2 Maccabees · Revised Version with Apocrypha
2 Maccabees 7 Revised Version with Apocrypha
1 And it came to pass that seven brethren also with their mother were at the king’s command taken and shamefully handled with scourges and cords, to compel them to taste of the abominable swine’s flesh.
1 It came to pass that seven brothers and their mother were at the king’s command taken and shamefully handled with scourges and cords, to compel them to taste of the abominable swine’s flesh.
2 But one of them made himself the spokesman and said, What wouldest thou ask and learn of us? for we are ready to die rather than transgress the laws of our fathers.
2 One of them made himself the spokesman and said, “What would you ask and learn from us? For we are ready to die rather than transgress the laws of our ancestors.”
3 And the king fell into a rage, and commanded to heat pans and caldrons:
3 The king fell into a rage, and commanded that pans and caldrons be heated.
4 and when these forthwith were heated, he commanded to cut out the tongue of him that had been their spokesman, and to scalp him, and to cut off his extremities, the rest of his brethren and his mother looking on.
4 When these were immediately heated, he gave orders to cut out the tongue of him who had been their spokesman, and to scalp him, and to cut off his extremities, with the rest of his brothers and his mother looking on.
5 And when he was utterly maimed, [the king ] commanded to bring him to the fire, being yet alive, and to fry him in the pan. And as the vapour of the pan spread far, they and their mother also exhorted one another to die nobly, saying thus:
5 And when he was utterly maimed, the king gave orders to bring him to the fire, being yet alive, and to fry him in the pan. And as the smoke from the pan spread far, they and their mother also exhorted one another to die nobly, saying this:
6 The Lord God beholdeth, and in truth is intreated for us, as Moses declared in his song, which witnesseth against [the people ] to their faces, saying, And he shall be intreated for his servants.
6 “The Lord God sees, and in truth is entreated for us, as Moses declared in his song, which witnesses against the people to their faces, saying, ‘And he will have compassion on his servants.’”
7 And when the first had died after this manner, they brought the second to the mocking; and they pulled off the skin of his head with the hair and asked him, Wilt thou eat, before thy body be punished in every limb?
7 And when the first had died like this, they brought the second to the mocking; and they pulled off the skin of his head with the hair and asked him, “Will you eat, before your body is punished in every limb?”
8 But he answered in the language of his fathers and said to them, No. Wherefore he also underwent the next torture in succession, as the first had done.
8 But he answered in the language of his ancestors and said to them, “No.” Therefore he also underwent the next torture in succession, as the first had done.
9 And when he was at the last gasp, he said, Thou, miscreant, dost release us out of this present life, but the King of the world shall raise up us, who have died for his laws, unto an eternal renewal of life.
9 When he was at the last gasp, he said, “You, miscreant, release us out of this present life, but the King of the world will raise us who have died for his laws up to an everlasting renewal of life.”
10 And after him was the third made a mocking-stock. And when he was required, he quickly put out his tongue, and stretched forth his hands courageously,
10 After him, the third was made a victim of their mocking. When he was required, he quickly put out his tongue, and stretched out his hands courageously,
11 and nobly said, From heaven I possess these; and for his laws’ sake I contemn these; and from him I hope to receive these back again:
11 and nobly said, “I got these from heaven. For his laws’ sake I treat these with contempt. From him, I hope to receive these back again.”
12 insomuch that the king himself and they that were with him were astonished at the young man’s soul, for that he nothing regarded the pains.
12 As a result, the king himself and those who were with him were astonished at the young man’s soul, for he regarded the pains as nothing.
13 And when he too was dead, they shamefully handled and tortured the fourth in like manner.
13 When he too was dead, they shamefully handled and tortured the fourth in the same way.
14 And being come near unto death he said thus: It is good to die at the hands of men and look for the hopes which are [given ] by God, that we shall be raised up again by him; for as for thee, thou shalt have no resurrection unto life.
14 Being near to death he said this: “It is good to die at the hands of men and look for the hope which is given by God, that we will be raised up again by him. For as for you, you will have no resurrection to life.”
15 And next after him they brought the fifth, and shamefully handled him.
15 Next after him, they brought the fifth and shamefully handled him.
16 But he looked toward the king and said, Because thou hast authority among men, though thou art [thyself ] corruptible, thou doest what thou wilt; yet think not that our race hath been forsaken of God;
16 But he looked toward the king and said, “Because you have authority among men, though you are corruptible, you do what you please. But don’t think that our race has been forsaken by God.
17 but hold thou on thy way, and behold his sovereign majesty, how it will torture thee and thy seed.
17 But hold on to your ways, and see how his sovereign majesty will torture you and your descendants!”
18 And after him they brought the sixth. And when he was at the point to die he said, Be not vainly deceived, for we suffer these things for our own doings, as sinning against our own God: marvellous things are come to pass;
18 After him they brought the sixth. When he was about to die, he said, “Don’t be vainly deceived, for we suffer these things for our own doings, as sinning against our own God. Astounding things have come to pass;
19 but think not thou that thou shalt be unpunished, having assayed to fight against God.
19 but don’t think that you will be unpunished, having tried to fight against God!”
20 But above all was the mother marvellous and worthy of honourable memory; for when she looked on seven sons perishing within the space of one day, she bare [the sight ] with a good courage for the hopes [that she had set ] on the Lord.
20 But above all, the mother was marvelous and worthy of honorable memory; for when she watched seven sons perishing within the space of one day, she bore the sight with a good courage because of her hope in the Lord.
21 And she exhorted each one of them in the language of their fathers, filled with a noble temper and stirring up her womanish thought with manly passion, saying unto them,
21 She exhorted each one of them in the language of their fathers, filled with a noble spirit and stirring up her woman’s thoughts with manly courage, saying to them,
22 I know not how ye came into my womb, neither was it I that bestowed on you your spirit and your life, and it was not I that brought into order the first elements of each one of you.
22 “I don’t know how you came into my womb. It wasn’t I who gave you your spirit and your life. It wasn’t I who brought into order the first elements of each one of you.
23 Therefore the Creator of the world, who fashioned the generation of man and devised the generation of all things, in mercy giveth back to you again both your spirit and your life, as ye now contemn your own selves for his laws’ sake.
23 Therefore the Creator of the world, who shaped the first origin of man and devised the first origin of all things, in mercy gives back to you again both your spirit and your life, as you now treat yourselves with contempt for his laws’ sake.”
24 But Antiochus, thinking himself to be despised, and suspecting the reproachful voice, whilst the youngest was yet alive did not only make his appeal [to him ] by words, but also at the same time promised with oaths that he would enrich him and raise him to high estate, if he would turn from the [customs ] of his fathers, and that he would take him for his Friend and intrust him with affairs.
24 But Antiochus, thinking himself to be despised, and suspecting the reproachful voice, while the youngest was yet alive didn’t only make his appeal to him by words, but also at the same time promised with oaths that he would enrich him and raise him to high honor if he would turn from the ways of his ancestors, and that he would take him for his friend and entrust him with public affairs.
25 But when the young man would in no wise give heed, the king called unto him his mother, and exhorted her that she would counsel the lad to save himself.
25 But when the young man would in no way listen, the king called to him his mother, and urged her to advise the youth to save himself.
26 And when he had exhorted her with many words, she undertook to persuade her son.
26 When he had urged her with many words, she undertook to persuade her son.
27 But bending toward him, laughing the cruel tyrant to scorn, she spoke thus in the language of her fathers: My son, have pity upon me that carried thee nine months in my womb, and gave thee suck three years, and nourished and brought thee up unto this age, and sustained thee.
27 But bending toward him, laughing the cruel tyrant to scorn, she spoke this in the language of her fathers: “My son, have pity upon me who carried you nine months in my womb, and nursed you three years, and nourished and brought you up to this age, and sustained you.
28 I beseech thee, my child, to lift thine eyes unto the heaven and the earth, and to see all things that are therein, and thus to recognise that God made them not of things that were, and [that ] the race of men in this wise cometh into being.
28 I beg you, my child, to lift your eyes to the sky and the earth, and to see all things that are in it, and thus to recognize that God made them not of things that were, and that the race of men in this way comes into being.
29 Fear not this butcher, but, proving thyself worthy of thy brethren, accept thy death, that in the mercy [of God ] I may receive thee again with thy brethren.
29 Don’t be afraid of this butcher, but, proving yourself worthy of your brothers, accept your death, that in God’s mercy I may receive you again with your brothers.”
30 But before she had yet ended speaking, the young man said, Whom wait ye for? I obey not the commandment of the king, but I hearken to the commandment of the law that was given to our fathers through Moses.
30 But before she had finished speaking, the young man said, “What are you all waiting for? I don’t obey the commandment of the king, but I listen to the commandment of the law that was given to our fathers through Moses.
31 But thou, that hast devised all manner of evil against the Hebrews, shalt in no wise escape the hands of God.
31 But you, who have devised all kinds of evil against the Hebrews, will in no way escape God’s hands.
32 For we are suffering because of our own sins;
32 For we are suffering because of our own sins.
33 and if for rebuke and chastening our living Lord hath been angered a little while, yet shall he again be reconciled with his own servants.
33 If for rebuke and chastening, our living Lord has been angered a little while, yet he will again be reconciled with his own servants.
34 But thou, O unholy man and of all most vile, be not vainly lifted up in thy wild pride with uncertain hopes, raising thy hand against the heavenly children;
34 But you, O unholy man and of all most vile, don’t be vainly lifted up in your wild pride with uncertain hopes, raising your hand against the heavenly children.
35 For not yet hast thou escaped the judgement of the Almighty God that seeth [all things. ]
35 For you have not yet escaped the judgment of the Almighty God who sees all things.
36 For these our brethren, having endured a short pain that bringeth everlasting life, have now died under God’s covenant; But thou, through the judgement of God, shalt receive in just measure the penalties of thine arrogancy.
36 For these our brothers, having endured a short pain that brings everlasting life, have now died under God’s covenant. But you, through God’s judgment, will receive in just measure the penalties of your arrogance.
37 But I, as my brethren, give up both body and soul for the laws of our fathers, calling upon God that he may speedily become gracious to the nation; and that thou amidst trials and plagues mayest confess that he alone is God;
37 But I, as my brothers, give up both body and soul for the laws of our fathers, calling upon God that he may speedily become gracious to the nation, and that you, amidst trials and plagues, may confess that he alone is God,
38 and that in me and my brethren thou mayest stay the wrath of the Almighty, which hath been justly brought upon our whole race.
38 and that in me and my brothers you may bring to an end the wrath of the Almighty which has been justly brought upon our whole race.”
39 But the king, falling into a rage, handled him worse than all the rest, being exasperated at his mocking.
39 But the king, falling into a rage, handled him worse than all the rest, being exasperated at his mocking.
40 So he also died pure [from pollution, ] putting his whole trust in the Lord.
40 So he also died pure, putting his whole trust in the Lord.
41 And last of all after her sons the mother died.
41 Last of all, after her sons, the mother died.
42 Let it then suffice to have said thus much concerning the [enforcement of ] sacrificial feasts and the [king’s ] exceeding barbarities.
42 Let it then suffice to have said thus much concerning the sacrificial feasts and the extreme tortures.