Bible Text & Cross-references:
The glorious martyrdom of the seven brethren and their
mother.
1 It *came to pass also, that seven brethren, together with their mother,
were apprehended, and compelled by the king to eat swine's flesh against the law, for which end they were tormented with whips
and scourges.
2 But one of them, who was the eldest, said thus: What wouldst thou ask,
or learn of us? we are ready to die, rather than to transgress the laws of God, received from our fathers.
3 Then the king being angry, commanded frying-pans, and brazen cauldrons
to be made hot: which forthwith being heated,
4 He commanded to cut out the tongue of him that had spoken first: and
the skin of his head being drawn off, to chop off also the extremities of his hands and feet, the rest of his brethren and
his mother looking on.
5 And when he was now maimed in all parts, he commanded him, being yet
alive, to be brought to the fire, and to be fried in the frying-pan: and while he was suffering therein long torments, the
rest, together with the mother, exhorted one another to die manfully,
6 Saying: The Lord God will look upon the truth, and will take pleasure
in us, *as Moses declared in the profession of the canticle; And in his servants he will take pleasure.
7 So when the first was dead after this manner, they brought the next
to make him a mocking-stock: and when they had pulled off the skin of his head with the hair, they asked him if he would eat,
before he were punished throughout the whole body in every limb.
8 But he answered in his own language, and said: I will not do it. Wherefore
he also, in the next place, received the torments of the first:
9 And when he was at the last gasp, he said thus: Thou indeed, O most
wicked man, destroyest us out of this present life: but the King of the world will raise us up, who die for his laws, in the
resurrection of eternal life.
10 After him the third was made a mocking-stock, and when he was required,
he quickly put forth his tongue, and courageously stretched out his hands:
11 And said with confidence: These I have from heaven, but for the laws
of God I now despise them, because I hope to receive them again from him.
12 So that the king, and they that were with him, wondered at the young
man's courage, because he esteemed the torments as nothing.
13 And after he was thus dead, they tormented the fourth in the like
manner.
14 And when he was now ready to die, he spoke thus: It is better, being
put to death by men, to look for hope from God, to be raised up again by him; for, as to thee, thou shalt have no resurrection
unto life.
15 And when they had brought the fifth, they tormented him. But he, looking
upon the king,
16 Said: Whereas thou hast power among men, though thou art corruptible,
thou dost what thou wilt: but think not that our nation is forsaken by God.
17 But stay patiently a while, and thou shalt see his great power, in
what manner he will torment thee and thy seed.
18 After him they brought the sixth, and he being ready to die, spoke
thus: Be not deceived without cause: for we suffer these things for ourselves, having sinned against our God, and things worthy
of admiration are done to us:
19 But do not think that thou shalt escape unpunished, for that thou
attempted to fight against God.
20 Now the mother was to be admired above measure, and worthy to be remembered
by good men, who beheld seven sons slain in the space of one day, and bore it with a good courage, for the hope that she had
in God:
21 And she bravely exhorted every one of them in her own language, being
filled with wisdom; and joining a man's heart to a woman's thought,
22 She said to them: I know not how you were formed in my womb; for I
neither gave you breath, nor soul, nor life, neither did I frame the limbs of every one of you.
23 But the Creator of the world, that formed the nativity of man, and
that found out the origin of all, he will restore to you again, in his mercy, both breath and life, as now you despise yourselves
for the sake of his laws.
24 Now Antiochus, thinking himself despised, and withal despising the
voice of the upbraider, when the youngest was yet alive, did not only exhort him by words, but also assured him with an oath,
that he would make him a rich and a happy man, and, if he would turn from the laws of his fathers, would take him for a friend,
and furnish him with things necessary.
25 But when the young man was not moved with these things, the king called
the mother, and counselled her to deal with the young man to save his life.
26 And when he had exhorted her with many words, she promised that she
would counsel her son.
27 So bending herself towards him, mocking the cruel tyrant, she said
in her own language: My son, have pity upon me, that bore thee nine months in my womb, and gave thee suck three years, and
nourished thee, and brought thee up unto this age.
28 I beseech thee, my son, look upon heaven and earth, and all
that is in them, and consider that God made them out of nothing, and mankind also:
29 So thou shalt not fear this tormentor, but being made a worthy partner
with thy brethren, receive death, that in that mercy I may receive thee again with thy brethren.
30 While she was yet speaking these words, the young man said: For whom
do you stay? I will not obey the commandment of the king, but the commandment of the law which was given us by Moses.
31 But thou that hast been the author of all mischief against the Hebrews,
shalt not escape the hand of God.
32 For we suffer thus for our sins.
33 And though the Lord, our God, is angry with us a little while, for
our chastisement and correction, yet he will be reconciled again to his servants.
34 But thou, O wicked, and of all men most flagitious, be not lifted
up without cause with vain hopes, whilst thou art raging against his servants.
35 For thou hast not yet escaped the judgment of the Almighty God, who
beholdeth all things.
36 For my brethren having now undergone a short pain, are under the covenant
of eternal life: but thou, by the judgment of God, shalt receive just punishment for thy pride.
37 But I, like my brethren, offer up my life and my body for the laws
of our fathers: calling upon God to be speedily merciful to our nation, and that thou by torments and stripes mayst confess
that he alone is God.
38 But in me, and in my brethren, the wrath of the Almighty, which hath
justly been brought upon all our nation, shall cease.
39 Then the king being incensed with anger, raged against him more cruelly
than all the rest, taking it grievously that he was mocked.
40 So this man also died undefiled, wholly trusting in the Lord.
41 And last of all, after the sons, the mother also was consumed.
42 But now there is enough said of the sacrifices, and of the excessive
cruelties.
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*
1: Year of the World 3837, Year before Christ 167.
6: Deuteronomy xxii. 36.