15
For when thou wast seized along with thy children, thou stoodest looking upon Eleazar in torments, and saidst to thy sons in the Hebrew tongue,
16
O sons, noble is the contest; to which you being called as a witness for the nation, strive zealously for the laws of your country.
17
For it were disgraceful that this old man should endure pains for the sake of righteousness, and that you who are younger should be afraid of the tortures.
18
Remember that through God ye obtained existence, and have enjoyed it.
19
And on this second account ye ought to bear every affliction because of God.
20
For whom also our father Abraham was forward to sacrifice Isaac our progenitor, and shuddered not at the sight of his own paternal hand descending down with the sword upon him.
21
And the righteous Daniel was cast unto the lions; and Ananias, and Azarias, and Misael, were slung out into a furnace of fire; yet they endured through God.
22
You, then, having the same faith towards God, be not troubled.
23
For it is unreasonable that they who know religion should not stand up against troubles.
24
With these arguments, the mother of seven, exhorting each of her sons, over-persuaded them from transgressing the commandment of God.
25
And they saw this, too, that they who die for God, live to God; as Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the patriarchs.