9. And when he was at the last gasp, he said, You, miscreant, do release us out of this present life, but the King of the world shall raise up us, who have died for his laws, to an eternal 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,
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:
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.
13. And when he too was dead, they shamefully handled and tortured the fourth in like manner.
14. And being come near to 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 you, you shall have no resurrection to life.
15. And next after him they brought the fifth, and shamefully handled him.
16. But he looked toward the king and said, Because you have authority among men, though you are yourself corruptible, you do what you will; yet think not that our race has been forsaken of God;
17. but hold you on your way, and behold his sovereign majesty, how it will torture you and your seed.
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: marvelous things are come to pass;
19. but think not you that you shall be unpunished, having assayed to fight against God.
20. But above all was the mother marvelous and worthy of honorable 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.
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 to them,
22. I know not how you⌃ 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.