1 Maccabees 2:21

21 Far be it from us to desert the law and the ordinances.

1 Maccabees 2:21 In-Context

19 But Mattathias answered and said in a loud voice: "Even if all the nations that live under the rule of the king obey him, and have chosen to obey his commandments, everyone of them abandoning the religion of their ancestors,

20 I and my sons and my brothers will continue to live by the covenant of our ancestors.

21 Far be it from us to desert the law and the ordinances.

22 We will not obey the king's words by turning aside from our religion to the right hand or to the left."

23 When he had finished speaking these words, a Jew came forward in the sight of all to offer sacrifice on the altar in Modein, according to the king's command.