2 Maccabees 7

It came to pass also, that seven brethren with their mother were taken, and compelled by the king ^aagainst the law ^bto 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. ^3bbThen the king, being in a rage, commanded ^cpans and caldrons to be made hot: ⁴which forthwith being heated, he commanded ^kto cut out the tongue of him that spake first, and ^kto 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 ^dMoses in his song, which witnessed to their faces, ^edeclared, saying, ^dAnd he shall be comforted in his servants. ⁷So when the first was dead after this manner, they brought the second to make him ^fa 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 ^pin his own language, and said, No. Wherefore he also received ^gthe next torment in order, as the former did. ⁹And when he was at the last gasp, he said, Thou like a fury ^htakest us out of this present life, but ⁱthe King of the world shall raise us up, who have died for his laws, ^junto everlasting life. ¹⁰After him was the third ^fmade a mocking stock: and when he was required, ^khe put out his tongue, and that right soon, ^kholding forth his hands manfully, ¹¹and said courageously, These I had from ^lheaven; and for ^lhis laws I ^sdespise them; and ^jllfrom 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 ^jto be raised up again by him: as for thee, ^jthou 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 ^mhis 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: ⁿfor 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 ^oto 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 ^pin her own language, filled with courageous spirits; and stirring up her womanish thoughts with a manly stomach, she said unto them, ^22qI cannot tell how you 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 ^rthe Creator of the world, who formed the generation of man, and found out the beginning of all things, will also of his own mercy ^jgive you breath and life again, as you now ^sregard not your own selves for his laws’ sake.

²⁴Now Antiochus, thinking himself despised, and ^psuspecting it to be a reproachful speech, whiles 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 ^taffairs. 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 ^pin her country language on this manner; O my son, have pity upon me that bare thee nine months in my womb, and gave thee suck three years, and nourished thee, and brought thee up unto this age, and ^uendured the troubles of education. ²⁸I beseech thee, my son, look upon the heaven and the earth, and all that is therein, and consider that ^xGod made them of things that were not; and ^yso was mankind made likewise. ²⁹Fear not this ^ztormentor, but, being worthy of thy brethren, take thy death, that ^jI 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 ^acommandment: 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, ^bshalt not escape the hands of God. ^32cFor we suffer because of our sins. ³³And though ^dthe living Lord be angry with us a little while for our chastening and correction, yet shall he ^ebe at one again with his servants. ³⁴But thou, O godless man, and of all other most wicked, ^fbe not lifted up without a cause, nor puffed up with uncertain hopes, lifting up thy hand against the servants ^gof God: ³⁵for ^hthou hast not yet escaped the judgment of ⁱAlmighty God, who seeth all things. ³⁶For our brethren, who now have suffered a short pain, are dead under ^jGod’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 ^kthat thou by ^ltorments and plagues mayest confess, that ^mhe alone is God; ³⁸and that in me and my brethren the wrath of the ⁱAlmighty, ^cwhich is justly brought upon all our nation, may cease.

³⁹ⁿThen the king, being in a rage, handled 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. ^41oLast of all after the sons the mother died. ⁴²Let this be enough now to have spoken concerning ^pthe idolatrous feasts, and the extreme ^qtortures.

VIII.