Old Testament

New Testament

4 Maccabees 5:6-19 Common English Bible (CEB)

6. "Old man, before I begin to have you tortured, I would advise you to eat the pork and save yourself.

7. I respect your old age. Even though you have had gray hair for a long time, you don’t seem to have a mature understanding of things, since you observe the Jewish religion.

8. Why are you disgusted by eating this animal’s delicious meat? It’s a gift that nature has given to us.

9. It’s stupid not to enjoy pleasant things that aren’t shameful, and it’s wrong to refuse nature’s gifts.

10. I will think that you are even more stupid if you continue to disobey me to your own disadvantage for the sake of your brainless ideas about the truth.

11. Come on! Wake up from your silly philosophy, and get rid of your brainless thinking! Adopt an attitude that is more appropriate for a mature person, and adopt a philosophy that is to your advantage!

12. Take pity on your old age, and respect my generous advice.

13. Think about this: if there is some power watching over you and your religion, it will excuse you for any action against the Law if you are compelled to do it."

14. When the tyrant had finished pressuring Eleazar to eat forbidden food, Eleazar asked to say something.

15. Antiochus gave him permission, and Eleazar began to give the following speech:

16. “Antiochus, we are persuaded to live our lives in line with the divine Law! We think that nothing is more compelling than our obedience to the Law.

17. That’s why we don’t think it’s right to disobey the Law under any circumstances.

18. “Even if, as you assume, our Law were not truly divine and we were wrong to think it is divine, even then it would be wrong for us to ruin our reputation for our godly way of life.

19. So don’t think it’s a minor sin for us to eat forbidden foods.

Read complete chapter 4 Maccabees 5