4 Maccabees 16 – search, read, and compare multiple versions of the Bible

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World English Bible Classic
[1] If, then, even a woman, and that an aged one, and the mother of seven children, endured to see her children’s torments even to death, it must be admitted that religious reasoning is master even of the emotions. [2] I have proved, then, that not only men have obtained the mastery of their emotions, but also that a woman despised the greatest torments. [3] The lions around Daniel were not so fierce, nor the furnace of Misael burning with most vehement fires as that natural love of children burned within her, when she saw her seven sons tortured. [4] But with the reasoning of religion the mother quenched emotions so great and powerful. [5] For we must consider also this: that, had the woman been faint hearted, as being their mother, she would have lamented over them, and perhaps might have spoken thus: [6] “Ah! I am wretched and many times miserable, who having born seven sons, have become the mother of none. [7] O seven useless childbirths, and seven profitless periods of labor, and fruitless givings of suck, and miserable nursings at the breast. [8] Vainly, for your sakes, O sons, have I endured many pangs, and the more difficult anxieties of rearing. [9] Alas, of my children, some of you unmarried, and some who have married to no profit, I will not see your children, nor have the joy of being a grandmother. [10] Ah, that I who had many and fair children, should be a lone widow full of sorrows! [11] Nor, should I die, will I have a son to bury me.” But with such a lament as this, the holy and God-fearing mother wept for none of them. [12] Nor did she divert any of them from death, nor grieve for them as for the dead. [13] But as one possessed with an adamant mind, and as one bringing forth again her full number of sons to immortality, she rather urged them to death on behalf of religion. [14] O woman, soldier of God for religion, you, aged and a female, have conquered through endurance even a tyrant; and even though weak, have been found more powerful in deeds and words. [15] For when you were seized along with your children, you stood looking at Eleazar in torture, and said to your sons in the Hebrew tongue, [16] “O sons, the contest is noble to which you are being called as a witness for the nation. Strive zealously for the laws of your country. [17] For it would be disgraceful if this old man endured pains for the sake of righteousness, and that you who are younger would be afraid of the tortures. [18] Remember that through God, you obtained existence and have enjoyed it. [19] Therefore, you ought to bear every affliction because of God. [20] For him also our father Abraham was zealous to sacrifice Isaac our progenitor, and didn’t shudder at the sight of his own paternal hand descending down with the sword upon him. [21] The righteous Daniel was cast to the lions; and Ananias, Azarias, and Misael were hurled into a fiery furnace, yet they endured through God. [22] You, then, having the same faith toward God, don’t be troubled. [23] For it is unreasonable that they who know religion wouldn’t stand up against troubles. [24] With these arguments, the mother of seven, exhorting each of her sons, encouraged and persuaded them not to transgress God’s commandment. [25] They saw this, too, that those who die for God, live to God, like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the patriarchs.
King James Version
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Septuaginta
[1] Εἰ G1487 δὲ G1161 τοίνυν G5106 καὶ G2532 γυνὴ G1135 καὶ G2532 γεραιὰ καὶ G2532 ἑπτὰ G2033 παίδων G3816 μήτηρ G3384 ὑπέμεινεν G5278 τὰς G3588 μέχρι G3360 θανάτου G2288 βασάνους G931 τῶν G3588 τέκνων G5043 ὁρῶσα, ὁμολογουμένως G3672 αὐτοκράτωρ ἐστὶν G2076 τῶν G3588 παθῶν G3806 ὁ G3588 εὐσεβὴς G2152 λογισμός. G3053 [2] Ἀπέδειξα G584 οὖν G3767 ὅτι G3754 οὐ G3756 μόνον G3440 ἄνδρες G435 τῶν G3588 παθῶν G3806 ἐκράτησαν, G2902 ἀλλὰ G235 καὶ G2532 γυνὴ G1135 τῶν G3588 μεγίστων G3176 βασάνων G931 ὑπερεφρόνησεν. G5252 [3] Καὶ G2532 οὐχ G3756 οὕτως G3779 οἱ G3588 περὶ G4012 Δανιηλ G1158 λέοντες G3023 ἦσαν G2258 ἄγριοι G66 οὐδὲ G3761 ἡ G3588 Μισαηλ ἐκφλεγομένη κάμινος G2575 λαβροτάτῳ πυρί, G4442 ὡς G5613 ἡ G3588 τῆς G3588 φιλοτεκνίας περιέκαιεν ἐκείνην G1565 φύσις G5449 ὁρῶσαν αὐτῆς G846 οὕτως G3779 ποικίλως βασανιζομένους G928 τοὺς G3588 ἑπτὰ G2033 υἱούς. G5207 [4] Ἀλλὰ G235 τῷ G3588 λογισμῷ G3053 τῆς G3588 εὐσεβείας G2150 κατέσβεσεν τὰ G3588 τοσαῦτα G5118 καὶ G2532 τηλικαῦτα G5082 πάθη G3806 ἡ G3588 μήτηρ. G3384 [5] Καὶ G2532 γὰρ G1063 τοῦτο G5124 ἐπιλογίσασθε, ὅτι G3754 δειλόψυχος εἰ G1487 ἦν G2258 ἡ G3588 γυνὴ G1135 καίπερ G2539 μήτηρ G3384 οὖσα, G5607 ὠλοφύρετο ἂν G302 ἐπ’ G1909 αὐτοῖς G846 καὶ G2532 ἴσως G2481 ἂν G302 ταῦτα G5023 εἶπεν G2036 [6] Ὦ G5599 μελέα ἔγωγε καὶ G2532 πολλάκις G4178 τρισαθλία, ἥτις G3748 ἑπτὰ G2033 παῖδας G3816 τεκοῦσα G5088 οὐδενὸς G3762 μήτηρ G3384 γεγένημαι. G1096 [7] Ὦ G5599 μάταιοι G3152 ἑπτὰ G2033 κυοφορίαι καὶ G2532 ἀνόνητοι ἑπτὰ G2033 δεκάμηνοι καὶ G2532 ἄκαρποι G175 τιθηνίαι καὶ G2532 ταλαίπωροι G5005 γαλακτοτροφίαι. [8] Μάτην G3155 δὲ G1161 ἐφ’ G1909 ὑμῖν, G5213 ὦ G5599 παῖδες, G3816 πολλὰς G4183 ὑπέμεινα G5278 ὠδῖνας G5604 καὶ G2532 χαλεπωτέρας G5467 φροντίδας ἀνατροφῆς. [9] Ὦ G5599 τῶν G3588 ἐμῶν G1699 παίδων G3816 οἱ G3588 μὲν G3303 ἄγαμοι, G22 οἱ G3588 δὲ G1161 γήμαντες G1060 ἀνόνητοι· οὐκ G3756 ὄψομαι G3700 ὑμῶν G5216 τέκνα G5043 οὐδὲ G3761 μάμμη G3125 κληθεῖσα G2564 μακαρισθήσομαι. G3106 [10] Ὦ G5599 ἡ G3588 πολύπαις καὶ G2532 καλλίπαις ἐγὼ G1473 γυνὴ G1135 χήρα G5503 καὶ G2532 μόνη G3441 πολύθρηνος· [11] οὐδ’ G3761 ἂν G302 ἀποθάνω, G599 θάπτοντα G2290 τῶν G3588 υἱῶν G5207 ἕξω G2192 τινά. G5100 [12] Ἀλλὰ G235 τούτῳ G5129 τῷ G3588 θρήνῳ G2355 οὐδένα G3762 ὠλοφύρετο ἡ G3588 ἱερὰ G2413 καὶ G2532 θεοσεβὴς G2318 μήτηρ G3384 οὐδ’ G3761 ἵνα G2443 μὴ G3361 ἀποθάνωσιν G599 ἀπέτρεπεν G665 αὐτῶν G846 τινα G5100 οὐδ’ G3761 ὡς G5613 ἀποθνῃσκόντων G599 ἐλυπήθη, G3076 [13] ἀλλ’ G235 ὥσπερ G5618 ἀδαμάντινον ἔχουσα G2192 τὸν G3588 νοῦν G3563 καὶ G2532 εἰς G1519 ἀθανασίαν G110 ἀνατίκτουσα τὸν G3588 τῶν G3588 υἱῶν G5207 ἀριθμὸν G706 μᾶλλον G3123 ὑπὲρ G5228 τῆς G3588 εὐσεβείας G2150 ἐπὶ G1909 τὸν G3588 θάνατον G2288 αὐτοὺς G846 προετρέπετο G4389 ἱκετεύουσα. [14] Ὦ G5599 μῆτερ G3384 δι’ G1223 εὐσέβειαν G2150 θεοῦ G2316 στρατιῶτι πρεσβῦτι G4247 καὶ G2532 γύναι, G1135 διὰ G1223 καρτερίαν καὶ G2532 τύραννον ἐνίκησας G3528 καὶ G2532 ἔργοις G2041 δυνατωτέρα G1415 καὶ G2532 λόγοις G3056 εὑρέθης G2147 ἀνδρός. G435 [15] Καὶ G2532 γὰρ G1063 ὅτε G3753 συνελήμφθης G4815 μετὰ G3326 τῶν G3588 παίδων, G3816 εἱστήκεις G2476 τὸν G3588 Ελεαζαρον ὁρῶσα βασανιζόμενον G928 καὶ G2532 ἔλεγες G3004 τοῖς G3588 παισὶν G3816 ἐν G1722 τῇ G3588 Εβραίδι G1446 φωνῇ G5456 [16] Ὦ G5599 παῖδες, G3816 γενναῖος ὁ G3588 ἀγών, G73 ἐφ’ G1909 ὃν G3739 κληθέντες G2564 ὑπὲρ G5228 τῆς G3588 διαμαρτυρίας τοῦ G3588 ἔθνους G1484 ἐναγωνίσασθε προθύμως G4290 ὑπὲρ G5228 τοῦ G3588 πατρῴου G3971 νόμου· G3551 [17] καὶ G2532 γὰρ G1063 αἰσχρὸν G150 τὸν G3588 μὲν G3303 γέροντα G1088 τοῦτον G5126 ὑπομένειν G5278 τὰς G3588 διὰ G1223 τὴν G3588 εὐσέβειαν G2150 ἀλγηδόνας, ὑμᾶς G5209 δὲ G1161 τοὺς G3588 νεανίσκους G3495 καταπλαγῆναι τὰς G3588 βασάνους. G931 [18] Ἀναμνήσθητε G363 ὅτι G3754 διὰ G1223 τὸν G3588 θεὸν G2316 τοῦ G3588 κόσμου G2889 μετελάβετε G3335 καὶ G2532 τοῦ G3588 βίου G979 ἀπελαύσατε, [19] καὶ G2532 διὰ G1223 τοῦτο G5124 ὀφείλετε G3784 πάντα G3956 πόνον G4192 ὑπομένειν G5278 διὰ G1223 τὸν G3588 θεόν, G2316 [20] δι’ G1223 ὃν G3739 καὶ G2532 ὁ G3588 πατὴρ G3962 ἡμῶν G2257 Αβρααμ G11 ἔσπευδεν G4692 τὸν G3588 ἐθνοπάτορα υἱὸν G5207 σφαγιάσαι Ισαακ, G2464 καὶ G2532 τὴν G3588 πατρῴαν G3971 χεῖρα G5495 ξιφηφόρον καταφερομένην G2702 ἐπ’ G1909 αὐτὸν G846 ὁρῶν G3708 οὐκ G3756 ἔπτηξεν. [21] Καὶ G2532 Δανιηλ G1158 ὁ G3588 δίκαιος G1342 εἰς G1519 λέοντας G3023 ἐβλήθη, G906 καὶ G2532 Ανανιας G367 καὶ G2532 Αζαριας καὶ G2532 Μισαηλ εἰς G1519 κάμινον G2575 πυρὸς G4442 ἀπεσφενδονήθησαν καὶ G2532 ὑπέμειναν G5278 διὰ G1223 τὸν G3588 θεόν. G2316 [22] Καὶ G2532 ὑμεῖς G5210 οὖν G3767 τὴν G3588 αὐτὴν G846 πίστιν G4102 πρὸς G4314 τὸν G3588 θεὸν G2316 ἔχοντες G2192 μὴ G3361 χαλεπαίνετε. [23] Ἀλόγιστον γὰρ G1063 εἰδότας G1492 εὐσέβειαν G2150 μὴ G3361 ἀνθίστασθαι G436 τοῖς G3588 πόνοις. G4192 [24] Διὰ G1223 τούτων G5130 τῶν G3588 λόγων G3056 ἡ G3588 ἑπταμήτωρ ἕνα G1520 ἕκαστον G1538 τῶν G3588 υἱῶν G5207 παρακαλοῦσα G3870 ἀποθανεῖν G599 ἔπεισεν G3982 μᾶλλον G3123 ἢ G2228 παραβῆναι G3845 τὴν G3588 ἐντολὴν G1785 τοῦ G3588 θεοῦ, G2316 [25] ἔτι G2089 δὲ G1161 καὶ G2532 ταῦτα G5023 εἰδότες G1492 ὅτι G3754 οἱ G3588 διὰ G1223 τὸν G3588 θεὸν G2316 ἀποθνῄσκοντες G599 ζῶσιν G2198 τῷ G3588 θεῷ G2316 ὥσπερ G5618 Αβρααμ G11 καὶ G2532 Ισαακ G2464 καὶ G2532 Ιακωβ G2384 καὶ G2532 πάντες G3956 οἱ G3588 πατριάρχαι. G3966
Septuaginta, in place of Byzantine Greek New Testament