2
One of them, speaking on behalf of the others, said, "What do you hope to ask and learn from us? We are prepared to die rather than sin against our ancestral laws."
3
The king became angry and commanded frying pans and cauldrons to be heated.
4
As soon as they were hot, he commanded that the one acting as spokesman have his tongue cut out, be scalped, and have his hands and feet cut off while the rest of his brothers and his mother watched.
5
After the brother was maimed and utterly helpless, the king commanded him to be brought to the fire and fried alive. Although the smoke from the pan had spread widely, the brothers and their mother encouraged each other to die honorably, saying,
6
"The Lord God truly watches over us and will come to our aid, just as Moses' song personally bore witness against them, clearly saying, ‘God will have compassion on his servants.'"
7
After the first brother died in this manner, they led forward the second one with mockery. They ripped off the skin of his head along with the hair and demanded, "Will you eat before every part of your body is punished limb by limb?"
8
But he answered in his native language, "Not at all." Therefore, this brother also received in turn the same punishment as the first.
9
With his last breath he said, "You, who are marked out for vengeance, may take our present life, but the king of the universe for whose laws we die will resurrect us again to eternal life."
10
After this, the third one was mocked. When it was demanded, he put out his tongue quickly, extended his hands courageously,
11
and stated with dignity, "I have received these limbs from heaven, and I give them up for the sake of God's laws. But I hope to recover them from God again."
12
The king and those with him marveled at the young man's spirit, since he considered his agonies nothing.