoughts with a manly stomach, she said unto them,

²²I cannot tell how ye came into my womb: for I neither gave you breath nor life, neither was it I that formed the members of every one of you;

²³But doubtless the Creator of the world, who formed the generation of man, and found out the beginning of all things, will also of his own mercy give you breath and life again, as ye now regard not your own selves for his laws' sake.

²⁴Now Antiochus, thinking himself despised, and suspecting it to be a reproachful speech, whilst the youngest was yet alive, did not only exhort him by words, but also assured him with oaths, that he would make him both a rich and a happy man, if he would turn from the laws of his fathers; and that also he would take him for his friend, and trust him with affairs.

²⁵But when the young man would in no case hearken unto him, the king called his mother, and exhorted her that she would counsel the young man to save his life.

²⁶And when he had exhorted her with many words, she promised him that she would counsel her son.

²⁷But she bowing herself toward him, laughing the cruel tyrant to scorn, spake in her country language on this manner; O my son, have pity upon me that bare thee nine months in my womb, and gave thee such three years, and nourished thee, and brought thee up unto this age, and endured the troubles of education.

²⁸I beseech thee, my son, look upon the heaven and the earth, and all that is therein, and consider that God made them of things that were not; and so was mankind made likewise.

²⁹Fear not this tormentor, but, being worthy of thy brethren, take thy death that I may receive thee again in mercy with thy brethren.

³⁰Whiles she was yet speaking these words, the young man said, Whom wait ye for? I will not obey the king's commandment: but I will obey the commandment of the law that was given unto our fathers by Moses.

³¹And thou, that hast been the author of all mischief against the Hebrews, shalt not escape the hands of God.

³²For we suffer because of our sins.

³³And though the living Lord be angry with us a little while for our chastening and correction, yet shall he be at one again with his servants.

³⁴But thou, O godless man, and of all other most wicked, be not lifted up without a cause, nor puffed up with uncertain hopes, lifting up thy hand against the servants of God:

³⁵For thou hast not yet escaped the judgment of Almighty God, who seeth all things.

³⁶For our brethren, who now have suffered a short pain, are dead under God's covenant of everlasting life: but thou, through the judgment of God, shalt receive just punishment for thy pride.

³⁷But I, as my brethren, offer up my body and life for the laws of our fathers, beseeching God that he would speedily be merciful unto our nation; and that thou by torments and plagues mayest confess, that he alone is God;

³⁸And that in me and my brethren the wrath of the Almighty, which is justly brought upon our nation, may cease.

³⁹Than the king' being in a rage, handed him worse than all the rest, and took it grievously that he was mocked.

⁴⁰So this man died undefiled, and put his whole trust in the Lord.

⁴¹Last of all after the sons the mother died.

⁴²Let this be enough now to have spoken concerning the idolatrous feasts, and the extreme tortures.