4
Take courage, therefore, O holy-minded mother, maintaining firm an enduring hope in God.
5
The moon in heaven, with the stars, does not stand so august as you, who, after lighting the way of your star-like seven sons to piety, stand in honor before God and are firmly set in heaven with them.
6
For your children were true descendants of father Abraham.
7
If it were possible for us to paint the history of your religion as an artist might, would not those who first beheld it have shuddered as they saw the mother of the seven children enduring their varied tortures to death for the sake of religion?
8
Indeed it would be proper to inscribe on their tomb these words as a reminder to the people of our nation:
Footnotes 1
[a].
Gk [For your childbearing was from Abraham the father]; other ancient authorities read [For . . . Abraham the servant]
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.