2 Maccabees 7:23

21 She combined womanly emotion with manly courage and spoke words of encouragement to each of her sons in their native language.

22 "I do not know how your life began in my womb," she would say, "I was not the one who gave you life and breath and put together each part of your body.

23 It was God who did it, God who created the universe, the human race, and all that exists. He is merciful and he will give you back life and breath again, because you love his laws more than you love yourself."

24 Antiochus was sure that the mother was making fun of him, so he did his best to convince her youngest son to abandon the traditions of his ancestors. He promised not only to make the boy rich and famous, but to place him in a position of authority and to give him the title "Friend of the King."

25 But the boy paid no attention to him, so Antiochus tried to persuade the boy's mother to talk him into saving his life,