IV Maccabees 6:23-33

23 Ye spearbearers of the tyrant, why do ye linger?

24 Beholding him so high-minded against misery, and not changing at their pity, they led him to the fire:

25 then with their wickedly-contrived instruments they burnt him on the fire, and poured stinking fluids down into his nostrils.

26 And he being at length burnt down to the bones, and about to expire, raised his eyes Godward, and said,

27 Thou knowest, O God, that when I might have been saved, I am slain for the sake of the law by tortures of fire.

28 Be merciful to thy people, and be satisfied with the punishment of me on their account.

29 Let my blood be a purification for them, and take my life in recompense for theirs.

30 Thus speaking, the holy man departed, noble in his torments, and even to the agonies of death resisted in his reasoning for the sake of the law.

31 Confessedly, therefore, religious reasoning is master of the passions.

32 For had the passions been superior to reasoning, I would have given them the witness of this mastery.

33 But now, since reasoning conquered the passions, we befittingly awared it the authority of first place.