Chapter 12
¹ When he, too, had undergone blessed martyrdom, and died in the caldron into which he had been thrown, the seventh, the youngest of all, came forward: ² whom the tyrant pitying, though he had been dreadfully reproached by his brethren, ³ seeing him already encompassed with chains, had him brought nearer, and endeavored to counsel him, saying,
4Mac 12:1-3
⁴ Thou seest the end of the madness of thy brethren: for they have died in torture through disobedience; and you, if disobedient, having been miserably tormented, will yourself perish prematurely. ⁵ But if you obey, you shall be my friend, and have a charge over the affairs of the kingdom.
4Mac 12:4-5
⁶ And having thus exhorted him, he sent for the mother of the boy; that, by condoling with her for the loss of so many sons, he might incline her, through the hope of safety, to render the survivor obedient. ⁷ And he, after his mother had urged him on in the Hebrew tongue (as we shall soon relate), says, ⁸ Release me, that I may speak to the king and all his friends. ⁹ And they, rejoicing exceedingly at the promise of the youth, quickly let him go.
4Mac 12:6-9
¹⁰ And he, running up to the pans, said, ¹¹ Impious tyrant, and most blasphemous man, wert thou not ashamed, having received prosperity and a kingdom from God, to slay His servants, and to rack the doers of godliness? ¹² Wherefore the divine vengeance is reserving thee for eternal fire and torments, which shall cling to thee for all time.
4Mac 12:10-12
¹³ Wert thou not ashamed, man as thou art, yet most savage, to cut out the tongues of men of like feeling and origin, and having thus abused to torture them? ¹⁴ But they, bravely dying, fulfilled their religion toward God. ¹⁵ But thou shalt groan according to thy deserts for having slain without cause the champions of virtue.
4Mac 12:13-15
¹⁶ Wherefore, he continued, I myself, being about to die, ¹⁷ will not forsake the testimony of my brethren. ¹⁸ And I call upon the God of my fathers to be merciful to my race. ¹⁹ But thee, both living and dead, he will punish.
4Mac 12:16-19