2 Maccabees 6
The king sent an elder to compel Jews to abandon their laws and contaminate the temple in Jerusalem, renaming it 'Jupiter of Olympus.' The temple was filled with Gentile luxuries and the altar was desecrated with illicit things. Jews were forced to sacrifice on the king's birthday and those who refused were executed, including two women who had circumcised their sons and a group of people who secretly observed the Sabbath. An elderly scribe named Eleazar was forced to eat swine's flesh but chose to endure torments and death rather than disobey the sacred law, leaving an example of fortitude for the people.
1But not much time later, the king sent a certain elder of Antioch, who compelled the Jews to transfer themselves from the laws of God and of their fathers2and also to contaminate the temple that was in Jerusalem, and to name it ‘Jupiter of Olympus,’ and in Garizim, ‘Jupiter of Hospitality,’ exactly like those who inhabited the place3Yet the worst and most grievous thing of all was the onrush of evils4For the temple was full of the luxuries and carousings of the Gentiles, and of consorting with promiscuous women. And the women hurried themselves unreservedly into the sacred buildings, bringing in things that were not lawful5And even the altar was filled with illicit things, which were prohibited by the laws6And also the sabbaths were not kept, and the solemn days of the fathers were not observed, neither did anyone simply confess himself to be a Jew7And so, they were led by bitter necessity, on the birthday of the king, to the sacrifices. And, when the holy things of Liber were celebrated, they were forced to go around crowned with the ivy of Liber8Then a decree went out to the neighboring cities of the Gentiles, suggested by the Ptolemeans, that they too should act in a similar manner against the Jews, to oblige them to sacrifice9and that those who were not willing to conform to the institutions of the Gentiles should be executed. Therefore, there was misery to be seen10For two women were denounced for having had their boys circumcised. These, with the infants suspended at their breasts, when they had publicly led them around the city, they cast down from the walls11Truly, others, meeting together in nearby caves and celebrating the Sabbath day secretly, when they had been discovered by Philip, were burned with fire, because they showed reverence to the observances of religion, deciding to help themselves by their own hand12So then, I beg those who will read this Book, let them not be repelled by these adverse events, but let them consider that these things happened, not for the destruction, but for the correction, of our people13For it is also an indication of great benefits that sinners are not permitted to continue in their ways for a long time, but are promptly brought to punishment14For, as it is with other nations, (whom the Lord patiently awaits, so that, when the day of Judgment will arrive, he may punish them according to the plentitude of their sins,15not so does he also deal with us, as if to put off our sins until the end, so as to punish us for them eventually16Because of this, he certainly would never take away his mercy from us. Yet truly, chastising his people in adversity, he does not abandon them17But these few things have been spoken by us as a reminder to the reader. For now we have arrived at the narration18And so, Eleazar, one of the chief scribes, a man advanced in years and of stately countenance, was compelled to open his mouth wide to consume the flesh of swine19Yet he, embracing a most glorious death as greater than a detestable life, went forward voluntarily to the torments20And so, thinking over the manner by which he ought to approach it, enduring patiently, he was determined not to permit, due to a love for life, any unlawful things21Yet those who stood near, being moved by an iniquitous pity because of long friendship with the man, taking him aside privately, asked that flesh be brought which was lawful for him to eat, so that he could pretend to have eaten, just as the king had commanded, from the flesh of the sacrifice22So then, by doing this, he might be freed from death. And it was because of their old friendship with the man that they performed this kindness for him23But he began to consider the eminent dignity of his stage of life and old age, and the natural honor of gray hair, as well as his exemplary words and deeds from childhood. And he responded quickly, according also to the ordinances of the sacred law preserved by God, saying, that he would first be sent to the underworld24"For it is not worthy for those of our age," he said, "to deceive, so that many adolescents might think that Eleazar, at ninety years, had converted to the life of the foreigners25And so, they, because of my pretense and for the sake of a brief time of a corruptible life, would be misled, and, through this stain and desecration, I would defile my last years26But if, in the present time, I were rescued from the torments of men, I would then not escape the hand of the Almighty, neither in life, nor in death27For this reason, by departing life with fortitude, I will show myself to be clearly worthy of my long life28And so, I will bequeath an example of fortitude to youths, if, with a ready soul and constancy, I carry out an honest death, for the sake of the most serious and most holy laws." And having said this, he was immediately dragged away to execution29But those who led him, and who were more mild a little before, were turned to anger because of the words spoken by him, which they considered to have been brought forth by way of arrogance30But when he was ready to perish by the scourges, he groaned, and he said: "O Lord, who holds all holy knowledge, you clearly understand that, although I could be freed from death, I suffer grievous pains in body. Truly, according to the soul, I willingly endure these things, because of your fear.31And the way in which this man passed from this life, bequeathed, not only to youths, but also to the entire people, the memory of his death as an example of virtue and fortitude
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