11
and said nobly, "I got these from Heaven, and because of his laws I disdain them, and from him I hope to get them back again."
12
As a result the king himself and those with him were astonished at the young man's spirit, for he regarded his sufferings as nothing.
13
When he too had died, they maltreated and tortured the fourth in the same way.
14
And when he was near death, he said, "One cannot but choose to die at the hands of men and to cherish the hope that God gives of being raised again by him. But for you there will be no resurrection to life!"
15
Next they brought forward the fifth and maltreated him.
16
But he looked at the king, and said, "Because you have authority among men, mortal though you are, you do what you please. But do not think that God has forsaken our people.
17
Keep on, and see how his mighty power will torture you and your descendants!"
18
After him they brought forward the sixth. And when he was about to die, he said, "Do not deceive yourself in vain. For we are suffering these things on our own account, because of our sins against our own God. Therefore astounding things have happened.
19
But do not think that you will go unpunished for having tried to fight against God!"
20
The mother was especially admirable and worthy of honorable memory. Though she saw her seven sons perish within a single day, she bore it with good courage because of her hope in the Lord.
21
She encouraged each of them in the language of their fathers. Filled with a noble spirit, she fired her woman's reasoning with a man's courage, and said to them,