Love between siblings
19 No doubt you are aware of the powerful love that exists between brothers and sisters. Divine and wise providence gives this kind of love through the father and plants it in the mother's womb.
20
These brothers all spent the same length of time in the same womb. They were formed over the same period of time. They grew from the same blood, and they were brought to full term with the same life.
21
They were born after the same amount of time, and drank milk from the same fountains. The same fond embraces nurtured brotherly love in their souls.
22
They grew more fervent as they were brought up together enjoying each other's company day after day, and being shaped by the same education, particularly their training in God's Law.
23
So it is clear, when such mutual sympathy and love for each other had been established, these seven brothers had even more sympathy for each other.
24
They loved each other so much because they had been educated in the same Law, held the same moral values, and were raised together to live a life that is just.
25
Their affection for each other and harmony grew even more because they shared a common passion for good character and conduct.
26
Family love for each other was made even more desirable to them by their godly behavior.
27
Still, even though nature, custom, and good habits made their love toward their brothers stronger, the brothers who were left alive put up with seeing their brothers tortured to death because of their godly way of life.