2 Maccabees 6:23

23 But he began to consider discreetly, and as became his age and the excellency of his ancient years, and the honor of his gray head to which he had come, and his most honest education as a child, or rather, the holy law made and given by God therefore he answered accordingly, and willed them straightway to send him to the grave.

2 Maccabees 6:23 In-Context

21 But those who had the charge of that wicked feast, because of the old acquaintance they had with the man, taking him aside, besought him to bring flesh from his own provision, such as was lawful for him to use, and make as if he ate of the flesh taken from the sacrifice commanded by the king,

22 that in so doing he might be delivered from death and, because of the old friendship, find favor with them.

23 But he began to consider discreetly, and as became his age and the excellency of his ancient years, and the honor of his gray head to which he had come, and his most honest education as a child, or rather, the holy law made and given by God therefore he answered accordingly, and willed them straightway to send him to the grave.

24 "For it becometh not our age," said he, "in any wise to dissemble, whereby many young persons might think that Eleazar, being fourscore years old and ten, had now gone to a strange religion.

25 And so they, through mine hypocrisy and desire to live a little time and a moment longer, should be deceived by me, and I get a stain upon mine old age and make it abominable.